The Soviet moon rover, Lunokhod 1, became the first roving remote-controlled robot to land on another celestial body, namely the Moon.
At the time, Time magazine described the robot’s historic landing:
Three hours after reaching the Moon aboard the latest unmanned Russian Moon probe, Luna 17, Lunokhod I (literally “moonwalker”) lumbered down one of two ramps extended by the mother ship and moved forward … thus taking the first giant step for robotkind on another celestial body.
Learn more at http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/03jun_oldrover/.
Image Credit: Lavochkin Association.
