Moon Missions - In Chronological Order (1958-1998)
|
Spacecraft |
Country |
Date |
Mission Objectives |
Mission Accomplishments |
Pioneer 1 |
U.S.A. |
Oct 1958 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Did not obtain lunar orbit - flyby at 71K miles. |
Pioneer 2 |
U.S.A. |
Nov 1958 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Did not achieve orbit. |
Pioneer 3 |
U.S.A. |
Dec 1958 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Launch failure |
Luna 1 |
U.S.S.R. |
Jan 1959 |
Achieve Lunar Impact |
First lunar flyby. |
Pioneer 4 |
U.S.A. |
Mar 1959 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Passed within 37K miles of the moon. |
Luna 2 |
U.S.S.R. |
Sept 1959 |
Achieve Lunar Impact |
First lunar impact near the Sea of Serenity. |
Luna 3 |
U.S.S.R. |
Oct 1959 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
First photographs of the lunar far side. |
Pioneer P-3 |
U.S.A. |
Nov 1959 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Did not achieve orbit. |
Ranger 1 |
U.S.A. |
Aug 1961 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Did not escape Earth orbit. |
Ranger 2 |
U.S.A. |
Nov 1961 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Launch failed. |
Ranger 3 |
U.S.A. |
Jan 1962 |
Achieve Lunar Landing |
Missed moon by 22K miles. |
Ranger 4 |
U.S.A. |
Apr 1962 |
Achieve Lunar Landing |
Computer failed, crashed on lunars farside. |
Ranger 5 |
U.S.A. |
Oct 1962 |
Achieve Lunar Landing |
Missed the moon by 450 miles. |
Sputnik 25 |
U.S.S.R. |
Jan 1963 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Unsuccessful lunar attempt |
Luna 4 |
U.S.S.R. |
Apr 1963 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Contact lost. |
Ranger 6 |
U.S.A. |
Jan / Feb 1964 |
Lunar Photography |
Cameras failed, impacted on lunar surface. |
Ranger 7 |
U.S.A. |
Jul 1964 |
Lunar Photography |
Transmitted first close-up photos of the moon. |
Ranger 8 |
U.S.A. |
Feb 1965 |
Lunar Photography |
Transmitted high-quality photos of the moon. |
Ranger 9 |
U.S.A. |
Mar 1965 |
Lunar Photography |
Transmitted high-quality photos of the moon. |
Luna 5 |
U.S.S.R. |
May 1965 |
Lunar Lander |
First soft-landing attempt, crashed on lunar surface. |
Luna 6 |
U.S.S.R. |
Jun 1965 |
Lunar Lander |
Missed moon due to engine failure. |
Zond 3 |
U.S.S.R. |
Jul 1965 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Photographed lunar far side. |
Luna 7 |
U.S.S.R. |
Oct 1965 |
Lunar Lander |
Crashed on lunar surface. |
Luna 8 |
U.S.S.R. |
Dec 1965 |
Lunar Lander |
Crashed on lunar surface. |
Luna 9 |
U.S.S.R. |
Jan / Feb 1966 |
Lunar Lander |
First lunar soft landing and first TV transmission from lunar surface. |
Cosmos 111 |
U.S.S.R. |
Mar 1966 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Unsuccessful |
Luna 10 |
U.S.S.R. |
Mar 1966 |
Achieve Lunar Orbiter |
First lunar satellite that monitored various lunar parameters. |
Surveyor 1 |
U.S.A. |
May / Jun 1966 |
Lunar Lander |
First soft-landed robotic craft. |
Lunar Orbiter 1 |
U.S.A. |
Aug 1966 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Photographed over 2 million square miles of the moons surface. |
Luna 11 |
U.S.S.R. |
Aug 1966 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Successful lunar satellite. |
Surveyor 2 |
U.S.A |
Sept 1966 |
lunar lander |
Crashed on lunar surface near the Crater Copernicus. |
Luna 12 |
U.S.S.R. |
Oct 1966 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Transmitted high-quality photos of lunar surface. |
Lunar Orbiter 2 |
U.S.A. |
Nov 1966 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Photographed future landing sites. |
Luna 13 |
U.S.S.R. |
Dec 1966 |
Lunar Lander |
Measured soil density and surface radioactivity. |
Lunar Orbiter 3 |
U.S.A. |
Feb 1967 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Provided gravitational field and lunar environment data. |
Surveyor 3 |
U.S.A. |
Apr 1967 |
Lunar Lander |
Soft-landed robotic laboratory. |
Lunar Orbiter 4 |
U.S.A. |
