The Soviet Union carried out several lunar exploration missions in the 1960s and 1970s, but did not successfully carry out manned missions to the moon. The first Soviet lunar probe, Luna-1, hit the lunar surface in September 1959, but did not return any data. The first unpowered soft lander of the Soviet Union was Luna-2, which landed on the surface of the moon in September 1959 and photographed the first moon**.
Ever since humans first set their sights on the stars, we've always been curious about the moon. However, it wasn't until the 60s of the 20th century that we had the opportunity to really get in touch with this mysterious celestial body. This was achieved during the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union, which not only advanced science and technology, but also changed the face of the world.
However, the Soviet manned lunar landing program was unsuccessful. Their N1 rocket was never successfully launched due to technical and cost issues. The Soviet Union eventually abandoned the manned lunar landing program and moved on to other space exploration programs.
In contrast, the United States successfully landed a man on the moon on July 20, 1969. At that time, two astronauts, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, entered lunar orbit on the Apollo 11 spacecraft and landed 21 hours later near the Hylar Mountains on the far side of the moon. They went out there for two hours and collected about 22 kilograms of rock samples. Armstrong also became the first human to step on the surface of the moon and say "this is America."
The United States later conducted five more manned missions to the moon, the last of which was on December 14, 1972, when Cernan Castro and Jack Schmidt of the Apollo 17 spacecraft completed a tour and sample return mission to the far side of the moon, and launched the spacecraft returning to Earth separately from the Apollo 11 spacecraft.
The space race between the United States and the Soviet Union had a profound impact on the world. It promoted the progress of space science and technology, promoted mankind's understanding of the universe, and intensified the tension of the Cold War. The space race has contributed to the development of Earth and meteorological satellites, as well as the continued manned space launches of the International Space Station. These projects provide more information and services for mankind, such as monitoring changes in the earth's environment, forecasting weather disasters, and exploring the solar system and extraterrestrial planets.
The space race has also increased spending on education, research, and development, and has promoted the development of derivative technologies. For example, rocket technology, satellite technology, space station technology, manned spaceflight technology, and landing technology have all been widely applied and improved.
However, the space race also exacerbated the tensions of the Cold War, creating a fierce confrontation and threat between the two superpowers. The space race is not only a scientific contest, but also a political contest. Both countries are trying to prove their superiority and leadership through space exploration, while also trying to prevent the other from gaining space superiority.
In general, the space race of the United States and the USSR had a profound effect on the world. It has not only changed the understanding and use of space by human beings, but also changed the relationship and attitude of human beings.