Prof. Yu.A.Surkov is a chief of the Laboratory since 1961.

The Laboratory was found in 1961 when the first Soviet spacecraft were preparing to be launched to the Moon, Venus and Mars. The main scientific direction of the Laboratory is the study of extraterrestrial material, its chemical composition, physical properties, structure etc.For a long time the Laboratory carried out many pioneer experiments in space. Some of them are:

1966. Lunas 10 and 12 missions (the first satellites of the Moon). Content of natural radioactive elements and main rock forming elements was determined and type of lunar rocks was identified for the first time.
1967-1969. Veneras 4, 5 and 6 missions (the first Venus descending modules). Chemical composition of the Venus atmosphere was determined for the first time. Ideas on the origin and evolution of the atmosphere were developed.

1972-1976. Three Soviet spacecraft Luna 16, 20 and 24 returned the lunar soil samples. All containers with the lunar samples were delivered to the Laboratory where they were inspected and preliminary studied.

1972-1976. Veneras 8, 9 and 10 missions (the first Venus landers). Concentration of natural radioactive elements in different geomorphological provinces of the Venus surface were measured from the landers. Types of the Venus rocks and their Earth analogs were identified.

1981-1984. Soviet spacecraft Veneras 13 and 14 and Vega 2 delivered the landers to Venus and investigated the atmosphere and surface. Scientific instruments (gamma-spectrometers, X-ray spectrometers, mass-spectrometers and gas analyzers) designed in the Laboratory were used on these landers. New data on the Venus atmosphere and the first data on chemical composition of the Venus rocks were obtained. These data allowed to develope the ideas about the origin and formation of the atmosphere and crust of Venus.

1973-1987. Mars 5 (1973) and Phobos (1987) missions. Martian lowlands, uplands and highlands of different origin and age were investigated by means of the gamma-spectrometry. Data obtained for the first time about the rocks bedding in these geomorphological provinces allowed to explain the mechanism and time sequence of their formation.

The results of these experiments carried out on the Moon, Venus and Mars became the basis for development of the new ideas about the origin, evolution and present structure of the Solar system bodies.

Since 1989 the Laboratory is involved in the development of a new space technology - exploration of the Solar system bodies by means of penetrating probes (penetrators). The first penetrators were created for Mars 96 mission and designed for the Luna-Glob mission. At present time the laboratory is developing the scientific equipment for the Moon exploration with penetrators.

Many well known scientists work in the laboratory headed by Prof.Surkov: Dr.L.P.Moskaleva, Dr. E.E.Shlafshtain, Dr.Yu.I.Nagorni, Dr. V.I.Serbin, Dr. E.I.Chumak, senior scientists O.P.Sheglov, A,G.Mitugov, V.P.Kharyukova, O.S.Manvelyan, A.D.Dunchenko and others.

More detailed information on the achievements of the Laboratory can be obtained by:

Fax: 7(095)939-0186,

E-mail: geospace@online.ru, and

from: Yuri Surkov, Exploration of Terrestrial Planets from Spacecraft,

J.Wiley and Sons, 1997.