Moon landing
Arrival of a spacecraft on the lunar surface.
A Moon landing is the arrival of a crewed or robotic spacecraft on the lunar surface. The first human-made object to reach the Moon was a Soviet probe that intentionally crashed into it in 1959, a feat the United States matched a few years later. The first successful soft landing, using retrorockets to touch down gently, was achieved by the Soviet Union in 1966, which also returned the first pictures from the surface. The United States followed with several soft landings of its own. The first crewed landing occurred in 1969, when Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped onto the Moon, an event watched by an estimated half-billion people worldwide. Over the next three years, five more crewed Apollo missions landed on the Moon, the last departing in late 1972. In total, twelve astronauts have walked on the lunar surface. After a long pause following a Soviet sample-return mission in 1976, no soft landings occurred until China’s Chang’e program began in 2013. That program later achieved the first landing on the far side of the Moon. India became the fourth nation to soft-land, touching down in the lunar south pole region in 2023. Japan followed in early 2024. Commercial entities have also attempted landings; after several failures, a private American lander succeeded in early 2024, though it landed at an angle. The first fully successful commercial landing, which operated upright for two weeks, occurred in early 2025. All crewed missions were conducted by the United States, and all soft landings until 2019 were on the near side of the Moon.
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Lore & Background
A Moon landing is the arrival of a crewed or robotic spacecraft on the lunar surface. The first human-made object to reach the Moon was a Soviet probe in 1959, which intentionally crashed at high speed. The first crewed landing occurred in 1969, when two American astronauts descended to the surface in a Lunar Module while a third crew member remained in orbit. A still frame from a video transmission captured the moment just before the first human stepped onto the Moon, an event watched by an estimated 500 million people worldwide, the largest television audience for a live broadcast at that time. All crewed landings were conducted by the United States Apollo program, with six missions landing twelve astronauts between 1969 and 1972. After 1976, no soft landings—those without significant damage—occurred until 2013. All soft landings took place on the near side of the Moon until a Chinese mission landed on the far side in 2019. Five nations have achieved soft landings: the Soviet Union, the United States, China, India, and Japan. A successful commercial soft landing by a privately owned spacecraft occurred in 2024, though it landed at an angle with impaired communications. The first fully successful commercial landing, which remained upright, took place in 2025 and operated for 14 days, including five hours into the lunar night. To land intact, a spacecraft must decelerate from the Moon’s escape velocity of 2.38 kilometers per second, typically using retrorockets for a soft landing.
Reader's Guide
Moon landings are the arrival of crewed or robotic spacecraft on the lunar surface, a feat first achieved by a human-made object in 1959 and by a crewed mission in 1969. The six crewed landings, all part of the Apollo program, occurred between 1969 and 1972, placing twelve astronauts on the Moon. Following a long gap after 1976, soft landings resumed in 2013. All early soft landings occurred on the near side until a 2019 mission landed on the far side. Five nations have achieved soft landings: the Soviet Union, the United States, China, India, and Japan, with India’s 2023 landing targeting the lunar south pole. Commercial entities have also attempted landings, with the first successful private soft landing occurring in 2024, though it landed at an angle. A fully successful commercial landing, operating for fourteen days and into the lunar night, took place in 2025 as part of a NASA initiative. To land safely, a spacecraft must decelerate from lunar escape velocity using retrorockets, as hard impacts typically occur at high speeds. These missions have provided scientific data on lunar composition and structure, and the live broadcast of the first crewed landing reached an estimated 500 million viewers, marking a historic moment in human exploration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Moon landing?
A Moon landing refers to the moment a spacecraft, whether carrying a crew or operating as a robot, touches down on the surface of Earth's Moon.
How many astronauts have actually walked on the Moon?
Across all six Apollo missions that achieved a crewed landing, a total of 12 astronauts set foot on the lunar surface.
When did the first crewed Moon landing take place?
On July 20, 1969, the Apollo 11 Lunar Module Eagle settled into the Sea of Tranquility, making Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin the first humans to stand on another celestial body.
Why is the Moon landing considered a landmark in history?
It proved that humans could leave Earth, travel to another world, and return safely, fundamentally reshaping what people believed was possible in space exploration.
Which missions achieved a crewed Moon landing?
Six Apollo missions—11, 12, 14, 15, 16, and 17—successfully delivered astronauts to the lunar surface between 1969 and 1972.
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