Exploring Our Moon

Our Moon orbits the Earth as its only natural satellite. It is the fifth-largest satellite in the Solar System, and the largest among moons relative to the size of the planet that it orbits. Our Moon is the second-densest in the Solar System, after Jupiter's satellite Io, as far as we know.

Our Moon was formed about 4.51 billion years ago, not long after Earth. It is believed to have formed from the debris left over after a giant impact between Earth and a hypothetical Mars-sized body called Theia.

Our Moon is in synchronous rotation with Earth, and thus always shows the same side to Earth this side is marked by dark volcanic maria that fill the spaces between the bright ancient crustal highlands and the prominent impact craters.

Only about 59% of the total lunar surface can be viewed from Earth.

Our Moon is the second-brightest regularly visible object in Earth's sky (after the Sun). Its surface is actually dark, although compared to the night sky it appears very bright. Its gravitational influence produces the ocean tides, body tides, and the slight lengthening of the day.

Our Moon's average orbital distance is 384,402 km, about thirty times the diameter of Earth. Our Moon covers the Sun nearly precisely during a total solar eclipse. This will not continue in the far future because the Moon's distance from Earth is gradually increasing.

Our Moon was first reached by the Soviet Union's unmanned spacecraft in 1959 and the first successful soft landing in 1966. The U.S. Apollo program achieved the only manned lunar landing missions to date.

Reference: Wikipedia - Moon

Spacecraft Missions

A spacecraft mission to explore our Solar System starts with its launch from earth using a rocket launcher. The spacecraft then uses its own engines to reach its objective and carry out its mission. Some missions have multiple objectives.

The duration of a mission varies, depending on the craft used and purpose of the mission.

The table below is an overview or all the successful spacecraft missions, to date, used to study our Moon. It only includes spacecraft that left Earth orbit to perform their mission.

Point to ℹ for table information. (Table head remains visible while scrolling)
Select the Spacecraft name or Target for more information.

Img ℹ Reference number for image gallery below.	Spacecraft ℹ Used to perform the mission.	Launcher ℹ Used to carry the spacecraft out of the Earth's atmosphere.	Country ℹ Main country which developed the mission.	Year ℹ Year the spacecraft was launched and when the mission came to an end.		Mission ℹ Main mission objectives or events.
				Launch	End	Type	Notes

