United States

The Ranger series of missions were designed to be launched into a lunar impact trajectory and provide progressively higher resolution images of the lunar surface right up until the point of impact in order to facilitate preparations for the Apollo missions. Ranger 9 was launched on 21 March 1965 and was intentionally impacted on the lunar surface on 24 March 1965 in Alphonsus crater, leaving a 14 meter crater. 5814 images were returned prior to impact.

Related Featured Images: