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1950s: 1957 1958 1959
1960s: 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970s: 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980s: 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990s: 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000s: 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
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Click a mission for history from the National Space Science Data Center
Date, country and objective of successful and unsuccessful lunar and planetary probes as well as some other flights that were important in the development of space exploration. Click a mission name for a description of the spacecraft, experiments, data returned, launch and orbit, communication system and other information.
NASA photo: Apollo 12 astronaut on the Moon at Surveyor 3 landing site in 1969
1957
Sputnik 1 - 4 October 1957 - Earth Orbiter
Sputnik 2 - 3 November 1957 - Earth Orbiter
1958
Explorer 1 - 1 February 1958 - Earth Orbiter
Vanguard 1 - 17 March 1958 - Earth Orbiter
Pioneer 0 - 17 Aug 1958 - Attempted Lunar Orbit (Launch Failure)
Luna 1958A - 23 September 1958 - Attempted Lunar Impact (Launch Failure)
Pioneer 1 - 11 Oct 1958 - Attempted Lunar Orbit (Launch Failure)
Luna 1958B - 12 October 1958 - Attempted Lunar Impact (Launch Failure)
Pioneer 2 - 8 Nov 1958 - Attempted Lunar Orbit (Launch Failure)
Luna 1958C - 4 December 1958 - Attempted Lunar Impact (Launch Failure)
Pioneer 3 - 6 Dec 1958 - Attempted Lunar Flyby (Launch Failure)
1959
Luna 1 - 2 Jan 1959 - Lunar Flyby (Attempted Lunar Impact)
Pioneer 4 - 3 March 1959 - Lunar Flyby
Luna 1959A - 16 June 1959 - Attempted Lunar Impact (Launch Failure)
Luna 2 - 12 Sep 1959 - Lunar Impact
Luna 3 - 4 Oct 1959 - Lunar Flyby
Pioneer P-3 - 26 Nov 1959 - Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)
1960
Luna 1960A - 15 April 1960 - Attempted Lunar Flyby (Launch Failure)
Luna 1960B - 18 April 1960 - Attempted Lunar Flyby (Launch Failure)
Pioneer P-30 - 25 Sept 1960 - Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)
Marsnik 1 (Mars 1960A) - 10 Oct 1960 - Attempted Mars Flyby (Launch Failure)
Marsnik 2 (Mars 1960B) - 14 Oct 1960 - Attempted Mars Flyby (Launch Failure)
Pioneer P-31 - 15 Dec 1960 - Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)
1961
Sputnik 7 - 4 Feb 1961 - Attempted Venus Impact
Venera 1 - 12 Feb 1961 - Venus Flyby (Contact Lost)
Ranger 1 - 23 Aug 1961 - Attempted Lunar Test Flight
Ranger 2 - 18 Nov 1961 - Attempted Lunar Test Flight
1962
Ranger 3 - 26 Jan 1962 - Attempted Lunar Impact
Ranger 4 - 23 Apr 1962 - Lunar Impact
Mariner 1 - 22 Jul 1962 - Attempted Venus Flyby (Launch Failure)
Sputnik 23 - 25 Aug 1962 - Attempted Venus Flyby
Mariner 2 - 27 Aug 1962 - Venus Flyby
Sputnik 24 - 1 Sep 1962 - Attempted Venus Flyby
Sputnik 25 - 12 Sep 1962 - Attempted Venus Flyby
Ranger 5 - 18 Oct 1962 - Attempted Lunar Impact
Sputnik 29 - 24 Oct 1962 - Attempted Mars Flyby
Mars 1 - 1 Nov 1962 - Mars Flyby (Contact Lost)
Sputnik 31 - 4 Nov 1962 - Attempted Mars Flyby
1963
Sputnik 33 - 4 Jan 1963 - Attempted Lunar Lander
Luna 1963B - 2 Feb 1963 - Attempted Lunar Lander (Launch Failure)
