app-c.htm

DESTINATION MOON: A History of the Lunar Orbiter Program

APPENDIX C

[367-373] RECORD OF UNNANNED LUNAR PROBES, 1958-1968



I. United States

II. Soviet Union.


I. United States

Probe Launch Date (local time) Launch Site Launch Vehicle Spacecraft Weight (kg) Mission Results Pioneer I Oct. 11, 1958 ETR Thor-Able 38 Reached 113,783-km altitude before disintegrating in Earth's atmosphere Oct. 12; insufficient final velocity. Pioneer III Dec. 6, 1958 ETR Juno II 6 Reached 102,322-km altitude before disintegrating in Earth's atmosphere Dec. 7; insufficient final velocity. Pioneer IV Mar. 3, 1959 ETR Juno 11 6 Passed within 60,000 km of Moon and went into solar orbit. Ranger I Aug. 23, 1961 ETR Atlas-Agena B 306 Disintegrated Aug. 30 on failure to achieve intended Earth orbit. Orbit too low. Ranger II Nov. 18, 1961 ETR Atlas-Agena B 306 Disintegrated Nov. 18 after failing to achieve Earth orbit. Ranger III Jan. 26, 1962 ETR Atlas-Agena B 330 Missed Moon by 36,790 km; went into solar orbit. Ranger IV Apr. 23, 1962 ETR Atlas-Agena, B 331 Mission unsuccessful because camera equipment failed to function; faulty programmer First U.S. spacecraft to hit Moon. Ranger V Oct. 18, 1962 ETR Atlas-Agena B 342 Mid-course correction failed; spacecraft missed Moon by 720 km, went into solar orbit. Ranger VI Jan. 30, 1964 ETR Atlas-Agena B 365 Precise lunar impact. Photographic mission unsuccessful because premature turn-on caused camera failure. Ranger VII Jul. 28, 1964 ETR Atlas-Agena B 366 Successfully sent back 4,316 high-resolution TV photos during last 13 min of flight be fore precise impact on Moon. Ranger VIII Feb. 17, 1965 ETR Atlas-Agena, B 367 Transmitted 7,137 close-up TV photos of Moon before precise impact in Sea of Tranquility. Ranger IX Mar. 21, 1965 ETR Atlas-Agena B 367 Transmitted 5,814 TV photos before precise impact in crater Alphonsus. First high-resolution photos of lunar crater. Surveyor I May 30, 1966 ETR Atlas-Centaur 270 Softlanded on Moon; transmitted11,237 TV photos in 13 days; survived one lunar night. Explorer XXXIII (IMP-D) Jul. 1, 1966 ETR Thrust-augmented Thor-Delta 93 Failed to achieve lunar orbit because of launch errors; remained in Earth orbit. Lunar Orbiter Aug. 10, 1966 ETR Atlas-Agena D 386 Entered lunar orbit Aug. 14. Photographed Moon until Aug. 29, photographing all 9 primary and 7 potential Apollo sites, 11 areas on far side. Impacted Moon Oct. 29, 1966. Surveyor II Sep. 20, 1966 ETR Atlas-Centaur 270 Vernier failed. Spacecraft crashed on Moon SE of crater Copernicus. Lunar Orbiter II Nov. 6, 1966 ETR Atlas-Agena D 385 Returned 205 lunar frames, including 13 primary and 17 secondary Apollo sites. Impacted sur face of Moon Oct. 11, 1967. Lunar Orbiter III Feb. 4, 1967 ETR Atlas-Agena D 386 Photographed Surveyor I on Moon, Returned 182 lunar frames. Impacted Moon Oct. 9, 1967. Surveyor III Apr. 17, 1967 ETR Atlas-Centaur 281 Softlanded on Moon Apr. 19; soil sampler, photo experiments until May 3, 1967. Took 6,315 photos. Lunar Orbiter IV May 4, 1967 ETR Atlas-Agena D 386 Returned 163 frames; impacted Moon Oct. 6, 1967. Surveyor IV Jul. 14, 1967 ETR Atlas-Centaur 281 Signal lost 2.5 min before landing on Moon July 17. Lunar Orbiter V Aug. 1, 1967 ETR Atlas-Agena D 386 Last mission of Lunar Orbiter photo-mapping program. Returned 212 frames; photographed 23 new sites on far side, lst "full earth" view, 36 scientific sites, 5 Apollo sites. Impacted Moon Jan. 31, 1968. Surveyor V Sep. 8, 1967 ETR Atlas-Centaur 281 Softlanded on Moon Sep. 10. Returned over 19,000 photos, soil analysis data. Surveyor VI Nov. 7, 1967 ETR Atlas-Centaur 282 Softlanded on Moon Nov. 9. Performed lst rocket liftoff from lunar surface, moving 2.5 m. Analyzed soil 27 hrs. Transmitted 30,065 TV photos. Surveyor VII Jan. 7, 1968 ETR Atlas-Centaur 290 Softlanded on Moon Jan. 10. Transmitted over 21,000 TV photos Analyzed soil and dug trench. Photographed Earth and Jupiter. Surveyor program ended.with 5th success in 7 tries.


