Pioneer 0 (Able I) | Pioneer 0 | 17-Aug-58 | Thor DM-18 Able I | United States USAF | Orbiter | Launch failure | First attempted launch beyond Earth orbit; failed to orbit due to turbopump gearbox malfunction resulting in first-stage explosion. Reached apogee of 16 kilometres (10 mi). ([3][4]) |
Luna E-1 No.1 | Luna E-1 No.1 | 23-Sep-58 | Luna | Soviet Union OKB-1 | Impactor | Launch failure | Failed to orbit; rocket disintegrated due to excessive vibration. ([3][5]) |
Pioneer 1 (Able II) | Pioneer 1 | 11-Oct-58 | Thor DM-18 Able I | United States NASA | Orbiter | Launch failure | Failed to orbit; premature second-stage cutoff due to accelerometer failure. Later known as Pioneer 1. Reached apogee of 113,800 kilometres (70,700 mi). ([3][6]) |
Luna E-1 No.2 | Luna E-1 No.2 | 11-Oct-58 | Luna | Soviet Union OKB-1 | Impactor | Launch failure | Failed to orbit; carrier rocket exploded due to excessive vibration. ([3][5]) |
Pioneer 2 (Able III) | Pioneer 2 | 08-Nov-58 | Thor DM-18 Able I | United States NASA | Orbiter | Launch failure | Failed to orbit; premature second-stage cutoff due to erroneous command by ground controllers; third stage failed to ignite due to broken electrical connection. Reached apogee of 1,550 kilometres (960 mi). ([3][7]) |
Luna E-1 No.3 | Luna E-1 No.3 | 04-Dec-58 | Luna | Soviet Union OKB-1 | Impactor | Launch failure | Failed to orbit; seal failure in hydrogen peroxide pump cooling system resulted in core-stage underperformance. ([3][5]) |
Pioneer 3 | Pioneer 3 | 06-Dec-58 | Juno II | United States NASA | Flyby | Launch failure | Failed to orbit; premature first-stage cutoff. Reached apogee of 102,360 kilometres (63,600 mi). ([3][8]) |
Luna 1 (E-1 No.4) | Luna 1 | 02-Jan-59 | Luna | Soviet Union OKB-1 | Impactor | Partial failure | Carrier rocket guidance problem resulted in failure to impact Moon, flew past in a heliocentric orbit. Closest approach 5,995 kilometres (3,725 mi) on 4 January. First spacecraft to fly by the Moon. ([9][10]) |
Pioneer 4 | Pioneer 4 | 03-Mar-59 | Juno II | United States NASA | Flyby | Partial failure | Second-stage overperformance resulted in flyby at greater altitude than expected, out of instrument range, with 58,983 kilometres (36,650 mi) of distance. Closest approach at 22:25 UTC on 4 March. First U.S. spacecraft to leave Earth orbit. ([9][11]) |
E-1A No.1 | E-1A No.1 | 18-Jun-59 | Luna | Soviet Union OKB-1 | Impactor | Launch failure | Failed to orbit; guidance system malfunction. ([9]) |