In February 1966, the Soviet Luna 9 probe bounced across the Ocean of Storms on airbags and unfolded like a metal flower, and within hours a British radio observatory intercepted its picture signal and published the first photograph from the surface of the Mo - Space Daily

In February 1966, the Soviet Luna 9 mission made history when it reached the Moon's Ocean of Storms and came to rest on the surface after an airbag-assisted landing. The probe then opened up with petal-like sections, a design that helped it settle into position and begin transmitting once sunlight conditions were right.

What followed became one of the landmark moments in space exploration. Luna 9 was able to send back image data from the lunar surface, offering the world its first direct view from the Moon itself. The mission showed that a spacecraft could survive the descent and operate after arriving intact.

A key part of the story unfolded in Britain, where the Jodrell Bank radio observatory picked up the probe's signal. Scientists there identified the transmission format as similar to newspaper facsimile technology, allowing them to decode and publish the image stream soon after it was received.

The episode remains a striking example of Cold War-era space ingenuity and international scientific know-how intersecting in real time. Luna 9's landing and the rapid decoding of its pictures turned a technical achievement into a defining visual milestone in the early race to explore the Moon.