II. Soviet Union


Probe Launch Date (local time) Launch Site Launch Vehicle Spacecraft Weight (kg) Mission Results Luna I Jan. 2, 1959 Tyuratam A-1 361 Passed within 6,000 km of Moon; went into solar orbit. Luna II Sep. 12, 1959 Tyuratam A-1 390 Struck Moon Sep. 13; lst man celestial body. Luna III Oct. 4, 1959 Tyuratam A-1 435 Recorded lst- photographic data on Moon's far side. Reentered Earth's atmosphere Apr. 20, 1960. Luna IV Apr. 2, 1963 Tyuratam A-2-e 1,422 Passed within 8,500 km of lunar surface. Luna V May 9, 1965 Tyuratam A-2-e 1,476 Struck lunar surface in unsuccessful softlanding attempt May 12. Luna VI Jun. 8, 1965 Tyuratam A-2-e 1,442 Intended for softlanding; missed, Moon by 160,000 km, went into solar orbit. Zond III Jul. 18, 1965 Tyuratam A-2-e 960 Flew by Moon and sent back photographic data; went into solar orbit. Luna VII Oct. 4, 1965 Tyuratam A-2-e 1,506 Intended for lunar s oftlanding. Retrorockets fired prematurely, causing impact on Moon Oct. 7. Luna VIII Dec. 3, 1965 Tyuratam A-2-e 1,552 Intended for lunar softlanding. Retrorockets fired late, causing spacecraft to impact Moon Dec. 7. Luna IX Jan. 31, 1966 Tyuratam A-2-e 1,583 First spacecraft to softland on Moon (Feb. 3) and transmit TV pictures of landing site to Earth. Luna X Mar. 31, 1966 Tyuratam A-2-e 1,600 First spacecraft to orbit Moon. Studied micrometeoroid flux, lunar environment until May 30, 1966. Luna XI Aug. 24, 1966 Tyuratam A-2-e 1,640 Entered lunar orbit Aug. 27. Sent back data until Oct. 1, 1966. Luna XII Oct. 22, 1966 Tyuratam A-2-e 1,670? Entered lunar orbit Oct. 25. Studied radiation transmitted photos of lunar surface. Luna XIII Dec. 21, 1966 Tyuratam A-2-e 1,670? Softlanded on Moon Dec. 24. Tested hardness of lunar surface, photographed lunar panorama. Luna XIV Apr. 7, 1968 Tyuratam A-2-e 1,670? Entered lunar orbit Apr. 10. Studied Earth-Moon mass relationships, Moon's gravitational field; no photos returned. Zond V Sep. 15, 1968 Tyuratam D-l-e 4,820 First lunar flyaround, return, and recovery. Carried biological specimens, photographed Earth. Returned to Earth Sep. 21, 1968; was recovered from Indian ocean. Zond VI Nov. 10, 1968 Tyuratam D-l-e 4,820 Second unmanned circumlunar flight and recovery. Carried biological specimens, camera. Landed in U.S.S.R. Nov. 17 after double-dip glide reentry, aerodynamic lift for deceleration.

