Explorers on the Moon

Lore & Background

The journey to the Moon serves as a metaphor for exploration itself: fraught with danger but ultimately rewarding. Unlike previous adventures where Tintin uncovers earthly conspiracies, here he must navigate the vacuum of space and the claustrophobia of a pressurized capsule. The presence of Snowy, who accompanies the crew, adds a unique touch of levity to the high-stakes environment, reminding readers that even in the most advanced technological settings, the bond between man and his faithful dog remains unbreakable.

Reader's Guide

The saga begins with Professor Calculus unveiling his revolutionary rocket engine, sparking interest from an international space agency. However, the villainous Rastapopoulos and his henchmen infiltrate the project, sabotaging equipment and attempting to steal the rocket for their own nefarious purposes. Tintin, Haddock, and Snowy are thrust into the mission as part of the crew, facing constant attempts on their lives before launch. The first volume covers the chaotic preparation, a disastrous test flight that ends in an explosion, and the subsequent investigation that leads to the capture of several criminals.

The second volume follows the successful launch, where the trio must survive a near-fatal malfunction caused by remaining saboteurs while orbiting Earth. A tense spacewalk is required to repair the vessel before they can land on the Moon. The primary antagonist is Rastapopoulos, who utilizes his vast criminal network to undermine the mission. Major twists include the revelation that the sabotage was orchestrated from within the scientific team and the dramatic rescue of the crew after their landing gear fails upon return.

Historically, this story reflects the real-world Space Race optimism of the late 1950s, though Hergé famously avoided depicting political tensions between superpowers, focusing instead on a unified global effort.

Did You Know?

• Hergé consulted with actual rocket scientists and engineers to ensure the technical details of the spaceflight were as accurate as possible for the time.
• The two-part saga was originally serialized in the magazine Tintin from 1950 to 1953: 'Destination Moon' ran from 1950 to 1952, and 'Explorers on the Moon' ran from 1952 to 1953.
• Captain Haddock's famous drunkenness during the launch sequence is caused by his drinking from a hidden bottle of whiskey, not by accidentally grabbing the wrong bottle of champagne.
• Snowy is one of the few animals to ever travel to space in fiction, and his presence on the Moon remains a unique touchstone of the series.