MISSION NAME
Ranger 4 4
Status
Success
DATE
23 APR 1962
LAUNCH PROVIDER
United States Air Force
Launch Pad
Launch Complex 12
Description
Ranger 4 was a spacecraft designed to softly impact the lunar surface. Its solar panels were never extended and its sun and earth acquisition system was not initiated due to a failure of a timer in its central computer. It impacted the far side of the Moon on April 26 after 64 hours of flight.
Atlas LV-3 Agena B
Rocket Description
The Atlas LV-3A was a largely unsuccessful configuration until it was given an Agena B upper stage. It was responsible for the launch of Mariner II to Venus and had one of the first engines that could be restarted in orbit.