Luna 15 spacecraft

Attempted robotic sample return; crashed during descent while Apollo 11 was on the Moon.

Coordinates

17, -60 (positive-east)

Era

A (1959-1976)

Parent mission

Luna 15

Role

sample-return lander/impactor

Operator

Soviet space program

Nation

USSR

Launched (UTC)

1969-07-13

Reached Moon (UTC)

1969-07-21 15:51

Event type

sample-return/impactor

Outcome

failure

Site

Mare Crisium

Coordinate note

Approximate/contested; LPI gives rounded coordinates.

Left on surface

none

Returned material

none

Current status

crashed/on lunar surface

Operational status (derived)

inactive

Source grade

primary

Review note

review:high

Primary source