www.moonposter.ie

List of moon missions past and future

Mission

Launched

Country

Information

Pioneer 0

17 Aug 1957

USA

Equipped with a range of scientific instruments and an infrared camera, the probe was to be the first ever to go into orbit around the Moon (from any country), however, shortly after lift-off an explosion occurred inside its main engine and the mission was lost. Top

Pioneer 1

11 Oct 1958

USA

Like its predecessor, Pioneer 0, the mission was to orbit the Moon and take several measurements of its surface using a range of instruments - from a magnetometer to measure the Moon's possible magnetic field, an ionisation chamber to measure space radiation, and a camera that would take infrared images of the surface. Unfortunately, it never reached the Moon due to a malfunction which ended the mission some 2 days later. It did manage, however, to take some data about Earth's radiation belts, its magnetic fields and density variations of micrometeorites in the vicinity. The mission ended on the 13 Oct 1958 as it plunged into Earth's atmosphere with parts ending up in the Pacific Ocean. Top

Pioneer 2

8 Nov 1958

USA

Identical in its science objectives to Pioneer 1, the probe's third stage after launch failed to ignite, which ended the mission somewhere over N Africa as it plunged through Earth's atmosphere. Some data was retrieved before its demise; showing Earth's equatorial radiation belts were much higher in intensity than previously thought, and that micrometeorite density was higher around Earth than in space. Top

Pioneer 3

6 Dec 1958

USA

Shortly after launch a problem with the propellant first stage section forced the probe not to reach escape velocity; putting it on a direct orbital course for re-entry into Earth's atmosphere a day later (somewhere over the continent of N. Africa). All was not a loss, however, as some data was retrieved by instruments that detected radiation belts around Earth (later called the Van Allen belts), and a photo-detector mechanism designed to be used on a camera for the next Pioneer mission worked successfully. Top

Luna 1

2 Jan 1959

Russia

Luna 1 was the first spacecraft to make a flyby of the Moon on the 4 Jan 1958 some 5,995 km above the surface. With several scientific instruments onboard, the satellite provided the first evidence of the solar wind (later confirmed by Luna 2), Earth's radiation belts and the behaviour of gas in outer space. Initially intended to crash on to the surface, the satellite is believed to have gone into orbit around the sun between the orbits of Earth and Mars. Top

Pioneer 4

3 Mar 1959

USA

The probe's mission was partly a success in that it made a lunar flyby of the moon at 60,000 km altitude and also managed to conduct a radiation experiment of the Moon's surface. While similar instruments to those of Pioneer 3 did work, a camera onboard designed to photograph the surface failed because a photoelectric sensor didn't detect sufficient light to automatically switch on because the probe didn't pass close enough to the lunar surface. Top

Ranger 3

26 Jan 1962

USA

The probe was the USA's first ambitious plan to take pictures of a lunar impact using an ejected capsule directed towards the surface that would take seismic data of the impact as well. Before the capsule impact, the probe would also take light-reflectance data of the surface as well as gamma-ray emission spectra, however, all was lost when a guidance system onboard malfunctioned; putting the probe into a wrong orbit, and missing the Moon completely. Some data, however, was retrieved with the first measurements of the interplanetary gamma-ray flux. Top

Ranger 4

23 Apr 1962

USA

Similar to Ranger 3 in its scientific objectives and instruments, the probe's solar panels unfortunately never got the signal to unfold due to a computer error, and the whole mission was lost on the 26 April 1962. It impacted on the Moon's farside (the side that we never see from Earth due to its synchronously-locked orbit) at coordinates 15.30S, 130.42W. Top

Ranger 5

18 Oct 1962

USA

Similar to Rangers 3 and 4 in its scientific objectives and instruments, the probe's power operations after a brief period failed to receive instructions or returned signals after several hours, putting the spacecraft into a Sun-centred orbit on the 21 Oct 1962. Some data was returned by the gamma-ray experiment onboard before the power finally ran out. Top

Luna 4

2 Apr 1963

Russia

Due to a failed mid-course correction manoeuvre that would set it in orbit around the Moon, its trajectory was thus altered and it missed the Moon completely. It went into an oblique orbit around the Earth, but on 6 April 1963 contact was lost and it may eventually ended its mission burning up in Earth's outer atmosphere. Top

Ranger 6

30 Jan 1964

USA

The probe was a success in its main objective - to impact the lunar surface (the previous Rangers 3, 4,and 5 had failed to do this) on the 2 Feb 1964 at coordinates 9.24N, 21.30E. Six cameras onboard were designed to have caught high resolution images of the surface before and during impact, however, during the initial launch program a short circuit with the camera system rendered them inoperable. The data would have been used for the future Apollo Program that would eventually see the first man set foot on the Moon during Apollo 11. The impact was some several degrees north of where Apollo 11 landed in the Sea of Tranquillity (Mare Tranquillitatis). Top

