| Orbital launches | |
|---|---|
| First | 2 January |
| Last | 26 November |
| Total | 23 |
| Successes | 10 |
| Failures | 11 |
| Partial failures | 2 |
| Catalogued | 14 |
| Rockets | |
| Maiden flights | Thor-Agena Atlas-Able Atlas D (suborbital test) |
| Retirements | Vanguard |
Luna 1 was the first spacecraft to leave the gravitational influence of Earth. Also in 1959, Luna 2 was the first spacecraft to reach the surface of another celestial body, impacting the Moon, and Luna 3 returned the first images of the far side of the Moon.