Pioneer 0/Able 1:
Goals: Able 1 was to orbit the Moon for about 2 weeks at an altitude of 29,000 km (18,000 miles). It carried an infrared television system to study the Moon's surface, a microphone to detect any micrometeorites striking the spacecraft, a magnetometer and temperature sensors to record the spacecraft's internal conditions.
Accomplishments: None. The mission failed when the launch vehicle exploded 77 seconds after launch at an altitude of 15.2 km (9.4 miles) above Earth's surface. It splashed into the Atlantic ocean about 2 minutes later. The mission has come to be known as
Pioneer 0.
Read More About Pioneer 0/Able 1
This was first attempted deep space launch by any country. It was launched by the U.S. Air Force.
