E-8 Based Lunar Observatory

Mission Profile

E-8 Based Lunar Observatory was a Soviet concept from the late 1960s to repurpose the E-8 Lunokhod rover platform — which ultimately flew as Lunokhod 1 and 2 — as a robotic astronomical observatory on the lunar surface. The concept proposed mounting optical or radio telescope instruments on the chassis of the Luna E-8 lander to take advantage of the Moon's stable, atmosphere-free surface for high-resolution astronomical observations. The concept was not pursued as the operational Lunokhod rovers were committed to geological and mobility studies, and the astronomical community's requirements proved difficult to address with the E-8 platform.