Events with tag - Lunar Mapping

October 7, 1959

Luna 3's First Moon Far Side Photos

Soviet spacecraft Luna 3 made history by capturing the first-ever photographs of the Moon's far side, revealing striking differences between lunar hemispheres and transforming our understanding of Earth's only natural satellite.

September 14, 2007

Japan Launches SELENE Lunar Mission

Japan's JAXA space agency launched SELENE (Kaguya), their first lunar orbiter, from Tanegashima Space Center. The mission represented the largest lunar exploration project since NASA's Apollo program, carrying 13 scientific instruments to study the Moon's composition and structure.