1	Pioneer 4	Juno II	U.S.	1959	1959	Flyby	Flew by at greater altitude than expected, out of instrument range. First U.S. spacecraft to leave Earth orbit.
2	Luna 2	Luna 8K72	U.S.S.R.	1959	1959	Impactor	Successful impact on 14 September 1959. First spacecraft to reach lunar surface.
3	Luna 3	Luna 8K72	U.S.S.R.	1959	1959	Fly around	First gravity assist to fly around the moon and return towards earth. Returned first images of the far side of the Moon.
4	Ranger 6	Atlas-Agena	U.S.	1964	1964	Impactor	Impacted on 2 February 1964. Failed to return images due to power system failure.
5	Ranger 7	Atlas-Agena	U.S.	1964	1964	Impactor	Impacted on 30 July 1964. Transmitted photographs of the lunar surface during the final minutes to impact.
6	Ranger 8	Atlas-Agena	U.S.	1965	1965	Impactor	Impacted on 20 February 1965. Transmitted photographs of the lunar surface during the final minutes to impact.
7	Ranger 9	Atlas-Agena	U.S.	1965	1965	Impactor	Impacted on 24 March 1965. Transmitted television pictures of the lunar surface during the final minutes to impact.
8	Zond 3	Molniya 8K78	U.S.S.R.	1965	1965	Flyby	Flew past the Moon on 20 July 1965 and conducted technology demonstration for future planetary missions.
9	Luna 9	Molniya-M	U.S.S.R.	1966	1966	Lander	Landed on 3 February 1966 and returned data until 6 February. First spacecraft to land successfully on the Moon.
10	Luna 10	Molniya-M	U.S.S.R.	1966	1966	Orbiter	Entered orbit on 3 April 1966 and continued to return data until 30 May. First spacecraft to orbit the Moon.
11	Surveyor 1	Atlas-Centaur	U.S.	1966	1966	Lander	Landed on 2 June 1966 and Returned data until 13 July. First U.S. spacecraft to successfully land on the Moon.
12	Lunar Orbiter 1	Atlas-Agena	U.S.	1966	1966	Orbiter	Orbital insertion on 14 August. De-orbited early due to lack of fuel, impacted the Moon on 29 October 1966.
13	Luna 11	Molniya-M	U.S.S.R.	1966	1966	Orbiter	Entered orbit on 28 August 1966. Failed to return images; other instruments operated correctly.
14	Luna 12	Molniya-M	U.S.S.R.	1966	1966	Orbiter	Entered orbit on 25 October and returned data until 19 January 1967. Completed photography intended for Luna 11.
15	Lunar Orbiter 2	Atlas-Agena	U.S.	1966	1966	Orbiter	Orbital insertion in November for photographic mapping mission. De-orbit burn to impact on the far side of the moon.
16	Luna 13	Molniya-M	U.S.S.R.	1966	1966	Lander	Landed on 24 December. Returned images from the surface and studied the lunar soil. Operated until 28 December.
17	Lunar Orbiter 3	Atlas-Agena	U.S.	1967	1967	Orbiter	Orbital insertion on 8 February 1967 for photographic mapping mission. De-orbit burn to impact on the moon.
18	Surveyor 3	Atlas-Centaur	U.S.	1967	1967	Lander	Landed on 20 April 1967 and Returned data until 3 May. Visited by Apollo 12 astronauts in 1969.
19	Lunar Orbiter 4	Atlas-Agena	U.S.	1967	1967	Orbiter	Orbital insertion on 8 May 1967 and operated until 17 July. De-orbit burn to impact on the moon.
20	Explorer 35	Delta E1	U.S.	1967	1967	Orbiter	Magnetospheric probe, studying the Moon and space. Deactivated in 1973 and presumed to have impacted the Moon.
21	Lunar Orbiter 5	Atlas-Agena	U.S.	1967	1968	Orbiter	Orbital insertion on 5 August 1967 and operated until 18 August. De-orbit burn to impact on the moon.
22	Surveyor 5	Atlas-Centaur	U.S.	1967	1967	Lander	Landed in Mare Tranquillitatis on 11 September. Returned data until 17 December.
23	Surveyor 6	Atlas-Centaur	U.S.	1967	1967	Lander	Landed on 10 November, Took off and landed again 2.4 m away on 17 November. Returned data until 14 December.
24	Surveyor 7	Atlas-Centaur	U.S.	1968	1968	Lander	Landed 29 kilometres from Tycho crater on 10 January. Returned data until 21 February.
25	Luna 14	Molniya-M	U.S.S.R.	1968	1968	Orbiter	Entered orbit on 10 April. Tested communications for proposed crewed missions and studied the mass concentration.
26	Zond 5	Proton-K/D	U.S.S.R.	1968	1968	Fly around	First Lunar spacecraft recovered successfully after returning to Earth. First life (tortoises) to travel around the Moon.
27	Zond 6	Proton-K/D	U.S.S.R.	1968	1968	Fly around	Closest approach 2,420 km on 14 November, returned to Earth on 17 November. Failed to be recovered.
28	Apollo 8	Saturn V	U.S.	1968	1968	Orbiter	First crewed mission to the Moon. Completed ten orbits of the Moon, returned to Earth on 27 December.
29	Apollo 10	Saturn V	U.S.	1969	1969	Orbiter	Lunar Module with two astronauts descended to a distance of 14 km above the lunar surface.
30	Apollo 11	Saturn V	U.S.	1969	1969	Lander	Lunar Module Eagle landed on 20 July 1969. First crewed landing on the Moon.
31	Zond 7	Proton-K/D	U.S.S.R.	1969	1969	Fly around	Closest approach 1,200 km on 10 August, returned to Earth on 14 August. Landed in Kazakhstan.
32	Apollo 12	Saturn V	U.S.	1969	1969	Lander	Lunar Module landed on 19 November 1969. Second crewed landing on the Moon.
33	Apollo 13	Saturn V	U.S.	1970	1970	Fly around	Lunar landing aborted following Service Module tank explosion. Flew around the Moon and returned crew safely to Earth.
34	Luna 16	Proton-K/D	U.S.S.R.	1970	1970	Lander	Soft landed on 20 September. First robotic probe to land on the Moon and return a sample of lunar soil to Earth.
35	Zond 8	Proton-K/D	U.S.S.R.	1970	1970	Orbiter	Investigations of the Moon and testing of onboard systems. Photographed the Earth and luna surface.
