Luna-Glob

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Name = Luna-Glob


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Organization = Russian Federal Space Agency
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Mission_Type = Orbiter, lander, penetrators
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Satellite_Of = Moon
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Launch = 2009
Launch_Vehicle = Soyuz-Fregate rocket
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Luna-Glob is an unmanned mission to the Moon planned by Russia including an orbiter as well as a landing module with 12 ground penetrating sensors. [citeweb|title=Russia Plans Ambitious Robotic Lunar Mission|url=http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_generic.jsp?channel=awst&id=news/aw060506p2.xml|publisher="Aviation Week"|accessdate=2008-06-27] The largest two of them will most likely be a reuse of sensors previously built for the canceled Japanese mission LUNAR-A.

Slated to be launched in 2009 by a Soyuz-Fregate rocket, Luna-Glob will land a surface probe in South Pole-Aitken basin at the Moon's south pole,citeweb|title=FUNDAMENTAL SPACE STUDIES|url=http://www.federalspace.ru/science0615E.asp|publisher="Russian Federal Space Agency"|accessdate=2008-06-27] where it will search for signs of water ice. Furthermore, seismic experiments are planned, including the use of the 12 penetrators, which will slam into the lunar surface, as well as the polar lander, whereas all 13 units are equipped to detect seismic signals. These experiments are expected to help clarify the origin of Earth's moon whereas two of the penetrators are planned to land near the Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 landing sites, taking advantage of seismic data gathered there from 1969 to 1974.

Luna-Glob is based on plans dating back to 1997. Due to financial problems, however, the project was put on hold only to be revived a few years later. Initially scheduled for launch in 2012, the mission has been brought forward twice, first to 2010 and now to 2009.

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