May 1967 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Provided the first pictures of the lunar south pole. |
Surveyor 4 |
U.S.A. |
Jul 1967 |
lunar lander |
Lost radio contact prior to landing. |
Explorer 35 |
U.S.A. |
Jul 1967 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Used as an anchor for probing interplanetary magnetic fields. |
Lunar Orbiter 5 |
U.S.A. |
Aug 1967 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Lunar satellite. |
Surveyor 5 |
U.S.A |
Sept 1967 |
Lunar Lander |
Soft-landed robotic laboratory. |
Surveyor 6 |
U.S.A. |
Nov 1967 |
Lunar Lander |
Soft-landed robotic laboratory. |
Surveyor 7 |
U.S.A. |
Jan 1968 |
Lunar Lander |
Landed near the crater Tycho. |
Luna 14 |
U.S.S.R. |
Apr 1968 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Studied gravitational field. |
Zond 5 |
U.S.S.R. |
Sept 1968 |
Circumlunar |
First lunar flyby and earth return. |
Zond 6 |
U.S.S.R. |
Nov 1968 |
Circumlunar |
Lunar flyby and earth return. |
Apollo 8 |
U.S.A. |
Dec 1968 |
Manned Lunar Orbital Flight |
First humans to orbit the moon (10 orbits) |
Apollo 10 |
U.S.A. |
May 1969 |
Manned Lunar Orbital Flight |
First docking maneuvers. |
Luna 15 |
U.S.S.R. |
Jul 1969 |
Return Lunar Sample |
Crashed in the lunar surface. |
Apollo 11 |
U.S.A. |
Jul 1969 |
Piloted Lunar Landing |
First humans on the moon, experiments and collected lunar samples. |
Zond 7 |
U.S.S.R. |
Aug 1969 |
Circumlunar |
Lunar flyby and Earth return. |
Cosmos 300 |
U.S.S.R. |
Sept 1969 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Unsuccessful lunar attempt. |
Cosmos 305 |
U.S.S.R. |
Oct 1969 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Unsuccessful lunar attempt. |
Luna 16 |
U.S.S.R. |
Sept 1970 |
Return Lunar Samples |
Collected lunar samples, first robotic sample return. |
Apollo 12 |
U.S.A. |
Nov 1969 |
Piloted Lunar Landing |
Second group of humans on the moon. |
Apollo 13 |
U.S.A |
Apr 1970 |
Piloted Lunar Landing |
Aborted landing attempt. |
Zond 8 |
U.S.S.R. |
Oct 1970 |
Circumlunar |
Lunar flyby and Earth return. |
Luna 17 |
U.S.S.R. |
Nov 1970 |
Lunar Rover - Lunokhod 1 |
First robotic rover. |
Apollo 14 |
U.S.A. |
Jan / Feb 1971 |
Piloted Lunar Landing |
Third group of humans on the moon. |
Apollo 15 |
U.S.A. |
Jul / Aug 1971 |
Piloted Lunar Landing |
Fourth group of humans on the moon. |
Luna 18 |
U.S.S.R. |
Sept 1971 |
Lunar Lander |
Crashed in the Sea of Fertility. |
Luna 19 |
U.S.S.R. |
Sept 1971 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Lunar satellite. |
Luna 20 |
U.S.S.R. |
Feb 1972 |
Return Lunar Samples |
Collected samples from the Sea of Crises area. |
Apollo 16 |
U.S.A. |
Apr 1972 |
Piloted Lunar Landing |
Fifth group of humans on the moon. |
Apollo 17 |
U.S.A. |
Dec 1972 |
Piloted Lunar Landing |
Sixth and final Apollo group to land on the moon. |
Luna 21 |
U.S.S.R. |
Jan 1973 |
Lunar Rover |
Robotic lunar rover. |
Luna 22 |
U.S.S.R. |
May/Jun 1974 |
Return Lunar Samples |
Lunar satellite. |
Luna 23 |
U.S.S.R. |
Oct 1974 |
Return Lunar Samples |
Landed but sampling device malfunctioned, no samples returned. |
Luna 24 |
U.S.S.R. |
Aug 1976 |
Return Lunar Samples |
Third robotic sample returned to earth. |
Hiten (Muses-A) |
Japan |
Jan 1990 |
Lunar Satellite |
Studied gravity's effect on satellites. |
Clementine |
U.S.A. |
Jan 1994 |
Lunar Satellite |
Photographed the lunar surface. |
Lunar Prospector |
U.S.A. |
Jan 1998 |
Lunar Polar Orbiter |
Determined whether water ice exists on the Moon near its poles. |
Moon Missions - By Spacecraft
|
Spacecraft |
Country |
Date |
Mission Objectives |
Mission Accomplishments |
*** Pioneer *** |
Pioneer 1 |
U.S.A. |
Oct 1958 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Did not obtain lunar orbit - flyby at 71K miles. |
Pioneer 2 |
U.S.A. |
Nov 1958 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Did not achieve orbit. |
Pioneer 3 |
U.S.A. |
Dec 1958 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Launch failure |
