904 Encyclopedia of the Solar System
TABLE 1 Planetary Exploration Missions
Spacecraft Source Launch Target Mission Notes
Pioneer 1 USA Oct. 11, 1958 Moon flyby Reached 70,700 km altitude: missed Moon
Pioneer 2 USA Nov. 8, 1958 Moon flyby Third stage ignition failure
Pioneer 3 USA Dec. 6, 1958 Moon flyby Reached 63,600 km altitude: missed Moon
Luna 1 USSR Jan. 2, 1959 Moon flyby Flew by Moon at 5,998 km distance
Pioneer 4 USA Mar. 3, 1959 Moon flyby Flew by Moon at 60,030 km
Luna 2 USSR Sept. 12, 1959 Moon impact Impacted on Moon
Luna 3 USSR Oct. 4, 1959 Moon flyby Photographed far side of Moon
(Pioneer) USA Nov. 26, 1959 Moon flyby Payload shroud failed during launch
(Pioneer) USA Sept. 25, 1960 Moon flyby Second stage malfunction
(unnamed) USSR Oct. 10, 1960 Mars flyby Failed to achieve Earth orbit
(unnamed) USSR Oct. 14, 1960 Mars flyby Failed to achieve Earth orbit
(Pioneer) USA Dec. 15, 1960 Moon flyby First stage exploded
Sputnik 7 USSR Feb. 4, 1961 Venus flyby Failed to depart from low Earth orbit
Venera 1 USSR Feb. 12, 1961 Venus flyby Communications failure in transit
Ranger 1 USA Aug. 23, 1961 Moon flyby Failed to depart from low Earth orbit
Ranger 2 USA Nov. 18, 1961 Moon flyby Failed to depart from low Earth orbit
Ranger 3 USA Jan. 26, 1962 Moon impact Missed Moon by 36,745 km
Orbiting Solar USA Mar. 7, 1962 Sun telescope Solar observatory in Earth orbit
Observatory 1
Ranger 4 USA Apr. 23, 1962 Moon impact Impacted Moon with experiments inoperative
Mariner 1 USA July 22, 1962 Venus flyby Launch failure
Sputnik 19 USSR Aug. 25, 1962 Venus flyby Failed to depart from low Earth orbit
Mariner 2 USA Aug. 27, 1962 Venus flyby Flew by Venus at 34,745 km
Sputnik 20 USSR Sept. 1, 1962 Venus flyby Failed to depart from low Earth orbit
Sputnik 21 USSR Sept. 12, 1962 Venus flyby Failed to depart from low Earth orbit
Ranger 5 USA Oct. 18, 1962 Moon impact Missed Moon by 724 km
Sputnik 22 USSR Oct. 24, 1962 Mars flyby Failed to depart from low Earth orbit
Mars 1 USSR Nov. 1, 1962 Mars flyby Communications failure in transit
Sputnik 24 USSR Nov. 4, 1962 Mars flyby Failed to depart from low Earth orbit
Sputnik 25 USSR Jan. 4, 1963 Moon impact Failed to depart from low Earth orbit
Luna 4 USSR Apr. 2, 1963 Moon impact Missed Moon by 8499 km
Kosmos 21 USSR Nov. 11, 1963 Venus test Failed to depart from low Earth orbit
Ranger 6 USA Jan. 30, 1964 Moon impact Impacted Moon with TV inoperative
Kosmos 27 USSR Mar. 27, 1964 Venus flyby Failed to depart from low Earth orbit
Zond 1 USSR Apr. 2, 1964 Venus flyby Communications failure in transit
Ranger 7 USA July 28, 1964 Moon impact Impacted Moon: returned 4,308 photos
Mariner C USA Nov. 5, 1964 Mars flyby Shroud failed to separate after launch
Mariner 4 USA Nov. 28, 1964 Mars flyby Flew by Mars: July 15, 1965; returned 21 photos
Zond 2 USSR Nov. 30, 1964 Mars flyby Communications failure in transit
Orbiting Solar USA Feb. 3, 1965 Sun telescope Solar observatory in Earth orbit
Observatory 2
Ranger 8 USA Feb. 17, 1965 Moon impact Impacted moon: returned 7,137 photos
Kosmos 60 USSR Mar. 12, 1965 Moon lander Failed to depart from low Earth orbit
Ranger 9 USA Mar. 21, 1965 Moon impact Impacted moon: returned 5,814 photos
Luna 5 USSR May 9, 1965 Moon lander Landing attempt failed: crashed on Moon
Luna 6 USSR June 8, 1965 Moon lander Missed Moon by 160,935 km
Zond 3 USSR July 18, 1965 Mars test Flew by Moon as test of Mars spacecraft
Orbiting Solar USA Aug. 23, 1965 Sun telescope Solar observatory: failed to orbit
Observatory C
Luna 7 USSR Oct. 4, 1965 Moon lander Retros fired early: crashed on Moon
Venera 2 USSR Nov. 12, 1965 Venus probe Communication failure just prior to Venus arrival
Venera 3 USSR Nov. 16, 1965 Venus probe Communication failure prior to Venus entry
Kosmos 96 USSR Nov. 23, 1965 Venus probe Failed to depart from low Earth orbit
Luna 8 USSR Dec. 3, 1965 Moon lander Retros fired late: crashed on Moon
