Editing Luna 17 (section)

== Launch ==
[[File:The Soviet Union 1971 CPA 3986 stamp (Luna 17 Module on Moon).jpg|left|thumb|[[Commemorative stamp]] depicting ''Luna 17'' with ''[[Lunokhod 1]]'' Rover]]
''Luna 17'' was launched from an Earth parking orbit towards the Moon and entered lunar orbit on 15 November 1970. The spacecraft softly landed on the Moon in the [[Mare Imbrium]] (Sea of Rains). The spacecraft had dual ramps by which the payload, ''[[Lunokhod 1]]'', descended to the lunar surface. 

''Lunokhod 1'' was a lunar vehicle formed of a tub-like compartment with a large convex lid on eight independently powered wheels. ''Lunokhod 1'' was equipped with a cone-shaped antenna, a highly directional helical antenna, four teleray [[spectrometer]], an [[X-ray astronomy|x-ray telescope]], [[cosmic-ray]] detectors, and a laser retro-reflector (supplied by France<ref>{{cite web |url=https://spacenews.com/35181scientists-bounce-laser-beams-off-old-soviet-moon-rover/ |title=Scientists Bounce Laser Beams Off Old Soviet Moon Rover |date=May 6, 2013 |author=Leonard David |publisher=Space News}}</ref>) was also included. The vehicle was powered by a [[solar cell]] array mounted on the underside of the lid. 

''Lunokhod 1'' was intended to operate through three lunar days but actually operated for eleven lunar days (eleven Earth months). The operations of Lunokhod officially ceased on 4 October 1971, the anniversary of [[Sputnik 1]], after having traveled over {{convert|10.5|km|mi|abbr=off}} while taking pictures and performing numerous tests.

[[File:Lunokhod1 l 17 with map.jpg|thumb|left|150px|''Luna 17'' and ''Lunokhod 1'' landing site photographed by [[Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter|LRO]] ]]

''Luna 17'' continued the spate of successes in Soviet lunar exploration begun by ''[[Luna 16]]'' and [[Zond 8]]. ''Luna 17'' carried ''Lunokhod 1'', the first in a series of robot lunar roving vehicles whose conception had begun in the early 1960s, originally as part of the piloted lunar landing operations. This was the second attempt to land such a vehicle on the Moon after a failure in February 1969. 

The descent stage was equipped with two landing ramps for the rover, to disembark onto the Moon's surface. 

The {{convert|756|kg|lboz|abbr=off|adj=on}} rover stood about {{convert|1.35|m|ftin|abbr=off}} high and was {{convert|2.15|m|ftin|abbr=off}} across. Each of its eight wheels could be controlled independently for two forward and two reverse speeds. Its top speed was about {{convert|100|m/h|mph}}, with commands issued by a five-man team of "drivers" on Earth who had to deal with the 5-second delay. The set of scientific instruments was powered by solar cells (installed on the inside of the hinged top lid of the rover) and chemical batteries.

After two mid-course corrections en route to the Moon, ''Luna 17'' entered lunar orbit and then landed on the lunar surface at 03:46:50 UT on 17 November 1970 at 38°17' north latitude and 35° west longitude, about {{convert|2500|km|mi|abbr=off}} from the [[Luna 16]] site in the [[Sea of Rains]]. 
[[File:M127159138LC Leonid.jpg|left|thumb|[[Leonid (crater)|Leonid]] crater, with Lunokhod-1 at the upper left]]
The Lunokhod 1 rover rolled over the ramps and onto the lunar surface at 06:28 UT. During its 322 Earth days of operation, the rover traveled {{convert|10.54|km|mi|0|abbr=off}} and returned more than 20,000 TV images and 206 high-resolution panoramas. 

In addition, ''Lunokhod 1'' performed twenty-five soil analyses with its RIFMA X-ray fluorescence spectrometer and used its penetrometer at 500 different locations. 

Controllers finished the last communications session with ''Lunokhod 1'' at 13:05 UT on 14 September 1971. Attempts to reestablish contact were finally discontinued on 4 October.

In March 2010, the [[Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter]] photographed the landing site of ''Luna 17'', showing the lander and tracks of the rover.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://lroc.sese.asu.edu/news/index.php?/archives/198-Soviet-Union-Lunar-Rovers.html |title=Soviet Union Lunar Rovers |access-date=20 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140410203147/http://lroc.sese.asu.edu/news/index.php?%2Farchives%2F198-Soviet-Union-Lunar-Rovers.html |archive-date=10 April 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  In April 2010, the [[Apache Point Observatory Lunar Laser-ranging Operation]] team announced that with the aid of these photos, they had found the long-lost ''Lunokhod 1'' rover and had received returns from the laser [[retroreflector]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.discovery.com/space/lost-and-found-soviet-lunar-rover.html |title=LOST AND FOUND: SOVIET LUNAR ROVER }}</ref>

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