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Vostok-L 8K72 | Luna-2

Vostok-L 8K72 | Luna-2

Status: Success  |  Launched: Sep 12, 1959 06:39 UTC

Launch Provider & Rocket

Mission

Luna 2 successfully impacted the Moon's surface making it the first spacecraft to reach the surface of the Moon and the first human-made object to make contact with another celestial body.

  • Type: Lunar Exploration
  • Orbit: Lunar Impactor (Lunar Impactor)

Launch Site

  • Pad: 1/5
  • Location: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
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Program

  • Luna — The Luna program was a series of robotic spacecraft missions sent to the Moon by the Soviet Union between 1959 and 1976. The program accomplished many firsts in space exploration, including first flyby of the Moon, first impact of the Moon and first photos of the far side of the Moon. Each mission was designed as either an orbiter or lander. They also performed many experiments, studying the Moon's chemical composition, gravity, temperature, and radiation. (Wikipedia)

Launch data sourced automatically from the Launch Library 2 API. Last refreshed: 2026-10-07T01:00:56.820087+00:00.