This book provides systematic descriptions of design methods, typical techniques, and validation methods for lunar soft landers, covering their environmental design, system design, sub-system design, assembly, testing and ground test validation based on the Chang’e-3 mission. Offering readers a comprehensive, systematic and in-depth introduction to the technologies used in China’s lunar soft landers, it presents detailed information on the design process for Chang’e-3, including methods and techniques that will be invaluable in future extraterrestrial soft lander design. As such, the book offers a unique reference guide for all researchers and professionals working on deep-space missions around the globe.

Progress in Astronautics and Rocketry, Volume 10: Technology of Lunar Exploration is an overview of the technical base of the lunar exploration problem. This volume is organized into six sections encompassing 35 that follow the various stages of accomplishment of a lunar mission, involving landing on or orbiting the moon and returning to the earth. The first section is devoted to the problem of trying to define the lunar environment, emphasizing the theories of the lunar environment as it relates to the internal structure of the moon. This section also describes some activities to achieve a reasonable theory concerning what might be encountered in some of the previous lunar flight programs. The second section explores the problems associated with the limitations imposed upon lunar missions by the launch vehicles and launching facilities. The third section looks at the spacecraft systems and techniques required for lunar missions, particularly the technology and specific subsystems in relation to the requirements imposed by specific lunar mission objectives. The fourth section deals with the actual landing on the moon and the subsequent surface operations, while the fifth section covers the lunar launch, return, flight re-entry, and subsequent landing on earth. The sixth section reports the status of the projects that represent the United States lunar exploration program, which integrates the technologies developed in the preceding sections into certain discrete projects.

This book tells the story of the Soviet and Russian lunar programme, from its origins to the present-day federal Russian space programme. Brian Harvey describes the techniques devised by the USSR for lunar landing, from the LK lunar module to the LOK lunar orbiter and versions tested in Earth’s orbit. He asks whether these systems would have worked and examines how well they were tested. He concludes that political mismanagement rather than technology prevented the Soviet Union from landing cosmonauts on the moon. The book is well timed for the return to the moon by the United States and the first missions there by China and India.

Luna 2, launched by the USSR in 1959, was the first spacecraft from Earth to land on the moon. That first voyage was followed by increasingly capable lunar exploration spacecraft from Russia and the United States. A total of 36 successful lunar exploration missions were conducted from 1959 to the last Apollo manned exploration in 1972 and the final travels of the Lunokhod lunar rover in 1973. Of all the missions, that of Apollo 17 was the pinnacle of manned space exploration. Apollo 17 astronauts traveled 21 miles on the lunar surface in a dune buggy-type vehicle, stopping frequently to explore and gather samples. The spacecraft that enabled lunar exploration were ingenious, and reflected the best efforts of talented people working with the technology of the day. This book showcases the engineering involved in those incredible machines. The spacecraft covered, and their missions, are listed below. From the United States: • Ranger – Photography en route to lunar impact • Lunar Orbiter – Photography of front and back side of moon • Surveyor – Soft landing, photography, and soil analysis • Apollo – Manned exploration. Lunar Rover expanded range From the USSR: • Luna 2 – Photography en route to lunar impact • Luna 3 – Photography of back side of moon on flyby • Luna 9 and 13 – Soft landing, photography, and soil analysis • Luna 10, 11, 12, 14 – Photography from lunar orbit • Luna 16, 20, 24 – Soft landing, return of soil sample to Earth • Lunokhod-1, -2 – Lunar roving vehicle driven from Earth • L1 – Planned manned lunar flyby but only flew unmanned • L3 – Planned manned lunar landing but never flew to moon To tell the story of these spacecraft, Tom Lund draws on over 40 years’ work on aircraft and spacecraft systems. He was technical lead for the landing radars for the Surveyor and Apollo spacecraft, and his practical experience is augmented by master’s degrees in electrical engineering, physics, and business administration.