Characteristics
- Destination:
- planetary research
- Status:
- decommissioned
- Research Object:
- The Moon
- Launch Date:
- August 24, 1966
- Spaceport:
- Baikonur
- Launchers:
- Molniya-M with the L upper stage
- Machine Weight:
- 1640 kg
- Working Orbit:
- artificial satellite of the Moon
- Active Lifetime:
- 34 days
Description
The spacecraft was developed on the basis of the Luna-10 automatic lunar station. The non- detachable instrumental container provided with service and scientific instruments was installed on the Luna-11 spacecraft instead of the detachable pressurized container.
One of the hinged compartments of the spacecraft was equipped with phototelevision devices
with lenses pointed in the direction of the correction and braking propulsion system. The control
device was refined in order to perform imaging of the lunar surface; it ensured stabilization of
the spacecraft for 3 hours after the end of braking and injection into the orbit of the Moon. Upon
the completion of the imaging, the spacecraft was switched to the “spinning” mode.
Due to the increase of the control device operating time, the cooling radiator in the shape of a
truncated cone was developed for heat release. It was placed around the instrumental
compartment.
The RKT-1 decimeter-range transponder was replaced by the RK-D decimeter-range radio frequency system, which provided for reception of commands, telemetry data transmission in direct mode and in tape-recording mode with subsequent reproduction, external trajectory measurements, lunar surface imaging and transmission of images to the Earth.
