LUNIK II OPERATION

Document Type: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
02059199
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
U
Document Page Count: 
7
Document Creation Date: 
October 10, 2019
Document Release Date: 
October 17, 2019
Sequence Number: 
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
September 15, 1959
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PDF icon LUNIK II OPERATION[15732839].pdf373.2 KB
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Approved for Release: 2019/10/07 CO2059199 3.5(c) 3.3(h)(2) NSO Briefing 15 September 1959 14UNIIC II OPERATION I. Io.tial Phases of Operation 1, Soviet Moon probe (IZNIK II) launched 0240 Emm, 12 Sept. 2. Launching followed smooth countdown of 8 hrs on Klyuchi end and only 4 hours at Tyura Tam rangehead end }munching 3. This operation followed 3 abortiverattempte with same vehicle let Attempt - 6 Sept 0100 GMT (2100 EDT, 5 Sept) Operation cancelled 2.3 hrs. before launch time 2nd Attempt - 8 Sept. 0240 OMT (2240 E104 7 Sept) Operation cancelled 1 min. before launch time 3rd, Attempt - 9 Sept. 0340 OW (23140 EDT, 8 Sept) Operation cancelled rioht at launch time. 4.. No firm data on difficulties causing cancellations. 5. All target launch tines within acceptable period for lunar probe. II. After Launch 6. U.S. Elint (telemetry) and RADINT facilitiee confirmed vehicle in air. 7. U.S. and U.K. space tracking facilities alerted about Kii-14. hours, obtained tracking data: 12 Sept. &droll Bank (UK) About li.hra. 13 Sept. .About .5 hrs. Starting at X 44, 5 3/4 hrs. Starting about noon (0820 EDT) until impact on moon. Approved for Release: 2019/10/07 CO2059199 Approved for Release: 2019/10/07 CO2059199 12 Sept. 13 Sept. About 9 3/4 hrs. Starting at X../-15 1/4 hrs. (1756 EDT) About 1 3/4 hrs. Starting at x-4-22011 (0100 EDT) About 7 m4i Starting at 1655 until impact on boon, 8* About 5 bra. after launch, Soviets announced they bad launched a "Cosmic rocket" directed toward the Mbon. Announced payload mad last stage were only slightly: higher than those for LUNIK I. 9. Other Western stations were able to intercept raaio transmissions from probe but not aecamplish tracking. 10. There have been unreliable Western reports of sight :As the sodium cloud which Soviets said would be used enroute to alloy optical tracking. III. Terminal Phase 11. Soviets announced about mirbreafter launch (about 5 hr. before impict. prase would bit a specific area of Moon. 12. U.S. early reduction of tracking data indicated vr-130 on imilAlt or near-miss course (not to miss over. Wo miles). 13. U.K. (jodrell Ba7k) reduction indicated probe Woad impact. 111. Jodrell Dank and stations both tracking when pro4 sign-41k abruptly ceased at about 1702 EDT, 13 Sept. a. Termination of signals correlated closely With Soviet predictIon on when probe would impact on Moon. Approved for Release: 2019/10/07 CO2059199 Approved for Release: 2019/10/07 CO2059199 h. Both stations reported that average signal strength increased in Terminal portion of flight. This expected since par'; of IZNIK II radio transmissions would reflect off of Moon and re-:nforce the transmissions being received on Earth directly from MIK II.' c. Jodrell Bank further reported dopplar effects in radio signals received during Terminal portion of flight. This also