Luna 10
Date: 31 Mar 1966

The Soviet Union's Luna 10 lunar orbiter was the first time a man-made object was successfully put in orbit around a body beyond Earth -- a crucial step in putting a man on the moon and exploring distant worlds in detail.

Luna 10 conducted extensive research on the lunar environment in 460 orbits. Contact was lost on 30 May 1966.

Credit: NSSDC Photo Gallery