On Sept. 20, 1970, the Soviet Union's Luna 16 moon probe landed on the moon to retrieve a soil sample.
Four days later, it became the first robotic spacecraft to return a sample of lunar soil to Earth. Luna 16 was the first robotic spacecraft to succeed in landing on the moon, scooping up a soil sample and returning it to Earth. Before Luna 16, the Soviet space program had tried and failed five times to return a sample from the moon. Overall, this was the third lunar sample brought to Earth. NASA's Apollo 11 and 12 missions had also brought back some rocks and soil from the moon. Luna 16 made a soft landing on the lunar surface in a mare known as "the Sea of Fertility," where it retrieved 101 grams of lunar soil.
Four days later, it became the first robotic spacecraft to return a sample of lunar soil to Earth. Luna 16 was the first robotic spacecraft to succeed in landing on the moon, scooping up a soil sample and returning it to Earth. Before Luna 16, the Soviet space program had tried and failed five times to return a sample from the moon. Overall, this was the third lunar sample brought to Earth. NASA's Apollo 11 and 12 missions had also brought back some rocks and soil from the moon. Luna 16 made a soft landing on the lunar surface in a mare known as "the Sea of Fertility," where it retrieved 101 grams of lunar soil.
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00:00 On this day in space.
00:03 In 1970, the Soviet Union's Luna 16 moon probe landed on the moon to retrieve a soil sample.
00:09 Four days later, it became the first robotic spacecraft to return a sample of lunar soil to Earth.
00:14 Luna 16 made a soft landing on the lunar surface in a mare known as the Sia Fertility, where it retrieved 101 grams of lunar soil.
00:21 It was the first robotic spacecraft to succeed in landing on the moon, scooping up a soil sample and returning it to Earth.
00:27 Before Luna 16, the Soviet space program had tried and failed five times to return a sample from the moon.
00:33 Overall, this was the third lunar sample brought to Earth.
00:36 NASA's Apollo 11 and 12 missions had also brought some rocks and soil back from the moon.
00:41 Back on Earth, tiny portions of moon dust retrieved from Luna 16 were eventually auctioned off for almost half a million dollars.
00:48 And that's what happened on this day in space.
00:51 [music playing]
00:54 you