to be expected as radio signal energy being reflected from Moon would not be in phase with the direct signals from the probe. d. Jodrell Bank calculated from dopplar effect that this would be equivalent to an object falling to the surface of the Moon with about the velocity induced by the Moon's gravitational attrac- tion. 15. No visual evidence obtained of probes impact on Moon although several astronomical observatories in Europe and Africa asked to observe. Vot unexpected, as best telescopes, at Moon distance, could probably resolve no object smaller than a box-car. IV. Conclusions 160 LUNIK II impacted on Moon abouc .,_702 EDT, 13 Sept. 17. MIK 11 reportedly about same size as =MI and probably utilized about the same propulsion system. 18. Hitting the Moon with a space probe does not require special competence In guidance - in fact, it is far more difficult a guidance problem to impact an ICBM within 5 miles of a target at 5500 miles range than to hit the moon (2160 miles diameter) at 225,000 miles distance. -3_ 4441LiDnier Approved for Release: 2019/10/07 CO2059199 Approved for Release: 2019/10/07 CO2059199 �B. %WON swims MOT ACTIVE IN LUNDE II OFINIAME 1. Jodrell Bank (A): Radio telescope eith 75 astv (about 247 ft) dila. antenna. UAW tel. socoelmst. 3. Radio telescope vitt rft. Van. extinot emspletely operational. Yield expedients allpsed its taw in. tide � pe41019.4610 � ,�stronomical Observatories watobixig Moon ett Time of Iwo (fle.Netlerlassisb.!lionno (0ermas7h goal* t)eitslosal tilitanoeburg (B. Africa). - Approved for Release: 2019/10/07 CO2059199 661-690Z00 L0/01-/61-0Z :eseeIej -104 panaiddV J.1262 to'04 004 14,11040211 1.1110100.1 wpm* jo IZIONSIXOSOUNIt 1.741651 TeVore weA941411 00101 usolisoA salmi PleiVe � 'Ira TII al) VC !OW Inatirrev Orelpillat iiiitttreo "112111�03 Nkkak =Mk/ ifalknill 21�001 MP= V AztallO;m4 Picea Insorisr411 44104,44 MAPPOlt" Selide Attliftt 11, $1117CM" 11102114attriMme Pt* jo ourovooq rotorep 'WA ItT '44, le 14mM newt Paprovx% uni-grna 40000 latt.leT*4 P0001 rpRe2911 �ern unapriam UT pa.zimoo watery .wicnr4nuezi utilhoq trout Al�TAria* stinsevism vio t,ta IMMO II IMINtr MOB etWet Ottlf/0/ 60g07 Ise waren ir- 0- (Mite- 7}2rnoupt efq 661-690Z00 L0/01-/61-0Z :eseeIej -104 panaiddV 13 snit 1655 1.705/2:2� Approved for Release: 2019/10/07 002059199 Lug 15/16 P2/20 133/20 /33/33 '138/15 138/22: ao IMOIT Bank (L1K) setuirei sigmas trail probe asficired signals fres probe signals froa Wein Jodrell lack re-oceprtred Tracked for 1 hr/30 ests. Tracked for 9 brPf7 Pis. aufwired Tracked tor 1 br/45' Soviets issued a stEraserat that the probe veal& impost at a particular area at Morel re-flicVired pr obe Probe Impacted ou Mom Tracked. tor 5 hr/2 rata. until impact cc lib= --First direct $tatecraft that MIX vas to Isepaet Gel NOOK Tracked 7 ctn. until impact Approved for Release: 2019/10/07 002059199 Approved for Release: 2019/10/07 CO2059199 . / 1 11j1r�ZeMert / / / / / / / � / / / / / / e,.ri / / / / 7ZDOCUMENT NO. / / / NO CHANGE I 1 DECt.P.SS:F: / re#Z c! 4 2L �,'. CHAN:ILI) 10:2 S eie C IZ1::I- VIL\RII'AV DAH:i.: / / 72 Q.P.,,,IT,, . ilLVVILki; AUTH: HR -2 / / Ar/ � / / fr/� / / / / / / rI/4/r / / / / 04. / r / / / / / / / 009 / / / e4r7r / / / 7 s / / / / / / / / / Oj -TOP-SECRET- / / / 6/7//7//7///, ZAr4\Afrecf4 l'ejr4rsr: nf9ricf/c66010-5.919-9f