Luna E-6 #3

Launch data:

Spacecraft data:

Mission details:

• Luna 1963B (E-6 series) was the second Soviet attempt to land an unmanned spacecraft on the Moon. It was launched on February 2, 1963. The mission was a failure.
• After T+105 sec the gyro of Stage 4's trajectory tracking system (SKT) began to deviate from the required values of pitch and yaw of the ascent profile. At T+295s attitude control was lost after Stage 2 separation.
• Apparent causes were instabilities in the torque sensor circuit and the pitch-free floating gyro device. The upper stages and payload broke up on re-entry into the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean near Midway Island.