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Ranger 1 Lunar Prototype Spacecraft

Ranger 1 was NASA’s first standardized Ranger prototype, intended to test technologies and study particles and fields before a deep-space lunar mission. An Agena malfunction stranded it in low Earth orbit in 1961, where telemetry ceased before reentry.

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Identity

Aliases
Ranger 1Ranger IRanger 1 lunar prototypeRanger 1 spacecraft
Family Name
Ranger 1
Full Name
Ranger 1 Lunar Prototype Spacecraft
Roles
interplanetary_probetechnology_demonstratorresearch
Status
retired
Type
spacecraft

Details

Description
Ranger 1 was NASA’s first standardized Ranger prototype, intended to test technologies and study particles and fields before a deep-space lunar mission. An Agena malfunction stranded it in low Earth orbit in 1961, where telemetry ceased before reentry.
First Flight Year
1,961
Last Flight Year
1,961

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Creation Time
August 13, 2026 at 12:11:50 UTC
Updated Time
August 13, 2026 at 12:11:50 UTC