36	Luna 17	Proton-K/D	U.S.S.R.	1970	1970	Lander	Soft landed on the Sea of Rains and deployed the Lunokhod 1 rover. First robotic rover to be used on the lunar surface.
37	Apollo 14	Saturn V	U.S.	1971	1971	Lander	Lunar Module landed on 5 February in the Fra Mauro highlands. Third crewed landing on the Moon.
38	Apollo 15	Saturn V	U.S.	1971	1971	Lander	Lunar Module landed on 30 July. Fourth crewed landing on the Moon and first to use a rover.
39	Luna 19	Proton-K/D	U.S.S.R.	1971	1971	Orbiter	Systematic study of lunar gravitational fields and location of mascons (mass concentrations).
40	Luna 20	Proton-K/D	U.S.S.R.	1972	1972	Lander	soft landed on the Moon in the Apollonius highlands. Returned samples to Earth.
41	Apollo 16	Saturn V	U.S.	1972	1972	Lander	Lunar Module landed and used the Lunar Roving Vehicle. Fifth crewed landing on the Moon and second to use a rover.
42	Apollo 17	Saturn V	U.S.	1972	1972	Lander	Lunar Module landed and used the Lunar Roving Vehicle. Sixth and last crewed landing on the Moon.
43	Luna 21	Proton-K/D	U.S.S.R.	1973	1973	Lander	Soft landed and deployed the Lunokhod 2 rover. Second robotic rover to be used on the lunar surface.
44	Explorer 49	Delta 1913	U.S.	1973	1973	orbiter	Radio astronomy spacecraft operated in lunar orbit. Orbit to avoid interference from terrestrial radio sources.
45	Mariner 10	Atlas-Centaur	U.S.	1974	1975	Flyby	Destined for Mercury, luna flyby. Mapped lunar north pole to test cameras.
46	Luna 22	Proton-K/D	U.S.S.R.	1974	1974	Lander	Soft landed and deployed the Lunokhod 2 rover. Second robotic rover to be used on the lunar surface.
47	Luna 24	Proton-K/D	U.S.S.R.	1976	1976	Lander	Landed in Mare Crisium and returned a sample of lunar regolith. Final mission of the Soviet Luna programme.
48	Hiten	Mu-3S-II	Japan	1990	1993	Orbiter	Designed for flyby, placed into luna orbit to extend mission. De-orbited and impacted on the moon on 10 April 1993.
49	Clementine	Titan II(23)G	U.S.	1994	1994	Orbit	Luna observation from orbit. Failed following departure from luna orbit.
50	Lunar Prospector	Athena II	U.S.	1998	1998	Orbiter	Low polar orbit investigation including mapping of surface composition and polar ice deposits.
51	SMART-1	Ariane 5G	Europe	2003	2006	Orbiter	Luna observation from orbit. Impacted moon 3 September 2006.
52	SELENE	H-IIA 2022	Japan	2007	2009	Orbiter	Luna observation from orbit. Also called Kaguya. Impacted moon 10 June 2009.
53	Chang'e 1	Long March 3A	China	2007	2009	Orbiter	Luna observation from orbit. Impacted moon 1 March 2009.
54	Chandrayaan-1	PSLV-XL	India	2008	2009	Orbiter	Luna observation from orbit and deployed a luna impactor. Terminated in 2009, remains in luna orbit.
55	LRO	Atlas V 401	U.S.	2009	-	Orbiter	Luna Reconnaissance Orbiter, observation from orbit.
56	LCROSS	Atlas V 401	U.S.	2009	2009	Impactor	Observed impact of Centaur upper stage that launched it. Also impacted itself.
57	Chang'e 2	Long March 3C	China	2010	-	Orbiter	Luna observation from orbit for 6 months. Left orbit to flyby asteroid 4179 Toutatis.
58	ARTEMIS P1,2	Delta II 7925	U.S.	2011	-	Orbiter	Orbital studies of the Moon's interaction with the Sun. Separate craft launched on the same rocket.
59	GRAIL A, B	Delta II 7920H	U.S.	2011	2012	Impactor	Gravitational field mapping of Moon. Two craft, "Ebb" and "Flow" launched together and impacted the Moon seperately.
60	LADEE	Minotaur V	U.S.	2013	2014	Orbiter	Orbital study of lunar exosphere and dust in the Moon's vicinity. Intentionally crashed into the far side of the Moon.
61	Chang'e 3	Long March 3B	China	2013	-	Lander	Soft landed on 6 December and deployed a rover. Continues to operate.
62	Chang'e 5-T1	Long March 3C	China	2014	-	Flyby	Demonstration of re-entry capsule for Chang'e 5 sample-return mission at lunar return velocity.
63	Chang'e 4	Long March 3B	China	2018	-	Lander	Soft landed on 3 January 2019 and deployed a rover. Continues to operate.
64	Chandrayaan-2	GSLV Mk III	India	2019	2019	Orbiter	Luna observation from orbit and deployed a luna lander. Failure of lander.
65	Chang'e 5	Long March 5	China	2020	-	Lander	Orbiter and lander with sample return to Earth.
66	CAPSTONE	Electron	U.S.	2022	-	Orbiter	Test and verify the calculated orbital stability planned for the Lunar Gateway space station.
67	Orion	SLS Block 1	U.S.	2022	2022	Orbiter	Artemis 1 was the first flight test of Orion and Space Launch System (SLS) rocket test the Orion spacecraft.
68	EQUULEUS	SLS Block 1	Japan	2022	2022	Flyby	demonstrate low-thrust trajectory control techniques, such as multiple lunar flybys, within the Earth-Moon region.
69	Danuri	Falcon 9 Blk 5	S.Korea	2022	-	Orbiter	Survey lunar resources, water ice, uranium, helium-3, silicon, and aluminium, and produce a topographic map.
70	Chandrayaan-3	LVM3-M4	India	2023	2023	Lander	Vikram lunar lander and Pragyan lunar rover similar to Chandrayaan-2, as well as an orbital propulsion module.
71	SLIM	H-IIA 202	Japan	2023	-	Lander	Smart Lander for Investigating Moon. Precision lunar landing by recognizing lunar craters using facial recognition systems.

Spacecraft and Launcher Gallery

This gallery contains images of spacecraft and their launch vehicles (rockets) used on the above missions. (Numbers relate to the table above)

Thumbnails: Click on a thumbnail image to enlarge it. | Enlarged image: Click on right side of image for next image or on left side for previous image. Click outside image to close.