Luna 16

-0.510° 56.360° · Mare Fecunditatis

First robotic sample return.

Trajectory

Direct trajectory into a 110 km circular lunar parking orbit, then a powered descent to Mare Fecunditatis. The ascent stage launched from the lunar surface on a direct return trajectory back to Earth, the first robotic round-trip to another world, carrying 101 grams of regolith to a Kazakhstan recovery zone.

Source: Roscosmos

Details

Operator: Lavochkin
Country: Soviet Union
Era: soviet
Duration: 12 days