First Flags on the Moon, planted by the Soviet Union

Soviet Soccer Ball Pentagonal Pennants

On the Moon in 1959, 52 years ago today
may have melted on impact

Although the United States was the first nation to have men walk, talk, and plant a traditional flag on the moon - the Soviet Union put their national totems on it first, when Ike was president.

52 years ago the Reds were able to chuck a man made thunderbolt to the moon, 10 years before moonwalk was invented. The craft was an unmanned vehicle - Luna 2.

The first vexilloloids on the moon were initially shaped like a soccer ball. When the 'Communist Soccer Ball' hit the moon the it was supposed to explode and release its pentagonal 'shards' at the landing site - the Sea of Showers. Whether or not the 'flag' shards melted - will be determined at another date, nonetheless Luna 2's mission to the moon was a cosmic goal for the history books. Also note, the Sea of Serenity is quite different from the Sea of Tranquility. In case you forgot, the Sea of Tranquility is where JFK's dream of landing on the moon came true, and where America pulled ahead of the Soviet Union, in more ways than one.

A month after Luna 2's smashing success, Luna 3 journeyed to the dark side of the moon for the first time, and boldly sent back images than have never been seen before. But mankind had to wait 6 more years before the first soft landing on the moon - 1966 with Luna 9. Since Luna 9 had a soft landing in the Ocean of Storms - Oceanus Procellarum - lonely red metallic flags have been collecting space dust for the past 45 years.