NASA launched five nearly identical, van-size Lunar Orbiter satellites in 1966 and 1967 to map the Moon and identify safe Apollo landing sites.
Notes on verification
Confirmed by multiple independent NASA sources and Smithsonian; core facts (five orbiters, 1966-1967, Apollo site mapping) strongly corroborated. 'Van-size' descriptor is a reasonable approximation not directly sourced but uncontradicted. [tier=silver indep_score=0.735 clusters=2 claim_tier=notable]
Sources
- Moon photos from the 1960s were developed in space—here's how (seed:science_and_space)
- https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/lunar-orbiter-engineering-mock/nasm_A19700318000 (corroboration)
- https://www.nasa.gov/lunar-orbiters/ (corroboration)
- https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/johnson/50-years-ago-the-lunar-orbiter-program/ (corroboration)