The Luna and Zond series of unmanned U.S.S.R. spacecraft were designed to investigate the moon and its vicinity. Sixteen Luna spacecraft and, six Zond spacecraft have obtained lunar data. These series have included flyby, lunar-orbiting, and soft-landing missions. A variety of experiments were carried out by these spacecraft including studies of magnetism, X-ray and gamma emissions, gravitational anomalies, and chemical composition. Soil samples, near- and farside photography (both color and black and white), and earth-cloud photography were also acquired. Luna 17 and 23, carried automatic roving vehicles (Lunokhod 1 and 2) that traversed portions of the lunar surface. Lunokhod 1 roamed in Mare Imbrium near Sinus Iridum, and Lunokhod 2 roamed in the Crater Le Monnier at the eastern edge of Mare Serenitatis. The Luna 16, 20, and 24 missions soft-landed on the lunar surface, scooped up lunar material, and returned these samples to earth. The photographic samples received are in the form of paper prints. Some publications containing photographs are described.

The exploration of the moon acquired new dimensions with the advent of space age when spacecraft were designed to study the moon, firstly, in the fly-by mode, then as orbiter, and finally in lander missions. About a year after the launch of the first earth satellite, Sputnik I, Soviet Russia launched Luna the I spacecraft in January 1959 which flew by the moon at 6000 km, followed by Luna II in September 1959 which impacted on the moon. In October 1959 Luna III photographed the far side of the moon for the first time. During the 1960’s NASA of the USA conducted several missions on the moon such as Ranger, Lunar Orbiter and Surveyer for orbiting, mapping and instrument landing as preparation for manned missions. Soviet Russia conducted several Luna missions. Using the giant Saturn boosters the NASA conducted several Apollo missions to the moon culminating in the historical event of the Apollo-11 mission with the first landing on the moon by US astronauts, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin on July 19, 1969. Manned Lunar explorations were carried out by NASA in several subsequent missions ending with Apollo 17 in December 1972. Soviet Russia using their Proton rocket boosters for unmanned lunar missions successfully operated a Lunar lander vehicle on the moon in the Venera 7 mission in August 1970; in September 1970 they successfully conducted the Luna 16 mission in which an unmanned automated device scooped out lunar soil samples and returned to the earth.