Luna 8, launched December 3, 1965, was the Soviet Union's eleventh attempt to achieve a soft landing on the moon. For three days, Luna 8 performed satisfactorily and seemed that it would succeed. Prior to landing, a command ordered the cushioning air bags around the landing probe to inflate. A plastic mounting bracket apparently pierced one of the two air bags, causing the spacecraft to spin. A retrorocket firing nine seconds long, managed to help stabilize Luna 8 but it did not have enough retrorocket burn to reduce its velocity.
Luna 8 crashed onto the moon's surface December 6 on the west side of Oceanus Procellarum.
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