Ranger to the Moon (1964 - 1965) . ... The Ranger spacecraft were designed to fly straight down towards the Moon and send images back until the moment of impact. Ranger 7 impacted in mare terrain modified by crater rays. Ranger 8 also impacted in mare terrain, but this area contained a complex system of ridges. ... Each Ranger spacecraft had 6 cameras on board. ... Launched: 28 July 1964 . ... Ranger 4 was launched on April 23, 1962, and became the first US spacecraft to impact on the moon. ...