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| Orbital launches | |
|---|---|
| First | 2 January |
| Last | 26 November |
| Total | 23 |
| Successes | 10 |
| Failures | 11 |
| Partial failures | 2 |
| Catalogued | 14 |
| Rockets | |
| Maiden flights | Thor-Agena Atlas-Able Atlas D (suborbital test) |
| Retirements | Vanguard |
Luna 1 was the first spacecraft to leave the gravitational influence of Earth. Also in 1959,Luna 2 was the first spacecraft to reach the surface of another celestial body, impacting theMoon, andLuna 3 returned the first images of thefar side of the Moon.[1]
| Date (GMT) | Spacecraft | Event | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 January | Luna 1 | First Lunar flyby | Failed impactor, closest approach: 6,000 kilometres (3,700 mi) |
| 4 March | Pioneer 4 | Lunar flyby | Closest approach: 60,200 kilometres (37,400 mi) |
| 14 September | Luna 2 | First Lunar impact | Landed inMare Imbrium, first spacecraft to reach the surface of a celestial body |
| 6 October | Luna 3 | Lunar flyby | FirstCircumlunar flight, returned 29 pictures including first images of thefar side of the Moon; closest approach 6,200 kilometres (3,900 mi) |
| Country | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Soviet Union | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
 United States | 19 | 9 | 9 | 1 | |
| World | 23 | 11 | 10 | 2 | |
| Rocket | Country | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas-Able | United States | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Maiden flight |
| Juno II | United States | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| Luna 8K72 | Soviet Union | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| Thor DM-18 Agena-A | United States | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | Maiden flight |
| Thor DM-18 Able-II | United States | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Thor DM-18 Able-III | United States | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Vanguard | United States | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | Final flight |
| Orbital regime | Launches | Successes | Failures | Accidentally Achieved | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low Earth | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 | |
| Medium Earth | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | |
| High Earth | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | IncludingHighly elliptical orbits |
| Heliocentric | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
