Engineering model (?) of Lunokhod 1 moonrover found in a container on courtyard of the Institute for Space Studies

see:

http://andrey-rogovsky.habrahabr.ru/blog/8...comment_2563853

According to the translated text, there are a lot more containers on that same courtyard, nobody seems to know what's inside..

the poor frog... what a sad end!

I am reminded of Indiana Jones. Life imitates art, I guess.

It's worth noting that the article has some pointed political commentary, so let's keep this discussion to the spacecraft remnants.

Fully agree.

But seeing images like that, I wish I had the time/resources/money to get over there, buy the whole lot, sort it out, and restore it in its original glory. So much gets lost which should belong in some museum..

Is there anything to suggest a reconstruction?

I trust the highly radioactive polonium heating element was removed . . . . .

My Cyrrilic isn't that good enough to read anyway, so no issue there.

Anyway: it's a real shame that so much of these priceless artifacts end up rusting in some forgotten scrap bin! Surely, surely, someone out there has the resources to rescue them from oblivion. Not just the sentimental value, but practical value for historians of the future.
We have no idea what Columbus's ships looked like, remember. No contemporary likeness of them exists!

Man, that photo is just heartbreaking.

On the plus side, she looks to be in pretty good shape considering how much time has passed. I'm optimistic that someone will rescue her!

It's been found and noted. Isn't that a good start?

Man, it would be neat to go through those other boxes!

There's no guarantee of that... !

I'm impressed at how shiny it still looks, even with the paint peeling. The Lunokhods always looked like they would be more at home at the bottom of the sea to me than on the Moon what with their pressurized bodies, but that's just my Western "Surveyor bias" showing I guess....

The lunokhod's on display were as far as I know always nicely painted white, but I suspect the original flight model wasn't painted or might have been covered with thermal blankets (similar to Soyuz, which is also often displayed without these blankets), the few images which show the assembly of the original craft do not seem to show a white craft (see attached).

Click to view attachment

The craft in the container seems similar to Lunokhod 1 (although there were a few launch failures prior Lunokhod 1 so it might have been an engineering model of one of those), Lunokhod 2 and 3 had different camera positions. But from the one image it's impossible to tell whether this sad craft is a more or less flightworthy model or some prototype or display-unit or whatever.

I dearly would love to take a look and open up those other containers and boxes to see what 'treasures' are inside (although, indeed, I would carry a geiger counter with me..).

Received the following message from Igor Lissov:



So, action is indeed being taken and we should see Lunokhod restaured in its original glory!

It hurts to see history being neglected and allowed to rust away. Restoring these artifacts for display will be educational and inspirational. Can it be assumed that other artifacts will be offered for restoration elsewhere?

And we hope to see some LRO images to add to that museum display soon!

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2010/pdf/2173.pdf