Probe	Launch Date (local time)	Launch Site	Launch Vehicle	Spacecraft Weight (kg)	Mission Results

Pioneer I	Oct. 11, 1958	ETR	Thor-Able	38	Reached 113,783-km altitude before disintegrating in Earth's atmosphere Oct. 12; insufficient final velocity.
Pioneer III	Dec. 6, 1958	ETR	Juno II	6	Reached 102,322-km altitude before disintegrating in Earth's atmosphere Dec. 7; insufficient final velocity.
Pioneer IV	Mar. 3, 1959	ETR	Juno 11	6	Passed within 60,000 km of Moon and went into solar orbit.
Ranger I	Aug. 23, 1961	ETR	Atlas-Agena B	306	Disintegrated Aug. 30 on failure to achieve intended Earth orbit. Orbit too low.
Ranger II	Nov. 18, 1961	ETR	Atlas-Agena B	306	Disintegrated Nov. 18 after failing to achieve Earth orbit.
Ranger III	Jan. 26, 1962	ETR	Atlas-Agena B	330	Missed Moon by 36,790 km; went into solar orbit.
Ranger IV	Apr. 23, 1962	ETR	Atlas-Agena, B	331	Mission unsuccessful because camera equipment failed to function; faulty programmer First U.S. spacecraft to hit Moon.
Ranger V	Oct. 18, 1962	ETR	Atlas-Agena B	342	Mid-course correction failed; spacecraft missed Moon by 720 km, went into solar orbit.
Ranger VI	Jan. 30, 1964	ETR	Atlas-Agena B	365	Precise lunar impact. Photographic mission unsuccessful because premature turn-on caused camera failure.
Ranger VII	Jul. 28, 1964	ETR	Atlas-Agena B	366	Successfully sent back 4,316 high-resolution TV photos during last 13 min of flight be fore precise impact on Moon.
Ranger VIII	Feb. 17, 1965	ETR	Atlas-Agena, B	367	Transmitted 7,137 close-up TV photos of Moon before precise impact in Sea of Tranquility.
Ranger IX	Mar. 21, 1965	ETR	Atlas-Agena B	367	Transmitted 5,814 TV photos before precise impact in crater Alphonsus. First high-resolution photos of lunar crater.
Surveyor I	May 30, 1966	ETR	Atlas-Centaur	270	Softlanded on Moon; transmitted11,237 TV photos in 13 days; survived one lunar night.
Explorer XXXIII (IMP-D)	Jul. 1, 1966	ETR	Thrust-augmented Thor-Delta	93	Failed to achieve lunar orbit because of launch errors; remained in Earth orbit.
Lunar Orbiter	Aug. 10, 1966	ETR	Atlas-Agena D	386	Entered lunar orbit Aug. 14. Photographed Moon until Aug. 29, photographing all 9 primary and 7 potential Apollo sites, 11 areas on far side. Impacted Moon Oct. 29, 1966.
Surveyor II	Sep. 20, 1966	ETR	Atlas-Centaur	270	Vernier failed. Spacecraft crashed on Moon SE of crater Copernicus.
Lunar Orbiter II	Nov. 6, 1966	ETR	Atlas-Agena D	385	Returned 205 lunar frames, including 13 primary and 17 secondary Apollo sites. Impacted sur face of Moon Oct. 11, 1967.
Lunar Orbiter III	Feb. 4, 1967	ETR	Atlas-Agena D	386	Photographed Surveyor I on Moon, Returned 182 lunar frames. Impacted Moon Oct. 9, 1967.
Surveyor III	Apr. 17, 1967	ETR	Atlas-Centaur	281	Softlanded on Moon Apr. 19; soil sampler, photo experiments until May 3, 1967. Took 6,315 photos.
Lunar Orbiter IV	May 4, 1967	ETR	Atlas-Agena D	386	Returned 163 frames; impacted Moon Oct. 6, 1967.
Surveyor IV	Jul. 14, 1967	ETR	Atlas-Centaur	281	Signal lost 2.5 min before landing on Moon July 17.
Lunar Orbiter V	Aug. 1, 1967	ETR	Atlas-Agena D	386	Last mission of Lunar Orbiter photo-mapping program. Returned 212 frames; photographed 23 new sites on far side, lst "full earth" view, 36 scientific sites, 5 Apollo sites. Impacted Moon Jan. 31, 1968.
Surveyor V	Sep. 8, 1967	ETR	Atlas-Centaur	281	Softlanded on Moon Sep. 10. Returned over 19,000 photos, soil analysis data.
Surveyor VI	Nov. 7, 1967	ETR	Atlas-Centaur	282	Softlanded on Moon Nov. 9. Performed lst rocket liftoff from lunar surface, moving 2.5 m. Analyzed soil 27 hrs. Transmitted 30,065 TV photos.
Surveyor VII	Jan. 7, 1968	ETR	Atlas-Centaur	290	Softlanded on Moon Jan. 10. Transmitted over 21,000 TV photos Analyzed soil and dug trench. Photographed Earth and Jupiter. Surveyor program ended.with 5th success in 7 tries.

