Tags: Spacecraft.
Luna 23 (Ye-8-5M series) also called Lunik 23 was an unmanned space mission of the Luna program.Luna 23 was a Moon lander mission which was intended to return a lunar sample to Earth. Launched to the Moon by a Proton-K/D the spacecraft was damaged during landing in Mare Crisium (Sea of Crises). The sample collecting apparatus could not operate and no samples were returned. The lander continued transmissions for three days after landing.