Ranger 7 was the first U.S. space probe to successfully transmit close images
of the Moon’s surface back to Earth. It was also the first completely successful
flight of the Ranger program. It was launched on 28 July 1964 and reached the
Moon on 31 July 1964. The spacecraft carried six television vidicon cameras
that took more than 4,300 pictures on the way down to its target.

First image of the Moon taken by a US spacecraft. The large crater at 
center right is named Alphonsus.