Ranger 7

28 July 1964

USA

The probe had the same objective and set of cameras onboard as Ranger 6 did. Over 4000 images of the surface were taken before impact occurred on 31 July 1964 in the area of Mare Cognitum (Known Sea) - 10.35S, 20.58W. The mission was deemed an excellent success, and performance of the probe during the mission couldn't have been better. Top

Ranger 8

17 Feb 1965

USA

Like the previous Ranger 7 mission, the probe's objective was to impact the surface and take images of the surface. During its mission, Ranger 8 made the first close-up views of Mare Tranquillitatis (Sea of Tranquillity), providing images of the surface that would eventually see one of the Apollo lunar modules land there. The probe impacted the moon on 20 Feb 1965 - 2.67N, 24.65E; around the same area as Apollo 11 did on the 20 July 1969 (N. Armstrong, E. Aldrin, M.Collins ), and near the Surveyor 5 spacecraft that impacted the surface on 11 Sept 1967. Top

Ranger 9

21 Mar 1965

USA

The probe's objective was to impact the surface and take close-up images of the surface (similar to Rangers 3 through 8). The probe impacted the surface on 24 Mar 1965 in the area of the Alphonsus crater - 12.83S, 2.37W; not far from the Catena-Davy crater chain, and east of Mare Nubium (Sea of Couds). Top

Luna 5

9 May 1965

Russia

The probe was to carry out investigations of a possible lunar soft landing, however, a retrorocket failure ended the mission as it crashed on to the surface on the 10 May 1965 near the crater Pitatus in Mare Nubium (Sea of Clouds) - 31.00S, 8.00W. Top

Luna 6

8 June 1965

Russia

The probe failed to reach the Moon because of a mid-course correction (and human error) that put it some 161,000 km away from its objective as it passed the Moon on the 11 June 1965. The probe was able to practise lunar landing approaches during orbit, before it entered into a heliocentric orbit around the Earth. Top

Zond 3

18 July 1965

Russia

The probe took images as it passed the Moon some ~ 9000 km away on the 20 July 1965. Over a period that lasted just over an hour, up to 25 high-quality pictures of the lunar farside (the side that never faces Earth because the two are synchronously locked in orbit) were taken. The probe also had several scientific instruments onboard, for instance, a magnetometer, UV and IR spectrographs, radiation sensors, and also an ion engine as a test for a new type of propulsion.Top

Luna 7

4 Oct 1965

Russia

The probe's initial objective was to conduct a soft landing on the lunar surface, however, loss in altitude due to premature retrofire and cut-off of the retrorockets, the probe impacted the surface on the 7 October 1965 west of the Kepler crater - 9.00N, 49.00W. Top

Luna 8

3 Dec 1965

Russia

The mission's objective was to conduct a soft landing on the lunar surface - the 11th attempt by the Soviets that would fail. A problem with a bracket punctured an airbag onboard designed to protect the probe as it landed, and as a result it spun out of control and crashed on to the surface in the region of Oceanus Procellarum (Ocean of Storms) at coordinates 9.8N, 63.18W on the 6 Dec 1965. Top

Luna 9

31 Jan 1966

Russia

Made the first soft landing on the moon on 3 Feb 1966 in the area of Oceanus Procellarum (Ocean of Storms) - 7.08N, 64.37W; close to the Reiner Gamma formation (an unusual swirl-like formation of lighter material surrounded by darker material), which is possibly caused by localised magnetic fields deflecting away solar wind particles known to darken the lunar surface. Top

Luna 10

31 Mar 1966

Russia

Having several science instruments onboard, Luna 10, or Lunik-10, took several measurements of the lunar surface as it orbited above. A gamma-ray spectrometer recorded data on gamma spectra emissions to determine the Moon's chemical composition, a magnetometer took data of the Moon's potential, but weak, magnetic field, a meteorite detector surveyed the density of micrometeoroids, and gravity measurements of the lunar surface were also recorded. As the probe orbited overhead, slight changes in its altitude were noticed as it passed over particular areas of the surface. The odd behaviour was later recognised as the first ever evidence of mass concentrations, called 'mascons', whose gravity concentration were producing a slight pull on the orbiting probe as it passed over them. On 30 May 1966, after more than 460 lunar orbits, radio contact with the probe was discontinued. Top

Surveyor 1

30 May 1966

USA

The probe landed on the lunar surface on the 2 June 1966 in the ghost ring formation of Flamsteed P - landing coordinates = 2.45S, 43.21W (located on the Ocean of Storms). This probe was the first ever by the USA  to land on an extraterrestrial planet. Cameras onboard took images of its surroundings and characteristics of placement of the probe's footings on the surface. Upto 10,000 images were taken in preparation for future landers that would be used onboard the Apollo missions. Soil measurements of the terrain were also taken; looking at its reflectivity, strength, and temperature. Top

