Luna 14
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| Organization: | Soviet Union |
| Major Contractors: | GSMZ Lavochkin |
| Mission Type: | Planetary Science Lunar Orbit |
| Satellite of: | Moon |
| Launch: | April 7, 1968 at 10:09:32 UTC |
| Launch Vehicle: | Molniya 8K78M (4-Stage R-7 / SS-6) |
| Mission Highlight: | Entered lunar orbit on April 10, 1968, 19:25 UTC |
| Mission Duration: | ? |
| Mass: | 1,700 kg |
| NSSDC ID: | 1968-027A |
| Webpage: | NASA NSSDC Master Catalog |
| Orbital elements | |
|---|---|
| Semimajor Axis: | 6,892.8 km |
| Eccentricity: | .16 |
| Inclination: | 42° |
| Orbital Period: | 160 minutes |
| Aposelene: | 870 km |
| Periselene: | 160 km |
| Orbits: | ? |
| Instruments | |
| Magnetometer : | Lunar magnetic field |
| Gamma-ray spectrometer : | |
| Five gas-discharge counters : | |
| Two ion traps/charged particle trap : | |
| Piezoelectric micrometer detector : | |
| Infrared detector : | |
| Low-energy x-ray photon counters : | |
Luna 14 (E-6LS series) was an unmanned space mission of the Luna program run by the Soviet Union. It was also called Lunik 14.
The Luna 14 spacecraft entered a 160 x 870 km lunar orbit with an inclination of 42 degrees at 19:25 UT on 10 April 1968. The spacecraft is believed to have been similar to Luna 12 and the instrumentation was similar to that carried by Luna 10. It provided data for studies of the interaction of the earth and lunar masses, the lunar gravitational field, the propagation and stability of radio communications to the spacecraft at different orbital positions, solar charged particles and cosmic rays, and the motion of the Moon. This flight was the final flight of the second generation of the Luna series.
Luna 14 successfully entered lunar orbit at 19:25 UT on 10 April 1968. Initial orbital parameters were 160 x 870 kilometers at 42° inclination. The primary goal of the flight was to test communications systems in support of the N1-L3 piloted lunar landing project. Ground tracking of the spacecraft’s orbit also allowed controllers to accurately map lunar gravitational anomalies in order to predict trajectories of future lunar missions such as those of the LOK and LK lunar landing vehicles. Luna 14 also carried scientific instruments to study cosmic rays and charged particles from the Sun, although few details have been revealed.
- Launch Date/Time: 1968-04-07 at 10:09:00 UTC
- On-orbit dry mass: 1700 kg
| Preceded by Luna 1968A |
Luna programme | Succeeded by Luna 1969A |
| Luna programme |
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| Luna 1958A | Luna 1958B | Luna 1958C | Luna 1 | Luna 1959A | Luna 2 | Luna 3 | Luna 1960A | Luna 1960B | Sputnik 25 | Luna 1963B | Luna 4 | Luna 1964A | Luna 1964B | Cosmos 60 | Luna 1965A | Luna 5 | Luna 6 | Luna 7 | Luna 8 | Luna 9 | Cosmos 111 | Luna 10 | Luna 1966A | Luna 11 | Luna 12 | Luna 13 | Luna 1968A | Luna 14 | Luna 1969A | Luna 1969B | Luna 1969C | Luna 15 | Cosmos 300 | Cosmos 305 | Luna 1970A | Luna 1970B | Luna 16 | Luna 17 | Luna 18 | Luna 19 | Luna 20 | Luna 21 | Luna 22 | Luna 23 | Luna 1975A | Luna 24 | ||||
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