Which spacecraft provided the first close-up pictures of the moon?

The Rangers were the first spacecraft specifically designed to provide close-up images of the Moon. Launched by NASA between 1961 and 1965, the Ranger program was focused on impacting the lunar surface while transmitting television pictures back to Earth. The Ranger spacecraft successfully captured detailed images of the Moon's surface right before impact, giving scientists and the public unprecedented views of lunar features such as craters and mountains. This mission played a critical role in preparing for subsequent manned Apollo missions to the Moon, as it allowed for better understanding of the lunar environment and surface composition.

The other spacecraft mentioned, such as the Lunar Orbiters, were designed for a different purpose: they orbited the Moon and took images from afar. Mariners, on the other hand, were targeted at Mars and Venus rather than the Moon, while the Surveyors were landers that followed after the Rangers and also captured images but after the initial close-up observations had already been made. Thus, the Ranger missions mark a significant milestone in lunar exploration by providing the first close-up pictures.