# Luna E-6 No.2

> soviet lunar lander that failed to achieve planned orbit

**Wikidata**: [Q2249850](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2249850)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luna_E-6_No.2)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/luna-e-6-no-2

## Summary
Luna E-6 No.2 was a Soviet unmanned lunar lander launched in 1963 as part of the Luna programme. It failed to achieve its planned orbit and re-entered Earth's atmosphere the day after launch.

## Key Facts
- **Launch Date**: January 4, 1963
- **Launch Vehicle**: Molniya rocket
- **Launch Site**: Gagarin's Start
- **Mass**: 2,500 kilograms
- **Orbital Parameters**: Apoapsis and periapsis of 151 km, orbital period of 87.5 minutes, inclination of 64.9 degrees
- **COPSAR ID**: 1963-001A
- **Followed By**: Luna E-6 No.3
- **Significant Events**: Rocket launch on January 4, 1963; atmospheric entry on January 5, 1963
- **Part of Series**: Luna programme

## FAQs
### Q: What was the purpose of Luna E-6 No.2?
A: Luna E-6 No.2 was intended to be a lunar lander, part of the Soviet Luna programme aimed at exploring the Moon.

### Q: Why did Luna E-6 No.2 fail?
A: The mission failed to achieve its planned orbit, leading to its re-entry into Earth's atmosphere the day after launch.

### Q: What was the launch vehicle for Luna E-6 No.2?
A: The Molniya rocket was used to launch Luna E-6 No.2.

### Q: What was the mass of Luna E-6 No.2?
A: The spacecraft had a mass of 2,500 kilograms.

### Q: What happened to Luna E-6 No.2 after launch?
A: After failing to achieve its planned orbit, Luna E-6 No.2 re-entered Earth's atmosphere on January 5, 1963.

## Why It Matters
Luna E-6 No.2 is significant as part of the early Soviet efforts to explore the Moon. Despite its failure, it represents an important step in the development of lunar exploration technology. The mission highlights the challenges and risks involved in space exploration during the early 1960s. Understanding the failures of missions like Luna E-6 No.2 helps in improving future space missions and advancing our knowledge of space travel.

## Notable For
- **Early Lunar Mission**: One of the early attempts by the Soviet Union to land a spacecraft on the Moon.
- **Part of Luna Programme**: Contributed to the broader Luna programme, which aimed to explore the Moon.
- **Technical Specifications**: Had a mass of 2,500 kilograms and specific orbital parameters.
- **Historical Context**: Represents the technological and scientific efforts of the Soviet Union during the Space Race.

## Body
### Launch and Mission Details
Luna E-6 No.2 was launched on January 4, 1963, from Gagarin's Start using a Molniya rocket. The mission was part of the Soviet Luna programme, which aimed to explore the Moon.

### Technical Specifications
The spacecraft had a mass of 2,500 kilograms. Its intended orbital parameters included an apoapsis and periapsis of 151 km, an orbital period of 87.5 minutes, and an inclination of 64.9 degrees.

### Mission Outcome
The mission failed to achieve its planned orbit. As a result, Luna E-6 No.2 re-entered Earth's atmosphere on January 5, 1963, the day after its launch.

### Context within the Luna Programme
Luna E-6 No.2 was preceded by Luna E-3 No.2 and followed by Luna E-6 No.3. It was part of a series of missions aimed at lunar exploration, contributing to the broader goals of the Soviet space programme.

## Schema Markup
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  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Luna E-6 No.2",
  "description": "Soviet lunar lander that failed to achieve planned orbit",
  "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luna_E-6_No.2",
  "sameAs": ["https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q206855", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luna_E-6_No.2"],
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## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013