Lunar Orbiter 1

10 Aug 1966

USA

The probe's main objective was to survey the moon's surface for smooth regions where future crafts, such as the Surveyor and Apollo, would land on. These sites were taken in both medium and high-resolution photography as the probe orbited the moon's equatorial regions, while other instruments onboard took, gravity, radiation intensity and micrometeoroid measurements. On 29 October 1966, the probe was intentionally crashed on the surface at coordinates 7.00N, 161.00E on the farside of the moon. The probe was also responsible for taking the first ever pictures of the Earth from the distance of the Moon. Top

Luna 11

24 Aug 1966

Russia

Mission objectives were very close to those of Luna 10, with further emphasis on the newly discovered mass concentrations known as 'mascons'. After 277 lunar orbits and more than 137 radio transmissions, the probe's power failed on 1 Oct 1966. TV images of the surface were to be taken, but the probe's camera became disoriented during the mission and failed to point at the surface. Top

Surveyor 2

20 Sept 1966

USA

Similar to Surveyor 1, the probes main objective was to take characteristic measurements of the lunar soil, and images of the surface during its soft-landing sequence of events onto the surface. The probe's landing target was to have been Sinus Medii (Central Bay) - roughly, the central-most region of the near side of the moon, however, because one of its three main thrusters failed to ignite during a course manoeuvre, the probe ended up crashing on the surface in a region some 300 km west of its target on the 22 September 1966. Top

Luna 12

22 Oct 1966

Russia

The probe's main objectives were to return the first ever, high-resolution images of the surface (which Luna 11 had failed to do because of a disoriented camera). On 27 Oct 1966, the first ever images of the lunar surface were taken, and a few days later they were released to the public on Earth. The whole developing stage of the images were done on the probe and then transmitted to receiver stations on Earth; some of the images of which showed resolution close to 20 metres above the surface. Top

Lunar Orbiter 2

6 Nov 1966

USA

Like Lunar Orbiter 1, the probe carried out high-resolution photographic imagery of the surface; looking for possible landing sites for the future Surveyor and Apollo missions. Some excellent images were returned, especially one of the Copernicus crater (10.00N, 20.00W), which was heralded as one of the greatest images of the 20th century at the time. Other scientific instruments onboard also took gravity, radiation intensity and micrometeoroid measurements. On 11 Oct 1967, the probe was impacted onto the lunar surface at coordinates 3.00N, 119.00E. Top

Luna 13

21 Dec 1966

Russia

Made the second soft landing (Luna 9 was the first) on the lunar surface on the 24 Dec 1966 in the region of Oceanus Procellarum (Ocean of Storms) - 18.52N, 62.3W. Several science instruments took various measurements, from soil structure and density data to reflective properties of cosmic rays bouncing off the surface. A specialised boom was also deployed to test for the penetration properties of the lunar soil (the regolith). Four radiometers took infrared measurements of the surface from the surface - indications that the levels would be less than hazardous for humans when they eventually walked on the surface. Several panoramic views of the surface were also returned, before batteries onboard lost power ending the very successful mission on 28 Dec 1966. Top

Lunar Orbiter 3

5 Feb 1967

USA

Similar in its objectives to the previous Lunar orbiters 1 & 2, the probe took medium to high resolution images of the surface in advance for possible landing sites for the future Surveyor and Apollo missions. Upto149 medium and 477 high-resolution images were returned, including the landing site of Surveyor 1, between 15 to 23 February, however, as a motor on the camera burned out, images had to be downloaded to Earth stations sooner than expected. The mission was a complete success before its mission's end finished on 9 October 1967 at coordinates 14.30N, 97.00W. Top

Surveyor 3

17 Apr 1967

USA

Landed on the surface on 20 April 1967 in the region of Oceanus Procellarum (Ocean of Storms) - 2.94S, 23.34W; close to where Luna 5 had previously crashed on the lunar surface on 12 May 1965. The probe took images of its surroundings and also too some soil measurements using a scoop that dug upto four trenches several inches down. During the mission, power was conserved by shutting down the battery when the lunar night fell (lasting some ~14 Earth days), however, when attempts were made to start up the power again after the 14 days, it failed - ending the mission. When the manned landing module of Apollo 12 landed some 360 metres away from Surveyor 3's site on 19 Nov 1969, astronauts retrieved the camera and brought it back to earth. Inside the camera's housing were found dormant bacteria said to have been originally contaminated during construction before Surveyor's launch. The bacteria had survived the harsh environment of the moon and space for upto two and half years.   Top