Probe	Launch Date (local time)	Launch Site	Launch Vehicle	Spacecraft Weight (kg)	Mission Results

Luna I	Jan. 2, 1959	Tyuratam	A-1	361	Passed within 6,000 km of Moon; went into solar orbit.
Luna II	Sep. 12, 1959	Tyuratam	A-1	390	Struck Moon Sep. 13; lst man celestial body.
Luna III	Oct. 4, 1959	Tyuratam	A-1	435	Recorded lst- photographic data on Moon's far side. Reentered Earth's atmosphere Apr. 20, 1960.
Luna IV	Apr. 2, 1963	Tyuratam	A-2-e	1,422	Passed within 8,500 km of lunar surface.
Luna V	May 9, 1965	Tyuratam	A-2-e	1,476	Struck lunar surface in unsuccessful softlanding attempt May 12.
Luna VI	Jun. 8, 1965	Tyuratam	A-2-e	1,442	Intended for softlanding; missed, Moon by 160,000 km, went into solar orbit.
Zond III	Jul. 18, 1965	Tyuratam	A-2-e	960	Flew by Moon and sent back photographic data; went into solar orbit.
Luna VII	Oct. 4, 1965	Tyuratam	A-2-e	1,506	Intended for lunar s oftlanding. Retrorockets fired prematurely, causing impact on Moon Oct. 7.
Luna VIII	Dec. 3, 1965	Tyuratam	A-2-e	1,552	Intended for lunar softlanding. Retrorockets fired late, causing spacecraft to impact Moon Dec. 7.
Luna IX	Jan. 31, 1966	Tyuratam	A-2-e	1,583	First spacecraft to softland on Moon (Feb. 3) and transmit TV pictures of landing site to Earth.
Luna X	Mar. 31, 1966	Tyuratam	A-2-e	1,600	First spacecraft to orbit Moon. Studied micrometeoroid flux, lunar environment until May 30, 1966.
Luna XI	Aug. 24, 1966	Tyuratam	A-2-e	1,640	Entered lunar orbit Aug. 27. Sent back data until Oct. 1, 1966.
Luna XII	Oct. 22, 1966	Tyuratam	A-2-e	1,670?	Entered lunar orbit Oct. 25. Studied radiation transmitted photos of lunar surface.
Luna XIII	Dec. 21, 1966	Tyuratam	A-2-e	1,670?	Softlanded on Moon Dec. 24. Tested hardness of lunar surface, photographed lunar panorama.
Luna XIV	Apr. 7, 1968	Tyuratam	A-2-e	1,670?	Entered lunar orbit Apr. 10. Studied Earth-Moon mass relationships, Moon's gravitational field; no photos returned.
Zond V	Sep. 15, 1968	Tyuratam	D-l-e	4,820	First lunar flyaround, return, and recovery. Carried biological specimens, photographed Earth. Returned to Earth Sep. 21, 1968; was recovered from Indian ocean.
Zond VI	Nov. 10, 1968	Tyuratam	D-l-e	4,820	Second unmanned circumlunar flight and recovery. Carried biological specimens, camera. Landed in U.S.S.R. Nov. 17 after double-dip glide reentry, aerodynamic lift for deceleration.