Luna 2

Luna 2 was launched on September 12, 1959, on a direct ascent trajectory to the Moon. Thirty-three and a half hours later, it struck the lunar surface in the Palus Putredinis region near the craters Aristides, Archimedes, and Autolycus. It was the first time a human-made object had reached another world.

The spacecraft carried Soviet pennants -- small metallic shields bearing the coat of arms of the USSR and the date of launch -- designed to survive the impact and mark the achievement on the lunar surface. Whether any survived intact is unknown, but the symbolic gesture underscored the Space Race''s blend of science and propaganda.

Luna 2''s instruments confirmed that the Moon had no significant magnetic field and no Van Allen-type radiation belts, information critical for planning future missions. The successful impact demonstrated that a spacecraft could be accurately targeted at the Moon from Earth, a navigational achievement that was far from trivial given the technology of 1959.