The Soviet Union's Lunik II was launched on September 12, 1959, from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, with the goal of impacting the Moon. It was a part of the Soviet lunar program, which had been initiated in the late 1950s amidst the growing competition with the United States during the Cold War. Lunik II was designed to carry scientific instruments that would gather and transmit data about the Moon's surface and environment. This mission was particularly important as it followed the successful launch of Lunik I earlier that year, which had provided vital data but did not land on the lunar surface.

The launch vehicle for Lunik II was the powerful R-7 rocket, which had been developed for military purposes but was adapted for space exploration. This showcased the dual-use nature of rocket technology at the time. On impact with the Moon on September 12, 1959, Lunik II became the first human-made object to reach another celestial body, providing pivotal data about the lunar environment and surface conditions. This mission was monumental not just for Soviet achievements in space but also for international scientific collaboration, as the findings were shared broadly within the scientific community.

The success of Lunik II paved the way for subsequent lunar missions by both the Soviet Union and other countries. It demonstrated that the Soviet Union was capable of significant technological feats in the realm of space exploration, further intensifying the space race with the United States. The data collected by Lunik II also contributed to understanding the Moon’s geology and environment, laying the groundwork for future manned lunar missions. This mission, therefore, holds a critical place in the annals of both space exploration and the geopolitical tensions of the era.