Editing Luna 9 (section)

==Descent and landing==
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<!-- [[Image:Luna 8 and 9 locations Planitia Descensus 3214 med.jpg|thumb|right|Oblique view of [[Planitia Descensus]] showing crash site of [[Luna 8]] and the landing point of Luna 9 ([[Lunar Orbiter 3]] image)]] -->

At an altitude of {{convert|8300|km|mi}} from the Moon, the spacecraft was oriented for the firing of its [[retrorocket]]s and its spin was stopped in preparation for landing. From this moment the orientation of the spacecraft was supported by measurements of directions to the Sun and the Earth using an optomechanical system. At {{convert|75|km|mi}} above the lunar surface, the [[radar altimeter]] triggered the jettison of the side modules, the inflation of the airbags and the firing of the retro rockets. At {{convert|250|m|ft}} from the surface, the main retrorocket was turned off by the integrator of an acceleration having reached the planned velocity of the braking manoeuver. The four outrigger engines were used to slow the craft. About {{convert|5|m|ft}} above the lunar surface, a contact sensor touched the ground triggering the engines to be shut down and the landing capsule to be ejected and its [[Airbag#Spacecraft airbag landing systems|landing airbag]] being inflated. The capsule landed at {{convert|22|km/h|mph m/s}}.<ref name="NSSDC1966-006A"/>

The capsule bounced several times before coming to rest in [[Oceanus Procellarum]] west of [[Reiner (crater)|Reiner]] and [[Marius (crater)|Marius]] craters at approximately 7.08 N, 64.37 W (other sources indicate {{Lunar coords and quad cat|7.13|N|64.37|W}}<ref name="nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov">{{Cite web|url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/lunar_artifact_impacts.html|title = Table of Anthropogenic Impacts and Spacecraft on the Moon}}</ref>) on 3 February 1966 at 18:45:30 GMT.<ref name="NSSDC1966-006A"/>