Luna probes

Luna probes

(loo -nă) (Lunik probes) A series of Soviet lunar probes (see table) that included the first craft to reach the vicinity of the Moon (1), the first to photograph the farside (3), the first crash lander (2), soft lander (9), orbiter (10), robotic sample-return mission (16), and robotic roving vehicle (17). See also Lunar Orbiter probes; Lunokhod; Ranger; Surveyor; Zond probes.