United States

The Ranger series of missions were designed to be launched into a lunar impact trajectory and provide progressively higher resolution images of the lunar surface right up until the point of impact in order to facilitate preparations for the Apollo missions. Ranger 8 was launched on 17 February 1965 and was intentionally impacted on the lunar surface on 20 February 1965 in Mare Tranquillitatis, leaving a 12 meter crater. 7,137 images were returned prior to impact.

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