Luna 4 - 2 Apr 1963 - Attempted Lunar Lander
Cosmos 21 - 11 Nov 1963 - Attempted Venera Test Flight
1964
Ranger 6 - 30 Jan 1964 - Lunar Impact (Cameras Failed)
Venera 1964A - 19 Feb 1964 - Attempted Venus Flyby (Launch Failure)
Venera 1964B - 1 Mar 1964 - Attempted Venus Flyby (Launch Failure)
Luna 1964A - 21 Mar 1964 - Attempted Lunar Lander (Launch Failure)
Cosmos 27 - 27 Mar 1964 - Attempted Venus Flyby
Zond 1 - 2 Apr 1964 - Venus Flyby (Contact Lost)
Luna 1964B - 20 Apr 1964 - Attempted Lunar Lander (Launch Failure)
Zond 1964A - 4 Jun 1964 - Attempted Lunar Lander (Launch Failure)
Ranger 7 - 28 Jul 1964 - Lunar Impact
Mariner 3 - 5 Nov 1964 - Attempted Mars Flyby
Mariner 4 - 28 Nov 1964 - Mars Flyby
Zond 2 - 30 Nov 1964 - Mars Flyby (Contact Lost)
1965
Ranger 8 - 17 Feb 1965 - Lunar Impact
Cosmos 60 - 12 Mar 1965 - Attempted Lunar Lander
Ranger 9 - 21 Mar 1965 - Lunar Impact
Luna 1965A - 10 Apr 1965 - Attempted Lunar Lander (Launch Failure)
Luna 5 - 9 May 1965 - Lunar Impact (Attempted Soft Landing)
Luna 6 - 8 Jun 1965 - Attempted Lunar Lander
Zond 3 - 18 Jul 1965 - Lunar Flyby
Luna 7 - 4 Oct 1965 - Lunar Impact (Attempted Soft Landing)
Venera 2 - 12 Nov 1965 - Venus Flyby (Contact Lost)
Venera 3 - 16 Nov 1965 - Venus Lander (Contact Lost)
Cosmos 96 - 23 Nov 1965 - Attempted Venus Lander
Venera 1965A - 23 Nov 1965 - Attempted Venus Flyby (Launch Failure)
Luna 8 - 3 Dec 1965 - Lunar Impact (Attempted Soft Landing)
1966
Luna 9 - 31 Jan 1966 - Lunar Lander
Cosmos 111 - 1 Mar 1966 - Attempted Lunar Orbiter
Luna 10 - 31 March 1966 - Lunar Orbiter
Luna 1966A - 30 Apr 1966 - Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)
Surveyor 1 - 30 May 1966 - Lunar Lander
Explorer 33 - 1 Jul 1966 - Attempted Lunar Orbiter
Lunar Orbiter 1 - 10 Aug 1966 - Lunar Orbiter
Luna 11 - 24 Aug 1966 - Lunar Orbiter
Surveyor 2 - 20 Sep 1966 - Attempted Lunar Lander
Luna 12 - 22 Oct 1966 - Lunar Orbiter
Lunar Orbiter 2 - 6 Nov 1966 - Lunar Orbiter
Luna 13 - 21 Dec 1966 - Lunar Lander
1967
Lunar Orbiter 3 - 4 Feb 1967 - Lunar Orbiter
Surveyor 3 - 17 Apr 1967 - Lunar Lander
Lunar Orbiter 4 - 8 May 1967 - Lunar Orbiter
Venera 4 - 12 Jun 1967 - Venus Probe
Mariner 5 - 14 Jun 1967 - Venus Flyby
Cosmos 167 - 17 Jun 1967 - Attempted Venus Probe
Surveyor 4 - 14 Jul 1967 - Attempted Lunar Lander
Explorer 35 (IMP-E) - 19 Jul 1967 - Lunar Orbiter
Lunar Orbiter 5 - 1 Aug 1967 - Lunar Orbiter
Surveyor 5 - 8 Sep 1967 - Lunar Lander
Zond 1967A - 28 Sep 1967 - Attempted Lunar Test Flight (Launch Failure)
Surveyor 6 - 7 Nov 1967 - Lunar Lander
Zond 1967B - 22 Nov 1967 - Attempted Lunar Test Flight (Launch Failure)
1968
Surveyor 7 - 7 Jan 1968 - Lunar Lander
Luna 1968A - 7 Feb 1968 - Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)
Zond 4 - 2 Mar 1968 - Test Flight
Luna 14 - 7 Apr 1968 - Lunar Orbiter
Zond 1968A - 23 Apr 1968 - Attempted Lunar Test Flight (Launch Failure)
Zond 5 - 15 Sep 1968 - Lunar Flyby and Return to Earth
Zond 6 - 10 Nov 1968 - Lunar Flyby and Return to Earth
Apollo 8 - 21 Dec 1968 - Manned Lunar Orbiter
1969
Venera 5 - 5 Jan 1969 - Venus Probe
Venera 6 - 10 Jan 1969 - Venus Probe
Zond 1969A - 20 Jan 1969 - Attempted Lunar Flyby and Return (Launch Failure)
Luna 1969A - 19 Feb 1969 - Attempted Lunar Rover (Launch Failure)
