# Lunar Orbiter 2

> space probe

**Wikidata**: [Q946427](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q946427)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_Orbiter_2)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/lunar-orbiter-2

## Summary  
Lunar Orbiter 2 is an unmanned American space probe that was launched on 6 November 1966 to orbit the Moon as part of NASA’s Lunar Orbiter program. It was carried aloft by an Atlas SLV‑3 Agena‑D launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 13 and re‑entered Earth’s atmosphere on 11 October 1967.

## Key Facts  
- **Mission type:** Space probe (unmanned robotic spacecraft) – instance of *space probe*【P143】.  
- **Program:** Part of the **Lunar Orbiter program**.  
- **Launch date:** 6 November 1966【Q6272367】.  
- **Launch site:** Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 13, Florida【Q6272367】.  
- **Launch vehicle:** Atlas SLV‑3 Agena‑D (American expendable launch system)【Q6272367】.  
- **COSPAR ID:** 1966‑100A【Q206855】.  
- **NSSDCA ID:** 1966‑100A.  
- **Mission end (atmospheric entry):** 11 October 1967【Q206855】.  
- **Archives:** Photographic data stored at the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI)【P973】.  
- **Identifiers:** SCN 02534; Wolfram Language entity code Entity["Satellite","02534"]; Freebase ID /m/03ls0f.  

## FAQs  
### Q: When was Lunar Orbiter 2 launched?  
**A:** Lunar Orbiter 2 lifted off on 6 November 1966 from Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 13.  

### Q: Which rocket carried Lunar Orbiter 2 into space?  
**A:** The probe was launched aboard an **Atlas SLV‑3 Agena‑D** expendable launch vehicle.  

### Q: When did Lunar Orbiter 2’s mission end?  
**A:** The spacecraft re‑entered Earth’s atmosphere on 11 October 1967, marking the end of its mission.  

### Q: Where can I find the mission’s photographic archives?  
**A:** Photographs from Lunar Orbiter 2 are archived at the **Lunar and Planetary Institute** (LPI) and are accessible via the institute’s online resources.  

### Q: What program was Lunar Orbiter 2 part of?  
**A:** It was one of the probes in NASA’s **Lunar Orbiter program**, a series of missions designed to image the Moon.  

## Why It Matters  
Lunar Orbiter 2 represents a critical step in early lunar exploration, providing the United States with a reliable platform for gathering high‑resolution images of the Moon’s surface. By successfully achieving lunar orbit and returning data before its controlled atmospheric entry, the probe helped validate the Atlas SLV‑3 Agena‑D launch system and demonstrated the feasibility of remote sensing from lunar orbit. The mission’s archived photographs continue to serve scientists studying lunar geology and aid historians tracing the evolution of space‑flight technology. As part of the broader Lunar Orbiter program, this probe contributed to the foundational knowledge that later enabled crewed lunar landings and ongoing scientific inquiry into Earth’s nearest celestial neighbor.

## Notable For  
- First‑generation lunar orbiter that achieved a successful Moon orbit after launch in 1966.  
- Utilized the **Atlas SLV‑3 Agena‑D** launch vehicle, showcasing American expendable launch capabilities.  
- Assigned the COSPAR designation **1966‑100A**, linking it to the global catalog of space objects.  
- Mission data preserved at the **Lunar and Planetary Institute**, ensuring long‑term accessibility for research.  
- Recorded atmospheric re‑entry on **11 October 1967**, marking a clean end to its operational life.

## Body  

### Overview  
Lunar Orbiter 2 is classified as a **space probe**, an unmanned robotic spacecraft designed for deep‑space exploration rather than Earth orbit. It carries the aliases *Lunar Orbiter II* and *Lunar Orbiter 2* and is catalogued under several identifiers (SCN 02534, Freebase /m/03ls0f, Wolfram Entity["Satellite","02534"]).  

### Launch Details  
- **Date:** 6 Nov 1966.  
- **Site:** Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 13 (Florida).  
- **Vehicle:** Atlas SLV‑3 Agena‑D, an American expendable launch system.  
- **COSPAR ID:** 1966‑100A (used for international tracking).  

### Mission Timeline  
| Event | Date | Notes |
|-------|------|-------|
| Launch | 1966‑11‑06 | Rocket launch from SLC‑13. |
| Lunar orbit insertion | 1966‑11‑? | Achieved Moon orbit (exact date not listed). |
| Atmospheric entry (decay) | 1967‑10‑11 | End of mission; spacecraft burned up in Earth’s atmosphere. |

### Archival Records  
Photographic material from the mission is stored at the **Lunar and Planetary Institute**. The archive URL is `https://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/lunarorbiter/mission/?2`, and the collection is tagged with the qualifier “photograph”.  

### Identification Codes  
- **SCN:** 02534 (Wolfram Language).  
- **COSPAR ID:** 1966‑100A.  
- **NSSDCA ID:** 1966‑100A.  
- **Freebase ID:** /m/03ls0f.  

### Related Entities  
- **Space probe** – the class of unmanned spacecraft to which Lunar Orbiter 2 belongs.  
- **Atlas SLV‑3 Agena‑D** – the launch vehicle class used for the mission.  

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*All statements are derived from the provided source material and referenced identifiers.*

## References

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