LUNIK II OPERATION

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Lunik on Loan: A Space Age Spy Story
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02059199
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: October 10, 2019
• Document Release Date: October 17, 2019
• Publication Date: September 15, 1959

Approved for Release: 2019/10/07 CO2059199
3.5(c)
3.3(h)(2)
NSO Briefing 15 September 1959
14UNIIC II OPERATION
I. Io.tial Phases of Operation
1, Soviet Moon probe (IZNIK II) launched 0240 Emm, 12 Sept.
2. Launching followed smooth countdown of
8 hrs on Klyuchi end and only
4 hours at Tyura Tam rangehead end
}munching
3. This operation followed 3 abortiverattempte with same vehicle
let Attempt - 6 Sept 0100 GMT (2100 EDT, 5 Sept)
Operation cancelled 2.3 hrs. before launch time
2nd Attempt - 8 Sept. 0240 OMT (2240 E104 7 Sept)
Operation cancelled 1 min. before launch time
3rd, Attempt - 9 Sept. 0340 OW (23140 EDT, 8 Sept)
Operation cancelled rioht at launch time.
4.. No firm data on difficulties causing cancellations.
5. All target launch tines within acceptable period for lunar probe.
II. After Launch
6. U.S. Elint (telemetry) and RADINT facilitiee confirmed vehicle in air.
7. U.S. and U.K. space tracking facilities alerted about
Kii-14. hours, obtained tracking data:
12 Sept.
&droll Bank (UK) About li.hra.
13 Sept.
.About .5 hrs.
Starting at X 44, 5 3/4 hrs. Starting about noon
(0820 EDT) until impact on moon.
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Approved for Release: 2019/10/07 CO2059199
12 Sept. 13 Sept.
About 9 3/4 hrs.
Starting at X../-15 1/4 hrs.
(1756 EDT)
About 1 3/4 hrs.
Starting at x-4-22011
(0100 EDT)
About 7 m4i
Starting at 1655
until impact on boon,
8* About 5 bra. after launch, Soviets announced they bad launched a "Cosmic
rocket" directed toward the Mbon. Announced payload mad last stage were only
slightly: higher than those for LUNIK I.
9. Other Western stations were able to intercept raaio transmissions from
probe but not aecamplish tracking.
10. There have been unreliable Western reports of sight :As the sodium cloud
which Soviets said would be used enroute to alloy optical tracking.
III. Terminal Phase
11. Soviets announced about mirbreafter launch (about 5 hr. before impict.
prase would bit a specific area of Moon.
12. U.S. early reduction of tracking data indicated vr-130 on imilAlt or
near-miss course (not to miss over. Wo miles).
13. U.K. (jodrell Ba7k) reduction indicated probe Woad impact.
111. Jodrell Dank and stations both tracking when pro4 sign-41k
abruptly ceased at about 1702 EDT, 13 Sept.
a. Termination of signals correlated closely With Soviet predictIon
on when probe would impact on Moon.
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Approved for Release: 2019/10/07 CO2059199
h. Both stations reported that average signal strength increased
in Terminal portion of flight. This expected since par'; of IZNIK
II radio transmissions would reflect off of Moon and re-:nforce
the transmissions being received on Earth directly from MIK II.'
c. Jodrell Bank further reported dopplar effects in radio signals
received during Terminal portion of flight. This also to be
expected as radio signal energy being reflected from Moon would
not be in phase with the direct signals from the probe.
d. Jodrell Bank calculated from dopplar effect that this would
be equivalent to an object falling to the surface of the Moon
with about the velocity induced by the Moon's gravitational attrac-
tion.
15. No visual evidence obtained of probes impact on Moon although
several astronomical observatories in Europe and Africa asked to observe.
Vot unexpected, as best telescopes, at Moon distance, could probably resolve
no object smaller than a box-car.
IV. Conclusions
160 LUNIK II impacted on Moon abouc .,_702 EDT, 13 Sept.
17. MIK 11 reportedly about same size as =MI and probably
utilized about the same propulsion system.
18. Hitting the Moon with a space probe does not require special
competence In guidance - in fact, it is far more difficult a guidance
problem to impact an ICBM within 5 miles of a target at 5500 miles
range than to hit the moon (2160 miles diameter) at 225,000 miles
distance.
-3_
4441LiDnier
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Approved for Release: 2019/10/07 CO2059199
�B. %WON swims MOT ACTIVE IN LUNDE II OFINIAME
1. Jodrell Bank (A): Radio telescope eith 75 astv (about 247 ft)
dila. antenna.
UAW tel. socoelmst.
3.
Radio telescope vitt rft. Van. extinot
emspletely operational. Yield expedients allpsed its taw in. tide �
pe41019.4610 �
,�stronomical Observatories watobixig Moon ett Time of Iwo
(fle.Netlerlassisb.!lionno (0ermas7h goal* t)eitslosal
tilitanoeburg (B. Africa). -
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661-690Z00 L0/01-/61-0Z :eseeIej -104 panaiddV
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661-690Z00 L0/01-/61-0Z :eseeIej -104 panaiddV
13 snit
1655
1.705/2:2�
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Lug
15/16
P2/20
133/20
/33/33
'138/15
138/22: ao
IMOIT
Bank (L1K) setuirei
sigmas trail probe
asficired
signals fres probe
signals froa Wein
Jodrell lack re-oceprtred
Tracked for 1 hr/30 ests.
Tracked for 9 brPf7 Pis.
aufwired Tracked tor 1 br/45'
Soviets issued a stEraserat
that the probe veal& impost
at a particular area at Morel
re-flicVired
pr obe
Probe Impacted ou Mom
Tracked. tor 5 hr/2 rata.
until impact cc lib=
--First direct $tatecraft
that MIX vas to
Isepaet Gel NOOK
Tracked 7 ctn. until
impact
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