Luna 13

"Lunik 13" 
NSSDC ID: 66-116A

Description:
The Luna 13 spacecraft was launched toward the Moon from an
earth-orbiting platform and accomplished a soft landing on
December 24, 1966, in the region of Oceanus Procellarum. The
petal encasement of the spacecraft was opened, antennas were
erected, and radio transmissions to Earth began four minutes
after the landing. On December 25 and 26, 1966, the spacecraft
television system transmitted panoramas of the nearby lunar
landscape at different sun angles. Each panorama required
approximately 100 minutes to transmit. The spacecraft was
equipped with a mechanical soil measuring penetrometer, a
dynamograph, and a radiation densitometer for obtaining data
on the mechanical and physical properties and the cosmic-ray
reflectivity of the lunar surface. It is believed that transmissions
from the spacecraft ceased before the end of December 1966. 

Launch Information:
Launch Date/Time: 1966-12-21 at 10:19:00 UTC
Launch Site/Country: Tyuratam (Baikonur Cosmodrome),
                                   U.S.S.R.
Launch Vehicle: Modified SS-6 (Sapwood) with 2nd Generation 
                           Upper Stage + Escape Stage
On-orbit dry mass: 1700.00 kg