Lunokhod Moon Rovers

Lunokhod Moon Rovers

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Discussion

peterperkins

Original Poster:

3,174 posts

244 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
I've just bought one of these fantastic old Soviet models of the famous Lunokhod Moon Rovers.
I've wanted one for years but they are very rare and expensive.

The Lunokhod rovers were a great achievement in remote unmanned exploration.
I assuaged my guilt about buying one on e-bay as this stunning example came from the Ukraine.

Some great documentaries on YT about the project.






dukeboy749r

2,837 posts

212 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
Very nice!

How much is 'quite expensive' if you don't mind me asking?

Eric Mc

122,332 posts

267 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
I'd like to know too.

Simpo Two

85,883 posts

267 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
I'd forgotten about that. It looks very Jules Verne-ish.

peterperkins

Original Poster:

3,174 posts

244 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
$240 inc postage from Ukraine = ~ £190

I think it was a bargain as they are rare complete and in such good condition.

It works as well. Very well packed and arrived promptly.

https://youtu.be/h782s03UvC0?si=rESjLCyWuVzL3SJk

https://youtu.be/iJuVmrl5Y8I?si=1lQLiUCHBntBvL1s





Edited by peterperkins on Monday 20th May 14:20

hidetheelephants

25,329 posts

195 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
It does have an air of something Wesley Pegden knocked up in his shed with some pram wheels and a bath, which is a bit patronising given that landed successfully, it worked and sent back useful data. It's unfortunate for the technicians and scientists involved that it happened at the same time as Apollo.

peterperkins

Original Poster:

3,174 posts

244 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
Instructions in English care of the very clever Google Translate.






Granadier

534 posts

29 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
I was fascinated by the Soviet space programme as a child, when the USSR still existed and not much information about it was widely available. The Lunokhod was an interesting thing, partly because it had this slightly amateurish air about its design.

A full-size Lunokhod was part of the Cosmonaut exhibition at the Science Museum in London in 2016, though the Lunokhods that went to the moon are still there, so I'm not sure now whether what I saw was a spare 'real' rover or just a replica made for display. The exhibition included a lot of actual hardware including Vostok and Voskhod capsules, and Sputnik and Luna unmanned craft.



The highlight for me was the LK manned lunar lander. When I started reading about space, the existence of this vehicle was just a shadowy rumour and I never thought I would see it in person.


TGCOTF-dewey

5,388 posts

57 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
Re:that lander. I always thought it looked like was designed by an SFX team rather than actual aerospace engineers. There's so much of it that looks like it was made from greeblies.

hidetheelephants

25,329 posts

195 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
Sketchy AF; I think the N1 exploding repeatedly on the launch stand did whoever was nominated meat puppet for that trip a massive favour.

Super Sonic

5,358 posts

56 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
Granadier said:
A full-size Lunokhod was part of the Cosmonaut exhibition at the Science Museum in London in 2016, though the Lunokhods that went to the moon are still there, so I'm not sure now whether what I saw was a spare 'real' rover.
An additional lunokhod was built to be the third put on the Moon, but when USA landed men on the moon the programme was scrapped and the lunokhod put in a museum

dudleybloke

20,035 posts

188 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
Looks a cool kit.

Super Sonic

5,358 posts

56 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
dudleybloke said:
Looks a cool kit.
I don't think it's a kit. Looking at the instructions and the proportions of the box I think it's ready assembled.
How about a pic, op?

peterperkins

Original Poster:

3,174 posts

244 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
It's not a kit.
It's a child toy apparently safe for ages 8-12!






Panamax

4,247 posts

36 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
Granadier said:
A full-size Lunokhod was part of the Cosmonaut exhibition at the Science Museum in London in 2016

It was a great exhibition! Some fantastic gear on display. That Lunokhod looked like an old pressure cooker on wheels, and not much bigger.

Granadier said:
The highlight for me was the LK manned lunar lander.

Yes, that thing looked truly terrifying! No wonder they never tried to use it. The "controls" were more like the pipework and valves in my airing cupboard than anything electronic - presumably because they were like the pipework and valves in my airing cupboard.

Another brilliant thing on display was the "space toilet" developed by the Russians and, so far as I'm aware, similar designs have been used ever since, particularly on space stations. Simply astounding to see the thunderbox connected via some cunning plumbing direct to the drinking water tap. Yuk, but I guess there's no choice!






Eric Mc

122,332 posts

267 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
hidetheelephants said:
Sketchy AF; I think the N1 exploding repeatedly on the launch stand did whoever was nominated meat puppet for that trip a massive favour.
Alexei Leonov was slated for the first landing.

Eric Mc

122,332 posts

267 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
Super Sonic said:
An additional lunokhod was built to be the third put on the Moon, but when USA landed men on the moon the programme was scrapped and the lunokhod put in a museum
Not quite how it was.

Lunokhod 1 landed on the moon in November 1970, after both Apollos 11 and 12 had already completed their manned lunar misions. Lunokhod 2 landed on the moon in 1973, after all the Apollo manned missions had ended.

However, a planned third Lunokhod landing scheduled for 1977 was cancelled as there was no perceived political need for it any more.

Lunokhods 1 and 2 both worked very well.

TGCOTF-dewey

5,388 posts

57 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
hidetheelephants said:
Sketchy AF; I think the N1 exploding repeatedly on the launch stand did whoever was nominated meat puppet for that trip a massive favour.
TBF though, their Venera probes were pretty effective.

Proper 50s Sci-fi ambitions realised just 10 years later.

Edited by TGCOTF-dewey on Monday 20th May 22:12

Simpo Two

85,883 posts

267 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all

Super Sonic

5,358 posts

56 months

Monday 20th May
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
Not quite how it was.

Lunokhod 1 landed on the moon in November 1970, after both Apollos 11 and 12 had already completed their manned lunar misions. Lunokhod 2 landed on the moon in 1973, after all the Apollo manned missions had ended.

However, a planned third Lunokhod landing scheduled for 1977 was cancelled as there was no perceived political need for it any more.

Lunokhods 1 and 2 both worked very well.
Oh ok thanks.