Pioneer 4 |
U.S.A. |
Mar 1959 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Passed within 37K miles of the moon. |
Pioneer P-3 |
U.S.A. |
Nov 1959 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Did not achieve orbit. |
*** Luna *** |
Luna 1 |
U.S.S.R. |
Jan 1959 |
Achieve Lunar Impact |
First lunar flyby. |
Luna 2 |
U.S.S.R. |
Sept 1959 |
Achieve Lunar Impact |
First lunar impact near the Sea of Serenity. |
Luna 3 |
U.S.S.R. |
Oct 1959 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
First photographs of the lunar far side. |
Luna 4 |
U.S.S.R. |
Apr 1963 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Contact lost. |
Luna 5 |
U.S.S.R. |
May 1965 |
Lunar Lander |
First soft-landing attempt, crashed on lunar surface. |
Luna 6 |
U.S.S.R. |
Jun 1965 |
Lunar Lander |
Missed moon due to engine failure. |
Luna 7 |
U.S.S.R. |
Oct 1965 |
Lunar Lander |
Crashed on lunar surface. |
Luna 8 |
U.S.S.R. |
Dec 1965 |
Lunar Lander |
Crashed on lunar surface. |
Luna 9 |
U.S.S.R. |
Jan / Feb 1966 |
Lunar Lander |
First lunar soft landing and first TV transmission from lunar surface. |
Luna 10 |
U.S.S.R. |
Mar 1966 |
Achieve Lunar Orbiter |
First lunar satellite that monitored various lunar parameters. |
Luna 11 |
U.S.S.R. |
Aug 1966 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Successful lunar satellite. |
Luna 12 |
U.S.S.R. |
Oct 1966 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Transmitted high-quality photos of lunar surface. |
Luna 13 |
U.S.S.R. |
Dec 1966 |
Lunar Lander |
Measured soil density and surface radioactivity. |
Luna 14 |
U.S.S.R. |
Apr 1968 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Studied gravitational field. |
Luna 15 |
U.S.S.R. |
Jul 1969 |
Return Lunar Sample |
Crashed in the lunar surface. |
Luna 16 |
U.S.S.R. |
Sept 1970 |
Return Lunar Samples |
Collected lunar samples, first robotic sample return. |
Luna 17 |
U.S.S.R. |
Nov 1970 |
Lunar Rover - Lunokhod 1 |
First robotic rover. |
Luna 18 |
U.S.S.R. |
Sept 1971 |
Lunar Lander |
Crashed in the Sea of Fertility. |
Luna 19 |
U.S.S.R. |
Sept 1971 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Lunar satellite. |
Luna 20 |
U.S.S.R. |
Feb 1972 |
Return Lunar Samples |
Collected samples from the Sea of Crises area. |
Luna 21 |
U.S.S.R. |
Jan 1973 |
Lunar Rover |
Robotic lunar rover. |
Luna 22 |
U.S.S.R. |
May/Jun 1974 |
Return Lunar Samples |
Lunar satellite. |
Luna 23 |
U.S.S.R. |
Oct 1974 |
Return Lunar Samples |
Landed but sampling device malfunctioned, no samples returned. |
Luna 24 |
U.S.S.R. |
Aug 1976 |
Return Lunar Samples |
Third robotic sample returned to earth. |
*** Ranger *** |
Ranger 1 |
U.S.A. |
Aug 1961 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Did not escape Earth orbit. |
Ranger 2 |
U.S.A. |
Nov 1961 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Launch failed. |
Ranger 3 |
U.S.A. |
Jan 1962 |
Achieve Lunar Landing |
Missed moon by 22K miles. |
Ranger 4 |
U.S.A. |
Apr 1962 |
Achieve Lunar Landing |
Computer failed, crashed on lunars farside. |
Ranger 5 |
U.S.A. |
Oct 1962 |
Achieve Lunar Landing |
Missed the moon by 450 miles. |
Ranger 6 |
U.S.A. |
Jan / Feb 1964 |
Lunar Photography |
Cameras failed, impacted on lunar surface. |
Ranger 7 |
U.S.A. |
Jul 1964 |
Lunar Photography |
Transmitted first close-up photos of the moon. |
Ranger 8 |
U.S.A. |
Feb 1965 |
Lunar Photography |
Transmitted high-quality photos of the moon. |
Ranger 9 |
U.S.A. |
Mar 1965 |
Lunar Photography |
Transmitted high-quality photos of the moon. |
*** Surveyor *** |
Surveyor 1 |
U.S.A. |
May / Jun 1966 |
Lunar Lander |
First soft-landed robotic craft. |
Surveyor 2 |
U.S.A |
Sept 1966 |
lunar lander |
Crashed on lunar surface near the Crater Copernicus. |
Surveyor 3 |
U.S.A. |
Apr 1967 |
Lunar Lander |
Soft-landed robotic laboratory. |
Surveyor 4 |
U.S.A. |
Jul 1967 |
lunar lander |
Lost radio contact prior to landing. |
Surveyor 5 |
U.S.A |
Sept 1967 |
Lunar Lander |
