Ranger 9 Touch
Date: 24 Mar 1965

After the impact of Ranger 9 inside Alphonsus, President Johnson issued a public statement exuding fresh confidence: "Ranger 9 showed the world further evidence of the dramatic accomplishments of the United States space team ... Steps toward manned flight to the moon have become rapid and coordinated strides, as manned space maneuvers of one day are followed by detailed pictures of the moon on the next."

Credit: Courtesy Tom Little in The [Nashville] Tennessean