Launch Partial Failure

Liftoff Time (GMT)

20:30:00

Friday January 26, 1962

Watch Replay

Official Livestream

Mission Details

Launch Notes

Failure of both the Atlas and Agena guidance systems; probe sent on an incorrect trajectory.

Ranger 3

Wiki

Ranger 3 was a space exploration mission conducted by NASA to study the Moon. The Ranger 3 robotic spacecraft was launched on January 26, 1962, as part of the Ranger program. Due to a series of malfunctions, the spacecraft missed the Moon by 22,000 mi (35,000 km) and entered a heliocentric orbit.

Trans Lunar Injection

1 Payload

330 kilograms

Rocket

Retired
Atlas-LV3 Agena-B

Active 1961 to 1965


Payload to Orbit

LEO: 1,725 kg

Stages

2

Launch Site

LC-12

Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA

Fastest Turnaround

32 days 4 hours

Stats

Atlas-Agena


12th

Mission

1st

Mission of 1962

1962


3rd

Orbital launch attempt