Launch Success
Liftoff Time (GMT)
00:43:39
Sunday October 4, 1959
First probe to fly over the far side of the Moon. First pictures of the far side of the Moon.
This probe was launched onto a free-return trajectory around the moon and its purpose was to photograph its far side, which was sunlit at the time. It took 29 pictures covering 70% of the moon's far side and transmitted them when it came back near Earth, but due to poor signal strength only 17 poor-quality pictures were successfully sent. Nevertheless, after image stitching and computer enhancement they created an Atlas of the Far Side of the Moon, which was very exciting for everyone worldwide. It showed a mountainous surface, very different from the near side.
Trans Lunar Injection
1 Payload
279 kilograms
7th
Mission
4th
Mission of 1959
11th
Mission
4th
Mission of 1959
19th
Orbital launch attempt