Crescent Moon European Southern Observatory
Astronaut saluting the flag

Exploring the Moon 

A history of lunar discovery from the first

space probes to recent times 

Chronological table of Moon probes 1959–76

See also the Lunar Exploration Timeline at the National Space Science Data Center.


Probe 

Launch date 

Results and notes

1959 January 2 

Missed Moon on 1959 January 4 by 6,000 km. Intended lunar impact 

1959 September 12 

Hit Moon September 13 in eastern Mare Imbrium. First man-made object to reach the Moon 

1959 October 4 

Photographed Moon’s far side on October 7 

1962 January 26 

Missed Moon on January 28 by 36,800 km. Intended hard-lander 

1962 April 23 

Impacted Moon’s far side on April 26. Intended hard-lander 

Table of Moon probes

1962 October 18 

Missed Moon on October 21 by 724 km. Intended hard-lander 

1963 April 2 

Missed Moon on April 5 by 8,500 km. Intended hard-lander 

1964 January 30 

Hit Moon February 2. Television system failed 

1964 July 28 

Hit Moon July 31 in southeastern Oceanus Procellarum (an area now known as Mare Cognitum), returning 4,308 close-up photographs 

1965 February 17 

Hit Moon February 20 in Mare Tranquillitatis, returning 7,137 close-up photographs 

1965 March 21 

Hit Moon March 24 in the crater Alphonsus, returning 5,814 close-up photographs 

1965 May 9 

Hit Moon May 12. Intended lander 

1965 June 8 

Missed Moon by 160,000 km on June 11. Intended lander 

1965 July 18 

Flew behind Moon on July 20, photographing areas not covered by Luna 3. Continued towards Mars for long-range communications tests 

1965 October 4 

Hit Moon October 7. Intended lander 

1965 December 3 

Hit Moon December 6. Intended lander 

1966 January 31 

Landed in western Oceanus Procellarum on February 3. Returned photographs from the surface for three days 

1966 March 31 

Entered lunar orbit April 3. Measured magnetic field, meteoroids 

1966 May 30 

Landed June 2 in Oceanus Procellarum near crater Flamsteed. Returned 11,240 photographs 

1966 August 10 

Entered lunar orbit August 14. Returned 229 photographs 

Background image:

The waning crescent Moon. 

(European Southern Observatory


1966 September 20 

Hit Moon September 23 after control system failed 

1966 August 24 

Entered lunar orbit August 27. Intended photographic mission 

1966 October 22 

Entered lunar orbit October 25. Photographed the surface 

1966 November 6 

Entered lunar orbit November 10. Returned 817 photographs 

Text © Ian Ridpath


These pages support Ian’s talk on Exploring the Moon

1966 December 21 

Landed in northwestern Oceanus Procellarum December 24. Photographed the surface, tested soil 

1967 February 5 

Entered lunar orbit February 8. Returned 626 photographs 

1967 April 17 

Landed April 20 in Oceanus Procellarum. Returned 6,326 photographs. Dug soil with mechanical arm. Visited by Apollo 12 astronauts in 1969 November 

1967 May 4 

Entered lunar orbit May 8. Returned 546 photographs 

1967 July 14 

Landed in Sinus Medii on July 17. Radio contact lost prior to touchdown 

1967 August 1 

Entered lunar orbit August 5. Returned 844 photographs 

1967 September 8 

Landed September 11 in southern Mare Tranquillitatis. Returned 19,118 photographs. Analysed soil by bombardment with alpha particles 

1967 November 7 

Landed November 10 in Sinus Medii. Returned 29,952 photographs. Analysed soil with alpha-particle instrument 

1968 January 7 

Landed January 10 near crater Tycho. Returned 21,038 photographs. Carried mechanical arm and surface analysis instrument 

1968 April 7 

Entered lunar orbit April 10. Measured magnetic and gravitational fields, solar wind particles 

1968 September 14 

Unmanned test of circumlunar Soyuz. Carried biological specimens. Splashed down in Indian Ocean September 21 

1968 November 10 

Unmanned test of circumlunar Soyuz. Photographed lunar farside. Landed in Soviet Union November 17 

1969 July 13 

Hit Moon July 21 in Mare Crisium. Intended sample-return mission 

1969 August 7 

Repeat of Zond 6 mission. Landed in Soviet Union August 14 

1970 September 12 

Landed in Mare Fecunditatis September 20. Returned to Earth September 24 with 100g of lunar soil 

Similar to previous Zonds, with modified reentry trajectory. Splashed down in Indian Ocean October 27 

1970 October 20 

1970 November 10 

Landed in western Mare Imbrium November 17. Carried Lunokhod 1 rover 

1971 September 2 

Hit Moon September 11. Intended sample-return mission 

1971 September 28 

Entered lunar orbit October 3. Studied lunar surface and lunar environment 

1972 February 14 

Landed in northern Mare Fecunditatis February 21. Returned to Earth February 25 with 30g soil sample

1973 January 8 

Landed in eastern Mare Serenitatis January 15. Carried Lunokhod 2 rover 

1974 May 29 

Entered lunar orbit June 2. Studied Moon and near-lunar space 

1974 October 28 

Landed in Mare Crisium November 6. Damaged drill prevented sample return 

1976 August 9 

Landed in southeastern Mare Crisium (same area as failed Luna 23) on August 18. Returned to Earth August 22 with 170g soil sample