Zond L1S-1 - 21 Feb 1969 - Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)
Mariner 6 - 25 Feb 1969 - Mars Flyby
Mariner 7 - 27 Mar 1969 - Mars Flyby
Mars 1969A - 27 Mar 1969 - Attempted Mars Orbiter (Launch Failure)
Mars 1969B - 2 Apr 1969 - Attempted Mars Orbiter (Launch Failure)
Luna 1969B - 15 Apr 1969 - Attempted Lunar Sample Return (Launch Failure)
Apollo 10 - 18 May 1969 - Manned Lunar Orbiter
Luna 1969C - 14 Jun 1969 - Attempted Lunar Sample Return (Launch Failure)
Zond L1S-2 - 3 Jul 1969 - Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)
Luna 15 - 13 Jul 1969 - Lunar Orbiter (Attempted Lunar Lander)
Apollo 11 - 16 Jul 1969 - Manned Lunar Landing
Zond 7 - 7 Aug 1969 - Lunar Flyby and Return to Earth
Cosmos 300 - 23 Sep 1969 - Attempted Lunar Sample Return
Cosmos 305 - 22 Oct 1969 - Attempted Lunar Sample Return
Apollo 12 - 14 Nov 1969 - Manned Lunar Landing
1970
Luna 1970A - 6 Feb 1970 - Attempted Lunar Sample Return (Launch Failure)
Luna 1970B - 19 Feb 1970 - Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)
Apollo 13 - 11 Apr 1970 - Manned Lunar Mission (Landing Aborted)
Venera 7 - 17 Aug 1970 - Venus Lander
Cosmos 359 - 22 Aug 1970 - Attempted Venus Probe
Luna 16 - 12 Sep 1970 - Lunar Sample Return
Zond 8 - 20 Oct 1970 - Lunar Flyby and Return to Earth
Luna 17/Lunokhod 1 - 10 Nov 1970 - Lunar Rover
1971
Apollo 14 - 31 Jan 1971 - Manned Lunar Landing
Mariner 8 - 8 May 1971 - Attempted Mars Flyby (Launch Failure)
Cosmos 419 - 10 May 1971 - Attempted Mars Orbiter/Lander
Mars 2 - 19 May 1971 - Mars Orbiter/ Attempted Lander
Mars 3 - 28 May 1971 - Mars Orbiter/ Lander
Mariner 9 - 30 May 1971 - Mars Orbiter
Apollo 15 - 26 Jul 1971 - Manned Lunar Landing
Luna 18 - 2 Sep 1971 - Attempted Lunar Sample Return
Luna 19 - 28 Sep 1971 - Lunar Orbiter
1972
Luna 20 - 14 Feb 1972 - Lunar Sample Return
Pioneer 10 - 3 Mar 1972 - Jupiter Flyby
Venera 8 - 27 Mar 1972 - Venus Probe
Cosmos 482 - 31 Mar 1972 - Attempted Venus Probe
Apollo 16 - 16 Apr 1972 - Lunar Manned Landing
Soyuz L3 - 23 Nov 1972 - Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)
Apollo 17 - 7 Dec 1972 - Lunar Manned Landing
1973
Luna 21/Lunokhod 2 - 8 Jan 1973 - Lunar Rover
Pioneer 11 - 5 Apr 1973 - Jupiter/Saturn Flyby
Explorer 49 (RAE-B) - 10 Jun 1973 - Lunar Orbiter/Radio Astronomy
Mars 4 - 21 Jul 1973 - Mars Flyby (Attempted Mars Orbiter)
Mars 5 - 25 Jul 1973 - Mars Orbiter
Mars 6 - 5 Aug 1973 - Mars Lander (Contact Lost)
Mars 7 - 9 Aug 1973 - Mars Flyby (Attempted Mars Lander)
Mariner 10 - 4 Nov 1973 - Venus/Mercury Flybys
1974
Luna 22 - 2 Jun 1974 - Lunar Orbiter
Luna 23 - 28 Oct 1974 - Attempted Lunar Sample Return
1975
Venera 9 - 8 Jun 1975 - Venus Orbiter and Lander
Venera 10 - 14 Jun 1975 - Venus Orbiter and Lander
Viking 1 - 20 Aug 1975 - Mars Orbiter and Lander
Viking 2 - 9 Sep 1975 - Mars Orbiter and Lander
Luna 1975A - 16 Oct 1975 - Attempted Lunar Sample Return
1976
Luna 24 - 9 Aug 1976 - Lunar Sample Return
1977
Voyager 2 - 20 Aug 1977 - Jupiter/Saturn/Uranus/Neptune Flyby
Voyager 1 - 5 Sep 1977 - Jupiter/Saturn Flyby
1978
Pioneer Venus 1 - 20 May 1978 - Venus Orbiter
Pioneer Venus 2 - 8 Aug 1978 - Venus Probes
ISEE-3/ICE - 12 Aug 1978 - Comet Giacobini-Zinner and Halley Flybys
