Goals: Fly around the Moon and return to Earth, taking photographs and testing the effect of space travel on a group of passengers consisting of 2 steppe tortoises, some wine flies, meal worms, plants, seeds, bacteria, and other living things.

Accomplishments: Following three failed attempts, Luna 5 was the Soviet Union's first successful flight around the Moon and back to Earth, during which it took high-resolution pictures of Earth and the Moon. It was announced that the onboard tortoises lost about 10% of their body weight but remained active and showed no loss of appetite. Radiation was measured on a life-size mannequin that rode in the pilot's seat.