1965-03-21 USA Ranger 9

A Ranger 9 launch cover from "SpaceCraft Swanson", postmarked at Cape Canaveral with a hand cancel on March 21, 1965.

Ranger 9, the final mission in the Ranger series, captured over 5,800 images of the lunar surface before crash-landing in the Alphonsus crater. Network television broadcasted the images live as they were transmitted from the moon.

A Ranger 9 launch cover from "Astro Covers, postmarked at Cape Canaveral with a hand cancel on March 21, 1965.

Photo: Pictures of the moon's surface sent back by Ranger 9.

Photo: Walter Schirra viewing pictures of the moon's surface sent back by Ranger 9.