With the USSR's launch of the unmanned Sputnik I satellite in October 1957, the United States was racing to best its communist competitor at space exploration. After this accomplishment, the Soviets ...

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Ranger 7 was the first American spacecraft to image the moon's surface from close-up. Along with ...

The Ranger program, initiated during the Space Race, aimed to achieve lunar landings and provide site surveys for future crewed missions. Early Ranger missions (1-6) experienced failures or ...

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. The space mission that made possible Neil Armstrong's "small step" celebrates its 50th ...

This series will explore historic space missions from the start of the Space Age to the present day, including both crewed and robotic missions. Here we will investigate the scientific rationale ...