Lunar Orbiter 4

4 May 1967

USA

Like the previous Lunar Orbiter's 1, 2 & 3, this probe carried the same suite of instruments that measured radiation, gravity, and meteoroid detections, and a camera to take medium to high-resolution images. Unlike the previous three, however, Lunar Orbiter 4's main objective was to take a more broader survey of possible landing sites that Surveyor and Apollo would choose to land on. During the course of the mission, upto 99% of the lunar nearside was photographed at resolutions 58 to 14 metres up; including features not previously covered by the other orbiters. A problem with the camera cover affected some images with light leakage early on but it didn't affect the probes overall objective. On 31 October, after natural decay in its orbit around the moon, it crashed onto the surface somewhere between 22 to 30 west longitude (while it was in a polar orbit at 85 deg inclination, the latitude is not known). Top

Surveyor 4

14 July 1967

USA

Similar in design and objectives to the three previous Surveyors, the probe was to have made a soft landing down on the lunar surface (in Sinus Medii 0.00, 0.00 deg) and take images of the surrounding area, as well as soils measurements. Unfortunately, a few minutes before it was to land, telemetry was lost and the probe crashed onto the surface on 17 July 1967 in the same region as its intended target. Top

Explorer 35

19 July 1967

USA

Carrying a range of scientific instruments from magnetometers to ion chambers, several experiments onboard concerning micrometeoroid and radar observations were also carried out. The probe studied interplanetary space from lunar orbit and discovered that the Moon has no magnetosphere, that the solar wind impacts the lunar surface and that the Moon creates a 'cavity' in the solar wind. Explorer 35 operated for six years until NASA deliberately shut it down on 24 June 1973. Top

Lunar Orbiter 5

1 Aug 1967

USA

Last in the Lunar Orbiter series, the probe took a total of 633 high-resolution 211 medium-resolution images of the surface down to 2 metres. It also took images of the farside and carried out several radiation, gravity and micrometeoroid measurements. lasting 183 days in lunar orbit, the mission was a complete success before it was crashed onto the lunar surface on the 31 January 1968 at coordinates 2.79S, 83.00W. Top

Surveyor 5

8 Sept 1967

USA

Somewhat similar to the previous Surveyors 1 & 3 (Surveyors 2 & 4 crashed), the probe successfully landed on the lunar surface on the 11 September 1967 in a region near Mare Tranquillitatis - 1.41N, 23.18E (just a short distance away from where Apollo 11 landed). The probe carried cameras, scoops for soils, and an additional experiment laboratory that took chemical measurements of the lunar soil. Consisting of an alpha-scattering surface analyser, upto 83 hours of quality data was taken on the first day of all the major elements, except those of hydrogen, helium and lithium. The probe was a complete success, even though it had to be shut down several times during lunar nightfalls to conserve power shutdown, with final transmission on 17 December 1967. Top

Surveyor 6

7 Nov 1967

USA

Very similar to Surveyor 5 in its objectives, the probe touched down on the lunar surface at Sinus Medii on the 10 November 1967. With several pieces of equipment onboard (cameras, soils analysers, the probe, like its predecessor, was a complete success, and even managed to do a small hop on the surface, resulting in the first ever lift-off of a spacecraft on the moon. Attaining just 4 metres in height off the surface during its hop, the probe moved laterally also by 2.5 metres westwards before soft-landing again on the surface. The probe continued to work as usual, until final shutdown commenced on 14 December 1967. Top

Surveyor 7

7 Jan 1968

USA

The probe was the fifth and final spacecraft in the Surveyor series to land successfully on the surface (Surveyors 2 & 4 crashed) on 10 January 1968 - close to the Tycho crater - 43.30S, 11.20W. While it had the usual compliment of scientific equipment like cameras, scoops and soils analysers, etc., much more science was done with additional features added, for example, polarising filters on the cameras, stereoscopic mirrors for better views of the surface, and additional magnets on footpads were added to test for magnetic properties in the soil. The mission achieved more that any of the Surveyors todate, and was a complete success before contact was finally lost on 20 February 1968. Top

Zond 4

2 Mar 1968

Russia

The probe was the first to investigate preparations for a manned lunar flight. Not launched so that it would enter orbit around the Moon, the main objectives were to test a specially-designed capsule that would have held a cosmonaut, and observe flight performance over the brief period of the mission. The probe was designed to return to Earth landing in the ocean, however, as controllers caused its re-entry to come in at too steep an angle, the mission was aborted into self-destruct mode somewhere over the Gulf of New Guinea. Top

Luna 14

7 Apr 1968

Russia

The probe carried several instruments onboard similar to those of Luna 10, however, its primary goal was to test communications systems in support for future landers. Top

