Which Soviet spacecraft achieved the first visual confirmation of the lunar far side in October 1959?
Answer
Luna 3
For centuries, the far side remained purely theoretical until space exploration began. The technological breakthrough for seeing the unseen hemisphere was achieved by the Soviet Union. Their probe, designated Luna 3, was launched in October 1959. This mission successfully navigated around the Moon and transmitted the very first grainy, but revolutionary, photographs of the hemisphere perpetually hidden from Earth-based telescopes, confirming its rugged nature.
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