While the programmed was active, it was Soviet practice not to release any details of missions which had failed.
The Luna E-1 No.1 was not an exception, the fact that we never got any info about the first Satellites,
must be viewed in the context of other projects might be sensitive.
This resulted in Western observers assigning their own designations, to the missions of Luna spacecraft were found to have occurred on those dates.
|
Name |
USSR code |
Mission |
Date |
Rocket |
Outcome |
Remarks |
|
Luna |
E-1 No.1 |
? |
September 23, 1958 |
Luna |
Successful |
Reached Earth orbit |
|
Luna |
E-1 No.2 |
? |
October 11, 1958 |
Luna |
Failure |
Failed to Moon orbit? |
|
Luna |
E-1 No.3 |
? |
December 4, 1958 |
Luna |
Failure |
Failed to Moon orbit? |
|
Luna 1 |
E-1 No.4 |
Impactor |
January 2, 1959 |
Luna |
Failure |
Also known as Mechta; placed onto incorrect trajectory, flew past the Moon without impacting; first spacecraft to escape geocentric orbit |
|
N/A |
E-1A No.1 |
Impactor |
June 18, 1959 |
Luna |
Failure |
Failed to Moon orbit |
|
Luna 2 |
E-1A No.2 |
Impactor |
September 12, 1959 |
Luna |
Successful |
Impacted Palus Putredinis (29.10 N, 0.00 E) on the Moon on September 14, 1959 at ~07:30:00 UT |