<P> The Luna 9 spacecraft, launched by the Soviet Union, performed the first successful soft Moon landing on 3 February, 1966 . Airbags protected its 99 kilograms (218 lb) ejectable capsule which survived an impact speed of over 15 metres per second (54 km / h). Luna 13 duplicated this feat with a similar Moon landing on 24 December 1966 . Both returned panoramic photographs that were the first views from the lunar surface . </P> <P> Luna 16 was the first robotic probe to land on the Moon and safely return a sample of lunar soil back to Earth . It represented the first lunar sample return mission by the Soviet Union, and was the third lunar sample return mission overall, following the Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 missions . This mission was later successfully repeated by Luna 20 (1972) and Luna 24 (1976). </P> <P> In 1970 and 1973 two Lunokhod ("Moonwalker") robotic lunar rovers were delivered to the Moon, where they successfully operated for 10 and 4 months respectively, covering 10.5 km (Lunokhod 1) and 37 km (Lunokhod 2). These rover missions were in operation concurrently with the Zond and Luna series of Moon flyby, orbiter and landing missions . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Mission </Th> <Th> Mass (kg) </Th> <Th> Booster </Th> <Th> Launch date </Th> <Th> Goal </Th> <Th> Result </Th> <Th> Landing zone </Th> <Th> Lat / Lon </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Luna - 9 </Td> <Td> 1580 </Td> <Td> Semyorka--8K78 </Td> <Td> 31 January 1966 </Td> <Td> Landing </Td> <Td> Success--first lunar soft landing, numerous photos </Td> <Td> Oceanus Procellarum </Td> <Td> 7.13 ° N 64.37 ° W </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Luna - 13 </Td> <Td> 1580 </Td> <Td> Semyorka--8K78 </Td> <Td> 21 December 1966 </Td> <Td> Landing </Td> <Td> Success--second lunar soft landing, numerous photos </Td> <Td> Oceanus Procellarum </Td> <Td> 18 ° 52'N 62 ° 3'W </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Proton </Td> <Td> 19 February 1969 </Td> <Td> Lunar rover </Td> <Td> Failure--booster malfunction, failed to reach Earth orbit </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Proton </Td> <Td> 14 June 1969 </Td> <Td> Sample return </Td> <Td> Failure--booster malfunction, failed to reach Earth orbit </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Luna - 15 </Td> <Td> 5,700 </Td> <Td> Proton </Td> <Td> 13 July 1969 </Td> <Td> Sample return </Td> <Td> Failure--lunar crash impact </Td> <Td> Mare Crisium </Td> <Td> unknown </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Cosmos - 300 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Proton </Td> <Td> 23 September 1969 </Td> <Td> Sample return </Td> <Td> Failure--stranded in low Earth orbit </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Cosmos - 305 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Proton </Td> <Td> 22 October 1969 </Td> <Td> Sample return </Td> <Td> Failure--stranded in low Earth orbit </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Proton </Td> <Td> 6 February 1970 </Td> <Td> Sample return </Td> <Td> Failure--booster malfunction, failed to reach Earth orbit </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Luna - 16 </Td> <Td> 5,600 </Td> <Td> Proton </Td> <Td> 12 September 1970 </Td> <Td> Sample return </Td> <Td> Success--returned 0.10 kg of Moon soil back to Earth </Td> <Td> Mare Fecunditatis </Td> <Td> 000.68 S 056.30 E </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Luna - 17 </Td> <Td> 5,700 </Td> <Td> Proton </Td> <Td> 10 November 1970 </Td> <Td> Lunar rover </Td> <Td> Success--Lunokhod - 1 rover traveled 10.5 km across lunar surface </Td> <Td> Mare Imbrium </Td> <Td> 038.28 N 325.00 E </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Luna - 18 </Td> <Td> 5,750 </Td> <Td> Proton </Td> <Td> 2 September 1971 </Td> <Td> Sample return </Td> <Td> Failure--lunar crash impact </Td> <Td> Mare Fecunditatis </Td> <Td> 003.57 N 056.50 E </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Luna - 20 </Td> <Td> 5,727 </Td> <Td> Proton </Td> <Td> 14 February 1972 </Td> <Td> Sample return </Td> <Td> Success--returned 0.05 kg of Moon soil back to Earth </Td> <Td> Mare Fecunditatis </Td> <Td> 003.57 N 056.50 E </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Luna - 21 </Td> <Td> 5,950 </Td> <Td> Proton </Td> <Td> 8 January 1973 </Td> <Td> Lunar rover </Td> <Td> Success--Lunokhod - 2 rover traveled 37.0 km across lunar surface </Td> <Td> LeMonnier Crater </Td> <Td> 025.85 N 030.45 E </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Luna - 23 </Td> <Td> 5,800 </Td> <Td> Proton </Td> <Td> 28 October 1974 </Td> <Td> Sample return </Td> <Td> Failure--Moon landing achieved, but malfunction prevented sample return </Td> <Td> Mare Crisium </Td> <Td> 012.00 N 062.00 E </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Proton </Td> <Td> 16 October 1975 </Td> <Td> Sample return </Td> <Td> Failure--booster malfunction, failed to reach Earth orbit </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Luna - 24 </Td> <Td> 5,800 </Td> <Td> Proton </Td> <Td> 9 August 1976 </Td> <Td> Sample return </Td> <Td> Success--returned 0.17 kg of Moon soil back to Earth </Td> <Td> Mare Crisium </Td> <Td> 012.25 N 062.20 E </Td> </Tr> </Table>

When was the last time we were in space