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| A Ranger 7 launch cover from "SpaceCraft Swanson", postmarked at Patrick Air Force Base with a machine cancel on July 28, 1964, signed by Gerard P. Kuiper (Principal Scientist, Ranger 7 Vidicon Television Cameras), Allen E. Wolfe (Ranger Spacecraft Systems Manager), Eugene M. Shoemaker (Investigating Scientist), Harris M. Schurmeier (Ranger Project Manager), Oran W Nick (Director of Lunar and Planetary Programs), Newton W. "Bill" Cunningham (Ranger Program Manager) and Patrick J. Rygh (Ranger Flight Operations Director). |
Between March 1964 and July 1965, Rangers 7, 8, and 9 captured thousands of photographs of the moon's surface, marking the successful completion of three out of nine Ranger missions. Launched on July 28, 1964, Ranger 7 transmitted the first high-quality images of the lunar surface in the Sea of Clouds. The spacecraft sent back over 4,300 images before crash-landing on the moon on July 31, 1964.
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| Photo: The Ranger 7 spacecraft and its cameras for taking pictures of the Moon. |
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| Photo: Launch of Ranger 7 on July 28, 1964. |
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| Photo: Ranger launch conductor, Orion Reed, who pushed the button that started Ranger 7 on its way to the moon. |
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| A Ranger 7 launch cover featuring a "Swanson" rubber-stamped cachet, postmarked at Cape Canaveral with a machine cancel on July 28, 1964, signed by Gerard P. Kuiper (Principal Scientist, Ranger 7 Vidicon Television Cameras), Allen E. Wolfe (Ranger Spacecraft Systems Manager), Harris M. Schurmeier (Ranger Project Manager), Newton W. "Bill" Cunningham (Ranger Program Manager), Eugene M. Shoemaker (Investigating Scientist) and Patrick J. Rygh (Ranger Flight Operations Director). |
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| Photo: On July 29, 1964, Ranger Project Manager Harris M. Schurmeier points out the anticipated impact site of Ranger 7 in the Sea of Clouds on the moon. |
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| Photo: JPL employees reviewing the updated flight chart for Ranger 7 on July 30, 1964. |
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| Photo: On July 31, 1964, Ranger Project Manager Harris M. Schurmeier speaks at a news conference, announcing that good pictures of the moon were received before Ranger 7's impact that same day. |
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| A Ranger 7 launch cover from "Sarzin", postmarked at Cape Canaveral with a machine cancel on July 28, 1964. |
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| Photo: Engineers and scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena celebrate as they receive news that the cameras on Ranger 7 successfully transmitted images back to Earth before the spacecraft crashed into the moon. |
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| Photo: Images of the moon's surface captured by Ranger 7 from altitudes of 480 miles and 235 miles on July 31, 1964. |
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| Photo: Close-up images of the moon's surface captured by Ranger 7 on July 31, 1964. |
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| Photo: The final image of the moon captured by Ranger 7 before its impact on July 31, 1964. |
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| Photo: The scene of jubilation at the Jet Propulsion Lab when Ranger 7 impact the moon on July 31, 1964. |
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| Photo: Dr. Gerard P. Kuiper updating congressmen on the success of the Ranger 7 mission on August 5, 1964. |
