Impactor · Lander

Ranger 4

Lost

Milestones

26 Apr 1962 Impact Table of Anthropogenic Impacts and Spacecraft on the Moon
23 Apr 1962 Launch Beyond Earth: A Chronicle of Deep Space Exploration, 1958–2016 (NASA SP-2018-4041)

Operator: NASA
Launch: 23 Apr 1962
Site: 15.50° S · 130.70° W
Programme: Ranger
COSPAR: 1962-012A

Sources

Beyond Earth: A Chronicle of Deep Space Exploration, 1958–2016 (NASA SP-2018-4041)Table 1, no. 26 (launch)
Table of Anthropogenic Impacts and Spacecraft on the MoonRanger 4
WikidataQ923962 (identifiers, Wikipedia links)
Beyond Earth: A Chronicle of Deep Space Exploration, 1958–2016 (NASA SP-2018-4041)Table 1, no. 26: code P, partial success (outcome: sources disagree)
Deep Space Chronicle: A Chronology of Deep Space and Planetary Probes, 1958–2000 (NASA SP-2002-4524)Master Table p. 182, Ranger 4: code P, partial success (outcome: sources disagree)
Lunar Impact: A History of Project Ranger (NASA SP-4210, 1977)Table B-1 p. 326: "spacecraft computer-timer failure caused loss of mission"; Appendix H p. 355: spacecraft FAILURE, primary experiment NO TEST (outcome: sources disagree)
NSSDCA Master Catalog and lunar mission pages1962-012A: "the spacecraft impacted on the far side of the Moon without returning any scientific data" (no outcome category)
Chronology of Lunar and Planetary ExplorationRanger 4: "Lunar Impact" (no outcome category)
Ranger 4 mission page"unable to carry out its science objectives" (no outcome category)
Beyond Earth: A Chronicle of Deep Space Exploration, 1958–2016 (NASA SP-2018-4041)no. 26, Results: "Ranger IV impacted the Moon on its far side at a velocity of about 9,600 kilometers/hour at 12:49:53 UT on 26 April 1962" (status)
NSSDCA Master Catalog and lunar mission pages1962-012A: "the spacecraft impacted on the far side of the Moon without returning any scientific data" (status)
Table of Anthropogenic Impacts and Spacecraft on the MoonRanger 4: "Impact", 26 April 1962 (status)

Checked on 2026-10-04