Luna 1 (E-1 series), also known as Mechta (Russian: Мечта, lit.: Dream) was the first of a number of spacecrafts to reach the vicinity of the Moon and the first of the Luna programme of Soviet automatic interplanetary stations successfully launched in the direction of the Moon.
A malfunction in the ground-based control system caused an error in the rocket's burntime, and the spacecraft missed the target and flew by the Moon. Approaching it at 5,900 km at the closest point, Luna 1 has become the first object launched by mankind to reach heliocentric orbit. It was then dubbed a "new planet" and renamed Mechta (Dream). Its orbit lies between those of Earth and Mars. The name "Luna-1" was applied retroactively years later. Luna-1 was originally referred to as the "First Cosmic Rocket", in reference to its achievement of escape velocity.
