Luna 3, Soviet postcard. The postmark and stamp (both at upper right) show the Luna 3 spacecraft and the date (7 October 1959) that it took the first pictures of the far side of the Moon (depicted on the stamp). This Soviet unmanned spacecraft had been launched on 4 October 1959. It obtained 29 pictures as its trajectory took it past the Moon. The artwork at left shows the spacecraft as its orbit brought it back towards Earth. On 18 October 1959 it successfully transmitted around 17 of its pictures. Contact with the spacecraft was lost on 22 October 1959. Also shown here is the CCCP acronym for the USSR, and the Soviet hammer and sickle symbol.