Ranger 3

Launch data: Designation 00221 / 1962 Alp 1 / 62001A Launch date 26 Jan 1962 - 20:30 UT Launch site CC, LC12 Launch vehicle Atlas-LV3 Agena-B (#121D/AA3) Mission Lunar Impact Payload code NASA P-34 (RA-3) Heliocentric orbit (Sun orbit): Perihelion x Aphelion 0.985 x 1.164  AU. Eccentricity 0.083 Incl. to ecliptic 0,40° Period (around the Sun) 406 days

Specifications: Prime contractor  JPL Operator  NASA Mass at launch 330 (390?) kg Dry Mass   kg Dimension 1,52 dia - 2,51 long Basic shape Hexagonal cylinder Solar array   Stabilization   Lifetime  Indefinite

Engineers prepare a Ranger Block 2 spacecraft. This design was used for Rangers 3, 4 and 5.

Mission details:

• Launch error. Passed 37000 km from Moon on 28 Jan 1962.
• First Block-II spacecraft with moon-impact mission together with soft-landing capsule. Television pictures were to be relayed back to earth until a height of 25 km was reached, then the spacecraft turned so that a 2,270 kg thrust rocket motor could bring the balsa shrouded 0.61 m diameter soft-land capsule, inside 0.3 m diameter ball of instruments, to a halt at a height of 330 m, where it would fall to impact at 175 km/hour.
• Unfortunately the second burn of the AGENA went to completion and resulted in a final velocity of 40,153 km/h instead of the required 39,445 km/h, which meant that Ranger-3 would arrive at lunar orbit before the moon was there. The manoeuvre engine was fired to reduce speed by 129 km/h by the time the probe had reached a height of 50,000 km from the earth, but the spacecraft missed the moon by 36,793 km. At this point the craft was turned to photograph the moon, but only unusable images were returned, then contact was lost.
• Ranger-3 entered a solar orbit of 1.163 x 0.984 AU.