In 1959, the Soviet Union’s Luna 1 mission failed to impact the Moon as planned but made history in an unexpected way. • Luna 1 was intended to be the first spacecraft to hit the Moon. • A small navigation error caused it to miss the Moon by about 6,000 km. • The spacecraft passed close enough to collect valuable lunar and space data. • It became the first human-made object to escape Earth’s gravity. • After missing the Moon, Luna 1 entered an independent orbit around the Sun. • It confirmed the

Learn about Cold War secrets, including unexplained moon messages and the Soviet attempt to imitate the American space shuttle. Uncover fascinating stories from a turbulent era in space exploration, uncover spying, misguided plans, and surprising twists. #NASAsUnexplainedFiles Watch full episodes on discovery : https://bit.ly/3HfHr6e | Love Space