Luna 2 (Russian: Луна 2), originally named the Second Soviet Cosmic Rocket and nicknamed Lunik 2 in contemporaneous media, was the sixth of the Soviet Union's Luna programme spacecraft launched to the Moon, E-1 No.7.

Luna 2 (September 1959) mission successfully hit the Moon's surface, becoming the first man-made object to reach the Moon. [9] This was Luna's only impact success out of six tries from September 1958 to September 1959.

Luna 2 was the second of a series of spacecraft launched in the direction of the Moon. The first spacecraft to land on the Moon, it impacted the lunar surface east of Mare Serenitatis near the Aristides, Archimedes, and Autolycus craters.

Sep 12, 2019 · On Sep. 13, Luna 2 became the first spacecraft to make contact with another celestial body when it impacted the Moon between Mare Imbrium and Mare Serenitatis, about 160 miles from where Apollo 15 would land 12 years later.

In September of that year, the Lunik 2 became the first manmade object on the moon — a feat that only compounded fears in the United States that the USSR was winning the space race. CIA conducted a covert operation to access the Lunik display to …

Jul 21, 2024 · A CIA action team dismantled a "Lunik 2" exhibit to document what techniques and technologies were used by the Soviet Union.

Lunik 2, also known as Luna 2, was a Soviet spacecraft launched in 1959 as part of the Luna program. Its primary objective was to become the first human-made object to reach the Moon’s surface, marking a significant milestone in space exploration.

Sep 12, 2019 · The Russian spacecraft, known as Lunik II, Luna II, and Lunar Probe, set off on its mission to the Moon on the 12 September 1959. The rocket followed a direct path to the Moon and landed two days...

Sep 14, 2019 · After midnight passed in Moscow, the Soviet Union’s Luna 2 intentionally crashed into the Moon on September 14, 1959, becoming the first man-made spacecraft to reach the Moon. It was actually the Soviet Union’s second attempt to reach the Moon.

Luna 2, launched by the Soviet Union on September 12, 1959, marked a significant milestone in space exploration by becoming the first human-made object to impact the Moon. This achievement came less than two years after the first artificial satellite was sent into orbit, highlighting rapid advancements in space technology during the early Cold ...