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1959 Luna Lunik 2 Soviet Moon Lunar Surface Impact Pennant icon Rocket Pin Badge
1959 Luna Lunik 2 Soviet Moon Lunar Surface Impact Pennant icon Rocket Pin Badge
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- This is a very pretty 1959 Luna 2 pin badge that mimics the pentagonal icons that made up the Soviet metal ball that exploded on the surface of the moon scattering Soviet icons across the moon surface. A gold coloured metal badge, the badge face is 1.2cm high and has a long stick pin style fastener to the rear.
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Lunik 2 was the second of the Soviet Union's Luna programme spacecraft launched to the Moon. It was the first spacecraft to reach the surface of the Moon, and the first man-made object to land on another celestial body. On September 14, 1959, it successfully impacted east of Mare Imbrium near the craters Aristides, Archimedes, and Autolycus.
The spacecraft also carried Soviet pennants. Two of them, located in the spacecraft, were sphere-shaped, with the surface covered by identical pentagonal elements. In the center was an explosive charge designed to shatter the sphere, sending the pentagonal shields in all directions. Each pentagonal element was made of stainless steel and had the USSR Coat of Arms and the Cyrillic letters USSR engraved on one side, and the words USSR January 1959 on the other side.
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