Zond 5

14 Sept 1968

Russia

The probe flew once around he Moon; taking images of the surface and the Earth from its unique vantage point. Similar to Zond 4, the mission's objectives were also to do tests for future manned missions to the Moon. A capsule onboard held several biological payloads - from turtles to flies, from seeds to bacteria -for testing to see how space and lack of gravity affected them. Seven days later, the probe's capsule was parachuted safely back to Earth somewhere in the Indian Ocean. The biological payload was retrieved and everything onboard was affected by very little amount - the turtle suffering just a little change in weight. Top

Zond 6

10 Nov 1968

Russia

The probe's main objectives were to take black & white and colour images of the Moon's near and far side. On the 14 Nov 1968, it flew around the Moon as it took the photographs, and also took other measurements using cosmic-ray and micrometeoroid detectors. Zond 6 also had a specially designed capsule containing biological samples (similar in experiment-wise to Zond 5) to test the effects of radiation and other space effects on them. The probe was to return to Earth safely, however, a few hours before re-entry, decompression of the biological capsule occurred killing all the samples. The parachutes also opened too early, causing the whole mission to crash on Soviet soil (only one photograph was saved). Top

Apollo 8

21 Dec 1968

USA

This mission was the first in the Apollo series to successfully put three men (F. Borman, J. Lovell, W. Anders) in orbit around the Moon. It was also the first manned mission to use the Saturn V rocket - one of the most successful rockets in the history of the space program, which never lost any payload during the thirteen rockets that were launched between 1967 to 1973. Three days after launch, Apollo 8 reached the moon and there it made 10 orbits in the space of 20 hours. The crewmen onboard were also the first to pass through the Van Allen radiation belts which extend up to 15,000 miles (25,000 km) from Earth. During the mission several events of note occurred: firstly, out-gassed oils from a sealant fogged up three of the windows which prevented the astronauts from viewing the moon as they entered into orbit (only later could they see it as they orbited around the farside; secondly, photos sent back showed the first ever Earth-rise taken by humans as it rose over the moon's horizon and, thirdly, Borman got very sick experiencing Space Adaptation Syndrome (space-sickness) that left pieces of vomit and faeces flying around inside the spacecraft. In all the mission was a complete success, resulting in 700 close-up images of the lunar surface and 150 of the Earth before the spacecraft finally splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on 27 December 1968. Top

Apollo 10

18 May 1969

USA

Apollo 10 was the first mission in which three astronauts performed a simulated docking and undocking manoeuvre with a Lunar Module (LM) attached onto the main command module. Data from this LM test would then be used for preparation for the real thing, when Apollo 11 would actually land on the moon using a similar designed module. After reaching lunar orbit, the two were then separated, leaving astronaut, John Young, alone in the command module while astronauts, Thomas Stafford and Eugene Cernan, performed tests on radar and engine control as they sat inside the LM. They also carried out deploying landing gear, as well as surveying the future landing site for the Apollo 11 mission that would land near the Sea of Tranquillity two months later. During the undocking stage, it was noted that the LM had become misaligned by upto three-and-a-half degrees with the command module at the latching point. As this might pose a problem with redocking afterwards, the procedure might have been considered a serious one. However, as the misalignment could still work within 6 degrees of error, NASA decided that the separation stage would be safe (and it was). Young monitored the LM using a TV colour camera (a first) as his fellow crewmen descended to within, at its lowest point, 14,447 metres above the surface of the moon. During the descent, Stafford and Cernan did experience problems with the LM as an incorrect switch setting set them and the LM into wild gyrations. Fortunately, they regained control of the module within three minutes, however, any longer and they would have had to crash onto the lunar surface. The whole LM/command module separation stage lasted only eight hours, and the two successfully mated afterwards. With all three crewmen once again safely inside the command module, the LM was then released into a solar orbit - making it, still, the only intact lunar module ascent stage out of all of the lunar modules sent into space. Apart from the gyration problem, the astronauts did have other problems with their water supply bags - complaining about too much chlorination at times, while on other occasions gas mixing with the water caused stomach pains and cramps (resulting in lack of appetite). The mission, however, was deemed a success, and on 26 May 1969, all three astronauts splashed down safely in the Pacific Sea. Top

Luna 15

13 July 1969

Russia

Launched a few days before the historical Apollo 11 manned mission that landed Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin on the Moon, the probe's objective were to return the first samples of the lunar surface, however, following a few minutes before it was to land, transmissions suddenly ceased and the probe is assumed to have crashed on to the lunar surface, somewhere in the Mare Crisium (Sea of Crisis) region - 17.00N, 60.00E, ending the mission on 21 July 1969. Top

