New Lunokhod Flight

    Last night, some Muscovites could see an unusual sight - a truck that was transporting two objects that looked like flying saucers.



    I think that few of those who saw it understood that these were really spacecraft, and certainly no one had guessed which ones.

    Meanwhile, on the eve of Cosmonautics Day, the idea expressed four months earlier was realized: to enable space enthusiasts to steer the “Lunokhod”.

    Implemented the idea - an employee of the NGO named after S.A. Lavochkina, head of the spacecraft structure processing center, Ruslan Vladimirovich Komaev. This is a man who for more than thirty years has been involved in the creation of real spacecraft, and in his spare time he is engaged in the reconstruction of automatic interplanetary stations, satellites, moon rovers and rovers, using technological models that have remained in production since the development of existing vehicles.



    Earlier I talked about his “Hangar-18”, where he reconstructs not only Soviet / Russian spacecraft and drones, but also the American Apollo. The goal of his activity is the most noble - to captivate the younger generation with astronautics, to grow a worthy space shift, to train it on the examples of successful study and development of the Solar system and the entire Universe.



    NGO named after S.A. Lavochkina- a large enterprise, but cannot allocate additional funds for educational activities. At the same time, management understands the importance of such work. A good museum has been built on the territory of the plant, which accepts excursions (although their organization is fraught with additional difficulties, because the enterprise is a regime). Komaev is also helped by the whole plant, from the management who found the money to repair the Angara-18 to the simple locksmiths who come to turn off the nuts in the Apollo Nassov or the Gagarin Vostok on weekends.



    Then I suggested launching Lunokhod-2 by April 12, so that everyone would have a chance to try themselves as the driver of the rover. More precisely, it was a long-standing idea of ​​Ruslan Vladimirovich, I only updated it - I suggested the date and place - Cosmonautics Festival at VVC. But there was no place and means for the conqueror of the Moon, but the leadership of the Moscow Planetarium liked the idea. Then they managed without me. And so, on the evening of April 10, KamAZ entered its gate loaded with the history of the Soviet space: Lunokhod-2 and the descent vehicle of the WeG mission.



    Had to unload almost at night, due to the restriction of the movement of heavy trucks in Moscow.

    The first "flew" "WeGa". This time not to Venus and Halley's comet, but to the entrance to the planetarium.



    Ruslan Vladimirovich could not leave his brainchild, so he was actively involved in unloading. And he completely refused to pose for a photograph.



    Unfortunately, I do not know the names of other participants in the installation work.



    Space stations are installed at the entrance, and they won’t take money for viewing them. Therefore, even if you fail to get behind the helm of the lunar rover driver, no one should interfere with looking and taking a picture.

    The entourage of the planetarium is very well combined with the devices.



    Neither Komaev nor NGO named after S.A. Lavochkin will not receive money for this festive event. He also refuses financial assistance in his reconstruction activities. Therefore, if someone wants to support his work, it is better to write a letter to the Khimki administration supporting the idea of ​​building an educational and entertaining science-popular Astro-Space Center.


    - There is a touch of the surface!
    “Congratulations on your successful landing, comrades.”

    Next in line is Lunokhod-2


    Please note that on the right above the roofs of houses in the sky glistens orange Mars. He has a confrontation now , so he is very bright.

    The weather was lucky this evening. Something sublimely romantic is in the unloading of spacecraft, at the entrance to the planetarium, in the light of the moon, Jupiter and Mars.



    Lunokhod-2 was planted in two stages. At first they just put it near the lunodrome.



    A small landfill covered with sand was not equipped very conveniently - under a flyover, which significantly complicated the unloading process. Crane hooks are for wimps. Space engineers attach anything to anything, if there is such a need.



    The flyover is so low that it doesn’t allow you to open the solar panel, a pointed antenna can also cause problems.

    One small step for man ...


    And a giant stepladder for all of humanity!


    It’s not an easy job: to inspire children with space.


    The boom of the crane with great difficulty was able to squeeze under the ceiling. Lunokhod-2 had to be helped manually, but, in the end, the lunar landing was successful.


    The next three days, Ruslan Vladimirovich Komaev and / or his assistants, can be found at the entrance to the Moscow Planetarium. On Friday afternoon, they will "learn to walk" Lunokhod-2, and at night they will unload at the entrance to the Planetarium the descent capsule of the first Vostok spaceship in the world.

    It will be possible to board the Lunokhod-2 on the Cosmonautics Day on April 12 and April 13. I will try to tell you how this will go. I know that the control panel of the lunar rover was recreated in the image of the real ones, but it has two control modes: the lunar rover itself - with the joystick, and the planet rover - according to the set of commands (the driver of the Curiosity rover told us more about this mode ).

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