Able 1/Pioneer 0 Date: 08.17.1958 America takes the world's first shot at the Moon with the launch of Able 1. Also known as Pioneer 0, the probe is the first in a long series of Pioneer missions that - true to their names - blaze the trail in solar system exploration.
Unfortunately, Able 1 does not share in that legacy of success. The 38-kilogram (84-pound) lunar orbiter was destroyed 77 seconds after liftoff when its booster rocket exploded.