Venera 11 - 9 Sep 1978 - Venus Orbiter and Lander
Venera 12 - 14 Sep 1978 - Venus Orbiter and Lander
1979
1980
1981
Venera 13 - 30 Oct 1981 - Venus Orbiter and Lander
Venera 14 - 4 Nov 1981 - Venus Orbiter and Lander
1982
1983
Venera 15 - 2 Jun 1983 - Venus Orbiter
Venera 16 - 7 Jun 1983 - Venus Orbiter
1984
Vega 1 - 15 Dec 1984 - Venus Lander and Balloon/Comet Halley Flyby
Vega 2 - 21 Dec 1984 - Venus Lander and Balloon/Comet Halley Flyby
1985
Sakigake - 7 Jan 1985 - Comet Halley Flyby
Giotto - 2 Jul 1985 - Comet Halley Flyby
Suisei (Planet-A) - 18 Aug 1985 - Comet Halley Flyby
1986
1987
1988
Phobos 1 - 7 Jul 1988 - Attempted Mars Orbiter/Phobos Landers
Phobos 2 - 12 Jul 1988 - Mars Orbiter/Attempted Phobos Landers
1989
Magellan - 4 May 1989 - Venus Orbiter
Galileo - 18 Oct 1989 - Jupiter Orbiter
Galileo - 18 Oct 1989 - Jupiter Probe
1990
Hiten - 24 Jan 1990 - Lunar Flyby and Orbiter
Ulysses - 06 Oct 1990 - Jupiter Flyby and Solar Polar Orbiter
1991
1992
Mars Observer - 25 Sep 1992 - Attempted Mars Orbiter (Contact Lost)
1993
1994
Clementine - 25 Jan 1994 - Lunar Orbiter/Attempted Asteroid Flyby
1995
1996
NEAR Shoemaker - 17 Feb 1996 - Asteroid Eros Orbiter
Mars Global Surveyor - 07 November 1996 - Mars Orbiter
Mars 96 - 16 November 1996 - Attempted Mars Orbiter/Landers
Mars Pathfinder - 04 Dec 1996 - Mars Lander
Mars Pathfinder - 04 Dec 1996 - Mars Rover
1997
Cassini - 15 Oct 1997 - Saturn Orbiter
Huygens - 15 Oct 1997 - Titan Probe
AsiaSat 3/HGS-1 - 24 Dec 1997 - Lunar Flyby
1998
Lunar Prospector - 7 Jan 1998 - Lunar Orbiter
Nozomi (Planet-B) - 3 Jul 1998 - Mars Orbiter
Deep Space 1 (DS1) - 24 Oct 1998 - Asteroid and Comet Flyby
Mars Climate Orbiter - 11 Dec 1998 - Attempted Mars Orbiter
1999
Mars Polar Lander - 3 Jan 1999 - Attempted Mars Lander
Deep Space 2 (DS2) - 3 Jan 1999 - Attempted Mars Penetrators
Stardust - 7 Feb 1999 - Comet Coma Sample Return
French Clementine - 3 Dec 1999 - Earth's radio-electric environment.
2000
2001
Genesis - Jan 2001 - Solar Wind Sample Return
Mars Surveyor 2001 Orbiter - 7 Mar 2001 - Mars Orbiter
2001 Mars Odyssey - 5 Apr 2001 - Mars Orbiter
2002
Muses-C - Jan 2002 - Asteroid Lander and Sample Return
CONTOUR - Jul 2002 - Fly-by of three comets failed after launch
SMART 1 - Late 2002 - Lunar Orbiter
2003
Mars Surveyor 2003 - May 2003 - Mars Orbiter and Lander
Mars Express - 1 June 2003 - Mars Orbiter and Lander
Lunar-A - 2003 - Lunar Orbiter and Penetrators
2004
Deep Impact - Jan 2004 - Comet Rendezvous and Impact
MESSENGER - Mar 2004 - Mercury Orbiter
Rosetta - 2004 - Comet Orbiter and Lander
Pluto-Kuiper Express - Dec 2004 - Proposed Flyby of Pluto and Kuiper Belt
2005
Mars Surveyor 2005 Orbiter - July 2005 - Mars Orbiter and Sample Return
Mars Surveyor 2005 Lander - July 2005 - Mars Lander, Rover and Sample Acquisition
2006
2007
2008
2009
BepiColombo - 2009 - ESA Mercury Orbiter
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
Other Missions
If you think you know of an interplanetary probe that you don't see it in the list above, you may query the National Space Science Data Center master catalog by typing a name in the keyword search space below.
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