The first picture of the Moon, from Luna-21: LeMonnier Crater

Scientific instruments included a soil mechanics tester, solar X-ray experiment, an astrophotometer to measure visible and UV light levels, a magnetometer deployed in front of the Rover on the end of a 2,5 mt boom, a radiometer, a photodetector (Rubin-1) for laser detection experiments, and a French-supplied laser corner-reflector. The Lander and Rover together weighed 1814 Kg.

Mission Profile

The SL-12/D-1-e launcher put the spacecraft into Earth parking orbit followed by Translunar Injection. On 12 January 1973, Luna 21 was braked into a 90x100 Km orbit around the Moon. On 13 and 14 January, the perilune was lowered to 16 Km altitude. On 15 January, after 40 orbits, the braking rocket was fired at 16 Km altitude, and the craft went into free fall.
At an altitude of 750 mt, the main thrusters began firing, slowing the fall until a height of 22 mt was reached.