Luna 16 was a Soviet spacecraft launched on September 12, 1970, as part of the Luna program. Its primary mission was to land on the Moon, collect soil samples, and return them to Earth. This marked the first successful robotic mission to bring back lunar material. The spacecraft landed in the Mare Fecunditatis region of the Moon on September 20, 1970. It collected approximately 101 grams of lunar soil and returned it to Earth on September 24, 1970. Luna 16 provided valuable scientific data and contributed to our understanding of the Moon's geology.