Luna 1958A

Luna 1958A (E-1 series) was a space probe launched 1958-09-23.cite web |url=http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/tent_launch.html |title=Tentatively Identified Missions and Launch Failures |publisher=NASA NSSDC |date=2005-01-06] It was the first Soviet attempt at reaching the Moon, with the objective of crash landing on the Moon's surface. The mission was also to include the release of a small cloud of sodium and create a "sodium comet" which could be seen from Earth. The probe was launched using a Luna 8K72 (SL-3/A-1) carrier rocket. The rocket broke up and exploded 92 seconds after launch, destroying the payload.

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