1965-03-21 USA Ranger 9

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.

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.

1965-02-17 USA Ranger 8

Ranger 8 took over 7,100 high quality images of the lunar surface before it crash-landed in the Sea of Tranquility on 20 February 1965.

Photo: Ranger 8 impacted the moon at "Sea of Tranquility" (landing site for Apollo 11) after it took 7500 television pictures, on February 20, 1965.

Photo: Pictures of the moon surface taken by Ranger 8 on February 20, 1965.

Photo: Dr William Pickering with one of about 7500 photographs sent back by Ranger 8.

Photo: James E. Webb of NASA head explaining space problems and accomplishments to President Johnson and Vice President Hubert Humphrey during a visit to NASA headquarters.

1964-07-28 USA Ranger 7

Ranger 7 launch cover with Swanson cachet, cancelled at Cape Canaveral, July 28, 1964.

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.

Photo: The Ranger 7 spacecraft and its cameras for taking pictures of the Moon.

Photo: Launch of Ranger 7 on July 28, 1964.

Photo: Ranger launch conductor, Orion Reed, who pushed the button that started Ranger 7 on its way to the moon.

Ranger 7 launch cover cancelled at Cape Canaveral, July 28, 1964.
Signed by (from left to right) 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), Patrick J. Rygh (Ranger Flight Operations Director).

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.

Photo: JPL employees reviewing the updated flight chart for Ranger 7 on July 30, 1964.

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.

Sarzin cover cancelled at Cape Canaveral, July 28, 1964. Details of the Ranger 7 flight course, launch and impact time, and the number of pictures transmitted were printed on the cover.

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.

Photo: Images of the moon's surface captured by Ranger 7 from altitudes of 480 miles and 235 miles on July 31, 1964.

Photo: Close-up images of the moon's surface captured by Ranger 7 on July 31, 1964.

Photo: The final image of the moon captured by Ranger 7 before its impact on July 31, 1964.

Photo: The scene of jubilation at the Jet Propulsion Lab when Ranger 7 impact the moon on July 31, 1964.

Photo: Dr. Gerard P. Kuiper updating congressmen on the success of the Ranger 7 mission on August 5, 1964.

1964-01-30 USA Ranger 6

Ranger 6 launch cover with Swanson cachet, cancelled at Cape Canaveral on January 30, 1964.

Ranger 6, launched on January 30, 1964, was intended to capture a series of images as it approached the moon, right up until its impact with the lunar surface. Unfortunately, the spacecraft's cameras malfunctioned, and no pictures were transmitted back to Earth. Ranger 6 crashed into the Sea of Tranquility on February 2, 1964.

Photo: A technician examining Ranger 6 on January 18, 1964.

Photo: Ranger Project Manager Harris M. Schurmeier indicating the anticipated landing site for Ranger 6.

1962-10-18 USA Ranger 5

A solar cell on Ranger 5 failed shortly after its launch on October 18, 1962. Without power, engineers on the ground lost the ability to control the spacecraft, causing it to miss the moon by 720 kilometers (450 miles).

1962-04-23 USA Ranger 4

Following a successful launch on April 23, 1962, communication with Ranger 4 was lost. Although the spacecraft could be tracked until it crashed on the far side of the Moon on April 26, 1962, no data could be collected.

Ranger 4 crash-landed on the Moon on April 26, 1962, becoming the first American spacecraft to reach the lunar surface.

1962-01-26 USA Ranger 3

Ranger 3 was a NASA mission aimed at exploring the Moon, launched on January 26, 1962, as part of the Ranger program. However, due to a series of malfunctions, the spacecraft missed the Moon by 22,000 miles (35,000 kilometers) and entered a heliocentric orbit instead.

Launched on January 26, 1962, Ranger 3 was intended to capture close-up images of the Moon before crashing into its surface. However, it missed the Moon and ended up in a solar orbit.

The Ranger 3 space probe was designed to transmit images of the lunar surface during a 10-minute flight before impacting the Moon. Its objectives included landing a seismometer capsule on the Moon, collecting gamma-ray data during flight, studying the lunar surface's radar reflectivity, and further testing the Ranger program to advance the development of lunar and interplanetary spacecraft.

(Reference from Ranger 3)

1961-11-18 USA Ranger 2

Ranger 2 launch cover with Swanson cachet, postmarked at Patrick Air Force Base, November 18, 1961.

Ranger 2 was a flight test of the Ranger spacecraft system as part of NASA's Ranger program, aimed at preparing for future lunar and interplanetary missions. It was intended to evaluate various systems and conduct scientific observations of cosmic rays, magnetic fields, radiation, dust particles, and a potential hydrogen gas "tail" trailing Earth. Launched on November 18, 1961, Ranger 2, similar to Ranger 1, functioned as a test vehicle. Unfortunately, its engines failed to reignite after entering low Earth orbit, leading to the spacecraft burning up in the atmosphere just two days post-launch.

Photo: Launch of Ranger 2 on November 18, 1961.

(Reference from Ranger 2)

1961-08-23 USA Ranger 1

Ranger 1 launch cover with Swanson cachet, postmarked at Patrick Air Force Base, August 23, 1961.

From August 1961 to January 1964, the United States launched a series of Ranger spacecraft aimed at capturing close-up photographs of the lunar surface, though these efforts were largely unsuccessful. Ranger 1, launched on August 23, 1961, was the first U.S. spacecraft designed to test the feasibility of entering a parking orbit around Earth before proceeding to the Moon.

Photo: The Ranger 1 spacecraft.

Zaso cover with a paste-on cachet of Ranger 1, postmarked at Port Canaveral, August 23, 1961.

A parking orbit allows engineers to calculate a more precise trajectory for the spacecraft's journey to the Moon. Ranger 1 successfully entered a low Earth orbit, but its engines, intended to re-ignite after 13 minutes and burn for 90 seconds, only fired for a few seconds before shutting off. The spacecraft ultimately re-entered Earth's atmosphere after completing 111 orbits.

Photo: Launch of Ranger 1 on August 23, 1961.

Photo: A diagram illustrating the trajectory of Ranger to the Moon.

(Reference from Ranger 1)