Apollo 11

16 July 1969

USA

Four days after they blasted off into space from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, astronauts, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins became the first men to successfully land a human on the Moon. The mission involved two modules initially attached to each other - a command module, called 'Columbia', in which the astronauts would stay as they first set in orbit around the moon, and a lunar module (LM), called 'Eagle', that would land on the surface. On the day of the landing, 20 July 1969, Armstrong and Aldrin (now inside the LM) separated from the main command module and set course for their lunar landing site on the Sea of Tranquillity at coordinates 0.40N, 23.28E - chosen because of its smoothness and relative flatness. It wasn't a simple manoeuvre, however, as some problems did develop during the LM approach to the landing site. Firstly, the rendezvous radar, which had inadvertently been left on, caused the initial trajectory of the LM to be too long and put it off course by some several kilometres west of the intended landing site. Secondly, a fuel sensor onboard the LM indicated that they had little left for the landing, which put both astronauts under immense strain to land the LM quickly and safely (the sensor had, in reality, reported a wrong lower fuel reading because it had come uncovered by fuel sloshing about within its tank). Aware of the problems and with time running out, Armstrong and Aldrin decided that they had to manually land the LM on the surface - Aldrin calling out data from the radar and computer, while Armstrong guided it down onto the surface using controls. The procedure, however, worked successfully, much to the delight of those back in headquarters as Armstrong reported - "Houston, Tranquillity Base here. The Eagle has landed." During the next six-and-a-half hours, both astronauts prepared for their EVA (Extra Vehicular Activity), and a monochrome camera attached to the outside of the LM was slowly lowered down to record the first ever step of a human (Neil Armstrong) on the Moon. Now infamously coined as - "That's one small step for (a - ???) man, one giant leap for mankind," less is known about Aldrin's response as he joined his colleague on the surface saying, "Beautiful. Beautiful. Magnificent desolation." Over the course of the next two-and-a-half hours that they would stay on the surface, both astronauts took numerous photos of their surroundings, took drill core samples of the lunar surface, took dust and rock samples of various types and sizes - all of which amounted to roughly 21.5 kilograms in weight. They also deployed a laser ranging retroreflector (used for measuring the distance to the earth and the moon), and a passive seismograph instrument for measuring any seismic activity within the moon's interior. While both astronauts reported no difficulty with working on the surface, they did agree that the soil was quite slippery at times and got everywhere on their suits, their equipment, as they walked (and hopped) about on the surface. When the surface part of the mission ended, both astronauts got back into the ascent stage of Eagle and prepared for return to the command module. Before they did, however, they left behind on the surface several pieces of scientific equipment, a camera, a flag (which, incidentally, was blown over by exhaust from the ascent stage), a plaque, backpacks and lunar overshoes. Most significant of all, however, they left behind the first footprints on another world other than our own. At 17:54 UTC on the 20 July 1969, the ascent stage blasted off the lunar surface and rendezvoused with Columbia some several hours later. With all three astronauts inside the command module once again, the ascent stage of the LM was then separated and set into a decaying orbit around the moon, which later impacted the lunar surface at an unknown location. The three astronauts safely returned to Earth, and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on the 24 July 1969. Top

Zond 7

6 Aug 1969

Russia

Similar to Zonds 6 and 7, the probe took both black & white and colour photographs of the Moon's near and far side as it orbited. It also took several colour photographs of the earth from its unique vantage point at the Moon, and the mission ended in success as it soft-landed down to Earth on 14 Aug 1969. Top

