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Moon Exploration

From Apollo to Artemis

While the Moon has always been an object of wonder and scientific interest to humanity, lunar exploration began in earnest in the 1950s, with the United States and the USSR developing and launching robotic spacecraft. In 1959, the USSR's Luna 1 was the first spacecraft to fly by the Moon. In 1966, Luna 9 achieved the first soft landing and in 1969, the U.S.'s Apollo 11 achieved the first human landing. In the decades since, many nations have contributed to lunar orbiters and landers. As of January 2024, four nations have successfully landed on the Moon (USSR, United States, India, China).

During the Apollo missions of 1969–1972, 12 American astronauts walked on the Moon and used a Lunar Roving Vehicle to travel on the surface and extend their studies of soil mechanics, meteoroids, lunar ranging, magnetic fields, and solar wind. The Apollo astronauts brought back 382 kilograms (842 pounds) of rock and soil to Earth for study.

AS17-146-22294 (13 Dec. 1972) --- Scientist-astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt is photographed working beside a huge boulder at Station 6 (base of North Massif) during the third Apollo 17 extravehicular activity (EVA) at the Taurus-Littrow landing site. The front portion of the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) is visible on the left. This picture was taken by astronaut Eugene A. Cernan, Apollo 17 commander. Schmitt is the lunar module pilot. While astronauts Cernan and Schmitt descended in the Lunar Module (LM) "Challenger" to explore the moon, astronaut Ronald E. Evans, command module pilot, remained with the Apollo 17 Command and Service Modules (CSM) in lunar orbit.

After a long hiatus, NASA's lunar exploration resumed in the 1990s with the U.S. robotic missions Clementine and Lunar Prospector. Results from both missions suggested that water ice might be present at the lunar poles, but a controlled impact of the Prospector spacecraft produced no observable water. The U.S. began a new series of robotic lunar missions with the joint launch of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) in 2009. In 2011, a pair of repurposed spacecraft began the Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence, and Electrodynamics of the Moon’s Interaction with the Sun (ARTEMIS-THEMIS) mission. In 2012, the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) twin spacecraft studied the Moon’s gravity field and produced the highest-resolution gravity field map of any celestial body.

In March 2019, NASA announced plans to send U.S. astronauts back to the surface of the Moon with the Artemis missions. In November 2022, Artemis I successfully conducted the first integrated flight test of the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System rocket. The Artemis II crew is currently training for their flyby of the Moon.

› View the Full List of Lunar Missions

  • Artemis II Science

    In early 2026, four astronauts will venture beyond the Moon.
    During their flyby mission, the Artemis II crew will conduct a lunar observation campaign and contribute to a suite of biological & physical science experiments.

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    The Orion orbiter, with 4 solar fins spread out, flies above the nearby Moon, while Earth can be seen behind the Moon.
    NASA

  • Artemis Campaign Overview

    Humanity is going to the Moon — to stay.
    Here's how NASA plans to establish a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface with the Artemis missions.

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    Four astronauts in bright orange flight suits stand smiling in the white room at Launch Pad 39B. The Artemis II crew members - NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen - are lined up side-by-side during a ground systems test at Kennedy Space Center.
    NASA/Frank Michaux

  • Past Moon Missions

    Here are the major missions launched to the Moon so far.
    Dozens of spacecraft have supported humanity's quest to learn from, and explore, our nearest neighbor in space.

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    NASA

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A rendering of the surface of the Moon. We see the shadow of an astronaut on the regolith and the Artemis brand logo is besides the shadow in the bottom left corner.

9 Phenomena NASA Astronauts Will Encounter at Moon’s South Pole

Out-of-this-world conditions human explorers will experience in the Moon's south polar region.

Long-exposure photograph of Firefly Aerospace's rocket launch at night, showcasing a bright arc of light as the rocket ascends into the sky over a calm body of water with its glow reflecting on the surface.

Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS)

CLPS deliveries perform science experiments, test technologies, and demonstrate capabilities to help NASA explore the Moon as it prepares for human missions.

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO)

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO)

LRO has been in lunar orbit since 2009, mapping the Moon and helping to identify future landing sites and resources

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