First Space Robotic Systems (On the 50th Anniversary of Lunokhod 1)

Abstract—The article covers the events related to the launch of the Luna-17 automatic space station with Lunokhod 1 on board in 1970. The memoirs of a member of the Lunokhod 1 control crew shed light on some details of the implementation of the research program which paved the way for the world science of lunar exploration and gave invaluable experience for the development of the next generation of planetary rovers.