Large, extremely detailed presentational custom handmade museum quality model of Luna 10 (Lunik 10), approx. scale 1:10; overall heights 25” (63 cm), in metal, resin. Scale 1: 3. Base size 12” x 12”.

Mounted onto black square 12” by 12” base with metal plaque reading: "Luna 10 Soviet Robotic Spacecraft. NPO Lavochkin. March 31, 1966”. Very fine.

Luna 10 was the first spacecraft to go into orbit around the Moon, and the first human-made object to orbit any body beyond the Earth. The primary objectives were to achieve the first lunar orbit, gain experience in orbital operations, presumably as a precursor to cosmonaut orbital missions, and study the lunar environment. The launch was timed so that the spacecraft would come around on its first orbit just as the Twenty-third Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was convening for its morning session.

The Luna-10 automatic station was launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome on March 31, 1966, with the Molniya-M launch vehicle.