Ranger Missions
The Ranger series of spacecraft were designed to take high-quality pictures of the Moon and transmit them back to Earth in real time. The images were to be used for scientific study, as well as selecting landing sites for the Apollo Moon missions.
Ranger 9 Information
For the first time, the public was able to see closeups of the moon on their television. Flight controllers aligned Ranger 9's camera directly in front of the spacecraft. The spectacular images were converted for broadcast on live television. It sent back a total of 5,814 pictures in 19 minutes before impact. The final image taken 0.25 seconds before impact from at an altitude of about 600 meters (a third of a mile) had a resolution of 0.3 meters per pixel.
For the first time, the public was able to see closeups of the moon on their television. Flight controllers aligned Ranger 9's camera directly in front of the spacecraft. The spectacular images were converted for broadcast on live television. It sent back a total of 5,814 pictures in 19 minutes before impact. The final image taken 0.25 seconds before impact from at an altitude of about 600 meters (a third of a mile) had a resolution of 0.3 meters per pixel.
Ranger 8 Information
Another success. NASA's accuracy was improving with each mission. Ranger 8 landed within 24 km (15 miles) of its intended impact site in the Sea of Tranquility. The coordinates are 2°43' north latitude and 24°38' east longitude. It back 7,137 high-quality images of the lunar surface in last 23 minutes of flight. It The final image taken before impact had a resolution of 1.5 meters per pixel.
Another success. NASA's accuracy was improving with each mission. Ranger 8 landed within 24 km (15 miles) of its intended impact site in the Sea of Tranquility. The coordinates are 2°43' north latitude and 24°38' east longitude. It back 7,137 high-quality images of the lunar surface in last 23 minutes of flight. It The final image taken before impact had a resolution of 1.5 meters per pixel.
Ranger 7 Information
Finally, a success. Ranger 7's six TV cameras started rolling just 15 minutes before it smashed into the lunar surface, transmitting 4,316 astounding images back to Earth before impact. The last image, taken only 2.3 seconds before the spacecraft was destroyed, had a resolution of 0.5 meters per pixel. The impact point was at 10°38' south latitude and 20°36' west longitude on the northern rim of the Sea of Clouds. Ranger 7 marked a turning point in America's exploration of space.
Finally, a success. Ranger 7's six TV cameras started rolling just 15 minutes before it smashed into the lunar surface, transmitting 4,316 astounding images back to Earth before impact. The last image, taken only 2.3 seconds before the spacecraft was destroyed, had a resolution of 0.5 meters per pixel. The impact point was at 10°38' south latitude and 20°36' west longitude on the northern rim of the Sea of Clouds. Ranger 7 marked a turning point in America's exploration of space.
Ranger 6 Information
Ranger 6 was another successful failure. The spacecraft made it to the Moon and impacted as planned, but no pictures were returned due to a short in the power supply for the TV camera package. The lunar impact coordinates are 9°24' north latitude and 20°30' east longitude. One major success was using Ranger 6 as the first in a series of missions to test new technologies such as deploying solar panels.
Ranger 6 was another successful failure. The spacecraft made it to the Moon and impacted as planned, but no pictures were returned due to a short in the power supply for the TV camera package. The lunar impact coordinates are 9°24' north latitude and 20°30' east longitude. One major success was using Ranger 6 as the first in a series of missions to test new technologies such as deploying solar panels.
Ranger 5 Information
Lunar 5 also malfunctioned, this time switching on battery power far too early. It operated for only eight hours before dying, causing it to miss the Moon by about 724 km (450 miles). Ranger 5 also ended up in heliocentric (sun-centered) orbit where mission controllers were able to track it to a distance of 1.3 million km (808,000) miles. Scientists did get back about four hours of data from a gamma ray experiment aboard the spacecraft.
Lunar 5 also malfunctioned, this time switching on battery power far too early. It operated for only eight hours before dying, causing it to miss the Moon by about 724 km (450 miles). Ranger 5 also ended up in heliocentric (sun-centered) orbit where mission controllers were able to track it to a distance of 1.3 million km (808,000) miles. Scientists did get back about four hours of data from a gamma ray experiment aboard the spacecraft.
Ranger 4 Information
Ranger 4 was a successful failure. While a power failure in its central computer made it incapable of carrying out its mission objectives, it was the first American spacecraft to reach another celestial body. Ranger 4 crashed into the far side of the Moon on April 26, 1962. The coordinates are 15°31' south latitude and 130°42' west longitude. Although Ranger 4 did not complete it mission, this was also the time the first Atlas-Agena booster rocket performed flawlessly.
Ranger 4 was a successful failure. While a power failure in its central computer made it incapable of carrying out its mission objectives, it was the first American spacecraft to reach another celestial body. Ranger 4 crashed into the far side of the Moon on April 26, 1962. The coordinates are 15°31' south latitude and 130°42' west longitude. Although Ranger 4 did not complete it mission, this was also the time the first Atlas-Agena booster rocket performed flawlessly.
Ranger 3 Information
With Ranger 3, NASA put its "kamikaze" program into effect, planning to make a hard landing the Moon. The goal was to deploy a small instrument package containing a seismometer on the lunar surface. Like its predecessors, Ranger 3 also malfunctioned, this time in its guidance system. The spacecraft went hurtling past the Moon at a distance of 36,793 km. Its speed was too high to allow it to enter lunar orbit. The spacecraft did provide the first measurements of interplanetary gamma-ray flux.
With Ranger 3, NASA put its "kamikaze" program into effect, planning to make a hard landing the Moon. The goal was to deploy a small instrument package containing a seismometer on the lunar surface. Like its predecessors, Ranger 3 also malfunctioned, this time in its guidance system. The spacecraft went hurtling past the Moon at a distance of 36,793 km. Its speed was too high to allow it to enter lunar orbit. The spacecraft did provide the first measurements of interplanetary gamma-ray flux.
Ranger 2 Information
Ranger 2 was designed to operate in a highly elliptical Earth orbit that would take it into deep space beyond the Moon. Mission planners expected that during five months of operation, they could verify both the technical design of the vehicle and conduct key scientific experiments to study the space environment over a prolonged period. The early Ranger spacecraft carried no rocket engine and could not alter their trajectories. After Ranger 2 launched, its Agena B stage failed to fire.
Ranger 2 was designed to operate in a highly elliptical Earth orbit that would take it into deep space beyond the Moon. Mission planners expected that during five months of operation, they could verify both the technical design of the vehicle and conduct key scientific experiments to study the space environment over a prolonged period. The early Ranger spacecraft carried no rocket engine and could not alter their trajectories. After Ranger 2 launched, its Agena B stage failed to fire.
Ranger 1 Information
Ranger 1 had the distinction of being the first US spacecraft to use a parking orbit around Earth before heading into deep space. Besides its mission to discover Apollo landing sites, it was also a chance to test technologies that would help take mankind to the Moon. It was also designed to study particles and fields in interplanetary space. After liftoff, Ranger 1 experience a malfunction in its upper stage rocket booster. This left Ranger 1 stranded in low-Earth orbit for three days.
Ranger 1 had the distinction of being the first US spacecraft to use a parking orbit around Earth before heading into deep space. Besides its mission to discover Apollo landing sites, it was also a chance to test technologies that would help take mankind to the Moon. It was also designed to study particles and fields in interplanetary space. After liftoff, Ranger 1 experience a malfunction in its upper stage rocket booster. This left Ranger 1 stranded in low-Earth orbit for three days.