1964, NASA Ranger 7 launched toward the Moon
On this day on July 28, 1964, NASA Ranger 7, launched toward the Moon at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
Ranger 7
It was the very first space probe of the United States to successfully transmit close images of the lunar surface back to Earth. Ranger 7, was also the first completely successful flight of the Ranger program.
It designed to transmit high-resolution photographs of the moon before impacting the lunar surface.
First Moon Images
Meanwhile, Ranger 7 transmitted 4,308 images in the 15 minutes before it impacted the lunar surface on the northern rim of the Sea of Clouds on July 31, 1964.
The first image taken around at 13:08:45 UT at an altitude of 2110 km.
Launch Plan
Ranger 7 completed its ground testing on July 6, 1964. NASA planned to launch Ranger 7 on July 27, 1964. However, the launch was fail due to a defective battery in the Atlas and a problem with the ground guidance equipment.
Ranger 7 spacecraft carried six television vidicon cameras. It includes four narrow-angle and two wide-angle to accomplish these objectives. Ranger 7 missions were to take photographs of the Moon.
