THE RACE TO THE MOON

While the United States was attempting to reach the lunar surface with the Pioneer probes, the Soviet Union also had its sights set on the same prize. Using a newly modified R-7 rocket, the Soviet Union began to work on its Luna Program. By the conclusion of Luna, the Russian Moon probes had been the first manmade objects to:
  • Reach escape velocity from the Earth.
  • Impact with lunar surface.
  • Photograph the far side of the Moon.
  • Soft land on the Moon.
  • Retrieve and return lunar surface samples to the Earth.
  • Deploy a lunar rover on the lunar surface.
Luna Moon probes
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Florida Space Research Institute ©2002