Apollo 12

14 Nov 1969

USA

Landed on the lunar surface on the 19 Nov 1969 in an area known as Oceanus Procellarum (Ocean of Storms) - 3.04S, 23.25W, and close to previous landers, Surveyor 3 and Luna 5. Astronaut, Pete Conrad, manually took control of the Lunar Module (LM), or Intrepid as it was called, some one hundred feet above the surface, and successfully set it down some 180 metres short of the intended target (in the inner slope of a fairly large crater). While the site chosen wasn't the best in geologic terms, it did have several large craters surrounding the target point, and ejecta deposits from the young prominent crater Copernicus, which lies some three hundred kilometres to the north. Conrad was the first to step onto the lunar surface, exclaiming, "Whoopie! Man, that may have been a small one for Neil, but that's a long one for me.", followed later by his colleague, Alan Bean. Unlike the previous Apollo 11 mission which used a monochrome camera to record TV images of the event, this time a colour camera was used. Some images were taken initially, however, Bean inadvertently pointed the camera towards a bright reflection off the LM, which totally destroyed the sensitive internals and so no TV recordings could be made for the rest of the mission. Over the course of approximately eight hours that both astronauts stayed on the lunar surface through two EVAs, they set up scientific equipment for recording lunar seismic events and solar wind flux activity, as well as take magnetic field measurements. The solar-wind analyzer and a number of other physics packages made up what was known as the ALSEP (Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package), which was bumped off the Apollo 11 mission. The astronauts also took rock samples (~ 34.35 kg) for return to Earth, and retrieved pieces of Surveyor 3 (and its camera), which was just some 180 metres away from Intrepid. Apollo 12 also deployed the first electric (thermal) generator powered by the decay of a tiny plutonium source on the surface. It provided 75 watts of continuous power to the scientific equipment, and a source for the continuous stream of data sent back to Earth. On a humorous note, when Conrad and Bean opened up their work checklist notebook (attached to their wrists) for procedures to carry out on the surface, a reduced image of a playboy centrefold was included (the Apollo 12 backup crew on Earth had inserted it there). Intrepid lifted off the lunar surface without any hitches, and joined astronaut, Richard Gordon, onboard the command module, or the Yankee Clipper, as it was called. The ascent stage of Intrepid was later released from the command module on the 20 Nov 1969, and impacted the lunar surface at coordinates, 3.94 S, 21.20 W. The command module then made one additional orbit of the Moon, and on the 24 Nov 1969, the Yankee Clipper safely landed east of American Samoa. While all astronauts onboard survived the splashdown, Bean, unfortunately was hit by a camera that came loose, which struck him on the head, rendering him unconscious. Top

Apollo 13

11 Apr 1970

USA

Apollo 13 will forever be remembered as the mission that failed to complete its lunar objectives, after an onboard explosion put the lives of astronauts, James Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise, at risk on its way to the Moon. The accident occurred just two days after launch when an oxygen tank in the service module segment of the spacecraft malfunctioned, causing a highly pressurised liquid oxygen to suddenly explode. This damaged another oxygen tank in the main command module (in which the astronauts lived), which caused a reduction in electrical power available from which the oxygen was used for its generation. Because this power would eventually be required for final re-entry when the Apollo 13 was to end, the astronauts were forced to live in the still attached Lunar Module (the module that would normally be used to land two astronauts on the lunar surface) segment for the remainder of the mission. As the spacecraft was on its way to the Moon, at a distance of 321,860 kilometers (199,990 mi) from Earth, the number two oxygen tank, one of two tanks contained in the Service Module (SM), exploded. This explosion caused damage to other parts of the Service Module, including, critically, the number one oxygen tank. Because the Command/Service Module (CSM) relied on the oxygen tanks to generate electricity, damage to number one tank meant that very little power was available for the spacecraft. The Command Module (CM) contained batteries for use during re-entry, after the SM was jettisoned, but these would only last about ten hours. Because this power needed to be saved for re-entry, the crew survived by using the LM, still attached to the CSM, as a "lifeboat". The LM "lifeboat" procedure had actually been created during a training simulation (in the simulator) not long before the flight of Apollo 13. (Lovell and Kluger 83-87) Top

Luna 16

12 Sept 1970

Russia

Besides the Apollo 11 and 12 manned missions which returned samples of the lunar surface to Earth, Luna 16 was Russia's first robotic probe to return samples also. Landing on the surface during the first ever nighttime manoeuvre on the 20 Sept 1970 at the Sea of Fertility - 0.41S, 56.18E, the probe used a drill to collect samples of the lunar regolith (its soil); depositing up to 105 precious grams into a small capsule. After spending a day on the Moon, the upper stage of the lander rocketed off the surface, and returned the samples to Earth by parachute in a town of Kazakhstan on the 24 Sept 1970. The samples (of basalt) later proved to be similar to those samples returned by the Apollo 12 mission from an area close to the Ocean of Storms and Known Sea. Top

Zond 8

20 Oct 1970

Russia

Similar in its objectives to Zond 7, the mission was a complete success as it landed in the Indian Ocean on 27 Oct 1970. Top

Luna 17

10 Nov 1970

Russia

After landing on the surface on 17 Nov 1970 near the Sea of Rains - 38.17N, 35W, a wheeled payload vehicle known as Lunokhod-1 ambled down a ramp onto the surface. Successfully roving around on the surface for 322 days in all, instruments onboard powered by batteries and solar cells took soil sample analyses at 25 different sites, while cameras took TV images and panoramic views of the surface and mountains. Lunokhod-1 was finally decommissioned on the 14 Sept 1971. Top

Apollo 14

31 Jan 1971

USA

Currently being updated. Top

Apollo 15

26 July 1971

USA

Currently being updated. Top

Luna 18

2 Sept 1971

Russia

The probe was the seventh in line by the Russians to make a soft landing on the surface and recover samples, however, on 11 Sept 1971 contact was lost with the probe and it crashed on to the surface near the Sea of Fertility - 3.34N, 56.30E. The mission did, however, succeed in taking data on the density of topsoil of the lunar regolith. Top

