Luna 10 Soviet Robotic Spacecraft Space Model NPO Lavochkin
Luna 10 Soviet Robotic Spacecraft Space Model NPO Lavochkin
Large, extremely detailed presentational custom handmade museum quality model of Luna 10 (Lunik 10), approx. scale 1:10; overall heights 25” (63 cm), in metal, resin. Scale 1: 3. Base size 12” x 12”.
Mounted onto black square 12” by 12” base with metal plaque reading: "Luna 10 Soviet Robotic Spacecraft. NPO Lavochkin. March 31, 1966”. Very fine.
Luna 10 was the first spacecraft to go into orbit around the Moon, and the first human-made object to orbit any body beyond the Earth. The primary objectives were to achieve the first lunar orbit, gain experience in orbital operations, presumably as a precursor to cosmonaut orbital missions, and study the lunar environment. The launch was timed so that the spacecraft would come around on its first orbit just as the Twenty-third Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was convening for its morning session.
The Luna-10 automatic station was launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome on March 31, 1966, with the Molniya-M launch vehicle.