Editing Luna 1 (section)

==Spacecraft==

The satellite and rocket carrying ''Luna 1'' was originally referred to as the Soviet Space Rocket by the Soviet Press.{{sfn|Siddiqi|2018|p=11}} Pravda writer [[Alexander Kazantsev]] called it ''Mechta'' ({{langx|ru|Мечта}}, meaning 'dream').<ref name=alkaz>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/38762024/the_plain_speaker/|title=New Soviet Rocket Given Name 'Mechta'|newspaper=The Plain Speaker |agency=Associated Press|date=5 January 1959|page=1|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>{{sfn|Darling|2003|p=244}} Citizens of Moscow unofficially deemed it ''Lunik'', a combination of Luna (Moon) and [[Sputnik]].<ref name=alkaz/> It was renamed to ''Luna 1'' in 1963.{{sfn|Siddiqi|2018|p=11}}

The spherical satellite was powered by [[mercury battery|mercury-oxide batteries]] and [[silver zinc battery|silver-zinc accumulators]].<ref name=nssdc/> There were five antenna on one hemisphere, four whip-style and one rigid, for communication purposes. The spacecraft also contained [[radio equipment]] including a [[tracking transmitter]] and [[telemetry]] system.<ref name=nssdc/> There was no propulsion system.<ref name=nssdc/>

''Luna 1'' was designed to impact the Moon, delivering two metallic pennants with the [[Soviet coat of arms]] that were included into its payload package.<ref name=nssdc/> It also had six instruments to study the Moon upon its suicidal approach. The flux-gate [[magnetometer]] was triaxial and could measure ± 3000 [[Tesla_(unit)#Conversion_to_non-SI_units|gammas]]. It was designed to detect lunar magnetic fields.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/experiment/display.action?id=1959-012A-01 |title=Triaxial Fluxgate Magnetometer |date=28 October 2022 |website=NASA NSSDCA |access-date=2 January 2024}}</ref>{{sfn|Harvey|2007b|p=26}} Two micrometeorite detectors, developed by Tatiana Nazarova of the Vernadsky Institute, were installed on the spacecraft. They each consisted of a metal plate with springs and could detect small impacts.{{sfn|Harvey|2007b|p=26}} Four ion traps, used to measure solar wind and plasma, were included. They were developed by Konstantin Gringauz.{{sfn|Harvey|2007b|p=26}} The scientific payload also included two gas-discharge [[Geiger counter]]s, a sodium-iodide [[scintillation counter]], and a [[Cherenkov detector]]. The upper stage of the rocket contained a scintillation counter and {{convert|1|kg|lb}} of sodium for a gas-dispersion experiment.<ref name=nssdc/>{{sfn|Siddiqi|2018|p=11}}

The spacecraft weighed {{convert|361.3|kg|lb}} at launch.{{sfn|Siddiqi|2018|p=11}}  It was about {{convert|1.22|m|ft}} in diameter.<ref name="Smithsonian">{{cite web |url=https://smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/the-luna-1-hoax-hoax-133487/|title=The Luna 1 Hoax Hoax|last=Reichhardt |first=Tony |date=January 2, 2013 |publisher=Smithsonian Magazine}}</ref>