Characteristics
- Destination:
- planetary research
- Status:
- decommissioned
- Research Object:
- The Moon
- Launch Date:
- September 28, 1971
- Launchers:
- Proton-K with the D upper stage
- Machine Weight:
- 5330 kg
- Working Orbit:
- artificial satellite of the Moon
- Active Lifetime:
- 13 months instead of 3 planned
Description
The Luna-19 automated station was developed on the basis of the Luna-17 automated station. In
addition, to reduce costs during its development there were used structural assemblies, as well as
components of the moon rover and landing stage.
The lunar rover ramps and Doppler instrumentation were removed from the correction and
braking module (KT). The hinged compartments were made non-separable. The Vega radio
altimeter was excluded from the control circuit, but it was used for measuring the altitude profile
of the lunar surface – that is altimetry.
The lunar rover body without chassis and radioisotope generator was used as the instrumental
compartment. Due to changes in orbital illumination conditions in comparison to the ones of
lunar surface, the cooling radiator was moved from the upper bottom of the instrumental
compartment to the side wall. Additional cells of the solar array were installed on the cleared
surface, which had resulted in a maximum solar array capacity of 240 W along with the main
rotating panel. It also operated as a heating radiator.
To obtain images of the lunar surface, two optical-mechanical television cameras were installed
onboard the spacecraft, similar to those used by lunar rovers and KT landing platforms, but
modified for the conditions of orbital flight.
As a result of the modification implied, scanning was performed only in one plane: perpendicular
to the direction of the spacecraft movement (line scanning). The scanning in the other plane was
performed by the motion of the spacecraft itself (frame scanning). The scanning rate comprised 4
lines per second, and the angle of view by line had been increased to 185°.
The total mass of the Luna-19 lunar satellite after entering the selenocentric orbit was 4,100 kg
together with the KT module, and the entire orbital flight was performed together with this stage.
The mission program included the spacecraft entering the circular selenocentric orbit at the 140
km altitude. As a result of the correction an orbit with an altitude of 16 km was formed. Imaging
and altimetry of the lunar surface were performed from this orbit. Upon the completion of these
experiments, the spacecraft was transferred to the circular selenocentric orbit of ~100 km in
altitude to continue scientific research, including the study of the gravitational field of the Moon.
