Luna E-1 No.1
Lunik 1 to Lunik 3, the three Soviet lunar probes of the first series were referred to, in reference to the name of the first artificial Earth satellite, Sputnik.
As Western sources probes were designated as " Lunik "; in the official Soviet media they were called:
- "Cosmic Rocket" ( Lunik 1)
- "Soviet Cosmic Rocket 2" ( Lunik 2) and
- " Automatic Interplanetary Station" ( Lunik 3).
Lunik 1 ( January 1959 ) waved for a flyby of the moon flawed in a solar orbit, but nevertheless provided useful radiation readings for the analysis of terrestrial radiation belt and confirmed the existence of the solar wind.
Lunik 2 was the first artificial missile ever to hit specifically on the lunar surface, on 13 September 1959.
Lunik 3 ( October 1959 ) photographed for the first time the side of the moon.
Some more moon missions of the Soviet Union beat all fail:
- Lunik 1958a on 23 September 1958 - destroyed by rocket explosion
- Lunik 1958b on 12 October 1958 - destroyed by rocket explosion
- Lunik 1958C on December 4, 1958 - destroyed by rocket explosion
- Lunik 1959a on 18 June 1959 - destroyed by rocket explosion
- Lunik 1960A on April 15, 1960 - remains in Earth orbit
- Lunik 1960B on April 19, 1960 - destroyed by rocket explosion
All names are fictitious catalog designations, these failures were acknowledged by the USSR never. Only one-third of the probes actually reached the moon.
Were provided for each Lunik 1958-59 surcharges on the lunar surface as Lunik 2, for the two Lunik missions in 1960, the orbit as in Lunik 3
The following lunar probes of the second series were Luna ( russ: moon) called.