Luna 19

28 Sept 1971

Russia

During the course of over 4000 revolutions that the probe made around the Moon, several important readings were taken of the lunar gravitational field, its gamma-active surface, and the environment surrounding solar wind. Several occultation experiments were also conducted, determining the concentration of charged particles - some 10km above the surface of the Moon. Communications with the probe were ended on the 20 Oct 1972. Top

Luna 20

14 Feb 1972

Russia

Soft landing on the surface on 21 Feb 1972 in the region of the Sea of Fertility - 3.32N, 56.33E (close to where Luna 16 landed and Luna 18 had crashed), the probe took drill samples of the surface, which were successfully returned by parachute to Earth in the region Kazakhstan on the 25 Feb 1972. The samples proved to be quite different from those collected by Luna 16 (made up of basalt), which showed the site to be predominantly of a feldspar known as Anorthosite. Anorthosite makes up most of the Moon's highlands (as opposed to the lunar lowlands of basalt that make up the seas, or maria), and is presumed to have formed by extensive differentiation in a magma ocean that once globally encompassed the whole Moon. Top

Apollo 16

16  Apr 1972

USA

Currently being updated. Top

Apollo 17

7 Dec 1972

USA

Currently being updated. Top

Luna 21

8 Jan 1973

Russia

After soft landing on the surface on 15 Jan 1973 inside the leMonnier crater - 25.51N, 30.27E, the probe deployed a rover known as Lunokhod-2 (Lunokhod-1 was the first rover deployed on the surface by the Russians during the Luna 17 mission in 1970) onto the surface. Equipped with a range of scientific instruments, the rover's main objectives were to examine the lunar soil (regolith), take reflective-light measurements of the surface for astronomical observation purposes, measure any magnetic activity, and perform laser ranging experiments towards the Earth. On 9 May 1973, Lunokhod-2 inadvertently tipped into the side of a crater, and while attempts were made to revive communications with it, none were successful. The rover did manage to take hundreds of invaluable chemical and physical soil measurements, as well as numerous, panoramic images of the surface. Top

Explorer 49

10 June 1973

USA

The probe was the largest spacecraft to enter lunar orbit on the 15 June 1973 for its main objective of doing radio astronomy. Using a set of giant antennas, it took measurements of the planets, the Sun and the Milky Way galaxy over the frequency range of 25 kHz to 13.1 MHz, and provided data on the Moon's gravity variations. The probe was launched after the termination of the Apollo Program, until the USA's next mission to the Moon involving the Clementine spacecraft in 1994. Explorer 49 ended its mission in June 1975. Top

Luna 22

29 May 1974

Russia

Like Luna 19, the probe was essentially an orbiter designed to take gravitational, gamma-ray, magnetic and soil composition measurements, as well as an extensive program involving taking photographic images of the surface. After spending up to 18 months of orbiting around the Moon, the mission finally ended in Nov 1975. Top

Luna 23

28 Oct 1974

Russia

Intended to return samples from the surface during a lander mission, the probe suffered extensive damage as it attempted to land in an area of Mare Crisium (Sea of Crisis) - 13.0N, 62E. Sample-taking instruments onboard the lander couldn't carry out their objectives, and so no samples were returned to Earth. The mission finally on 9 Nov 1974. Top

Luna 24

9 Aug 1976

Russia

The mission was Russia's third attempt to retrieve samples of the surface (the other two previous missions were Luna 16 and Luna 20). After successfully landing on the surface on 18 Aug 1976 near Mare Crisium (in the same area of the failed Luna 23 lander) - 12.45N, 62.12E - the probe collected 170 grams in samples that were later stored inside a small capsule and returned them to Earth by parachute on 22 Aug 1976 in western Siberia. Luna 24 was the last probe by the Russians to land on the lunar surface, and the last of any other country's attempt, too. Top

Hiten

24 Jan 1990

Japan

Currently being updated. Top

Clementine

25 Jan 1994

USA

Currently being updated. Top

Lunar Prospector

6 Jan 1998

USA

Currently being updated. Top

Smart-1

27 Sept 2003

Europe

Currently being updated. Top

Selene/Kaguya

14 Sept 2007

Japan

See Selene/Kaguya. Top

Chang'e 1

24 Oct 2007

China

See Chang'e 1 Top

Chandrayaan 1

2008

India

See Chandrayaan 1. Top

LRO & Lcross

2008

Europe

See LRO & LCROSS. Top

Magnolia

2010

UK

Currently being updated. Top

Luna Glob

2012

Russia

See Luna Glob. Top

LEO

2012

Germany

See LEO. Top