Soft-landed robotic laboratory. |
Surveyor 6 |
U.S.A. |
Nov 1967 |
Lunar Lander |
Soft-landed robotic laboratory. |
Surveyor 7 |
U.S.A. |
Jan 1968 |
Lunar Lander |
Landed near the crater Tycho. |
*** Luna Orbiter *** |
Lunar Orbiter 1 |
U.S.A. |
Aug 1966 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Photographed over 2 million square miles of the moons surface. |
Lunar Orbiter 2 |
U.S.A. |
Nov 1966 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Photographed future landing sites. |
Lunar Orbiter 3 |
U.S.A. |
Feb 1967 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Provided gravitational field and lunar environment data. |
Lunar Orbiter 4 |
U.S.A. |
May 1967 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Provided the first pictures of the lunar south pole. |
Lunar Orbiter 5 |
U.S.A. |
Aug 1967 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Lunar satellite. |
*** Apollo *** |
Apollo 8 |
U.S.A. |
Dec 1968 |
Manned Lunar Orbital Flight |
First humans to orbit the moon (10 orbits) |
Apollo 10 |
U.S.A. |
May 1969 |
Manned Lunar Orbital Flight |
First docking maneuvers. |
Apollo 11 |
U.S.A. |
Jul 1969 |
Piloted Lunar Landing |
First humans on the moon, experiments and collected lunar samples. |
Apollo 12 |
U.S.A. |
Nov 1969 |
Piloted Lunar Landing |
Second group of humans on the moon. |
Apollo 13 |
U.S.A |
Apr 1970 |
Piloted Lunar Landing |
Aborted landing attempt. |
Apollo 14 |
U.S.A. |
Jan / Feb 1971 |
Piloted Lunar Landing |
Third group of humans on the moon. |
Apollo 15 |
U.S.A. |
Jul / Aug 1971 |
Piloted Lunar Landing |
Fourth group of humans on the moon. |
Apollo 16 |
U.S.A. |
Apr 1972 |
Piloted Lunar Landing |
Fifth group of humans on the moon. |
Apollo 17 |
U.S.A. |
Dec 1972 |
Piloted Lunar Landing |
Sixth and final Apollo group to land on the moon. |
*** Zond *** |
Zond 3 |
U.S.S.R. |
Jul 1965 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Photographed lunar far side. |
Zond 5 |
U.S.S.R. |
Sept 1968 |
Circumlunar |
First lunar flyby and earth return. |
Zond 6 |
U.S.S.R. |
Nov 1968 |
Circumlunar |
Lunar flyby and earth return. |
Zond 7 |
U.S.S.R. |
Aug 1969 |
Circumlunar |
Lunar flyby and Earth return. |
Zond 8 |
U.S.S.R. |
Oct 1970 |
Circumlunar |
Lunar flyby and Earth return. |
*** Cosmos *** |
Cosmos 111 |
U.S.S.R. |
Mar 1966 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Unsuccessful |
Cosmos 300 |
U.S.S.R. |
Sept 1969 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Unsuccessful lunar attempt. |
Cosmos 305 |
U.S.S.R. |
Oct 1969 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Unsuccessful lunar attempt. |
*** Others *** |
Sputnik 25 |
U.S.S.R. |
Jan 1963 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Unsuccessful lunar attempt |
Explorer 35 |
U.S.A. |
Jul 1967 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Used as an anchor for probing interplanetary magnetic fields. |
Hiten (Muses-A) |
Japan |
Jan 1990 |
Lunar Satellite |
Studied gravity's effect on satellites. |
Clementine |
U.S.A. |
Jan 1994 |
Lunar Satellite |
Photographed the lunar surface. |
Lunar Prospector |
U.S.A. |
Jan 1998 |
Lunar Polar Orbiter |
Determined whether water ice exists on the Moon near its poles. |
Moon Missions - By Country
|
Spacecraft |
Country |
Date |
Mission Objectives |
Mission Accomplishments |
*** USA *** |
Pioneer 1 |
U.S.A. |
Oct 1958 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Did not obtain lunar orbit - flyby at 71K miles. |
Pioneer 2 |
U.S.A. |
Nov 1958 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Did not achieve orbit. |
Pioneer 3 |
U.S.A. |
Dec 1958 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Launch failure |
Pioneer 4 |
U.S.A. |
Mar 1959 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Passed within 37K miles of the moon. |
Pioneer P-3 |
U.S.A. |
Nov 1959 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Did not achieve orbit. |
Ranger 1 |
U.S.A. |
Aug 1961 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Did not escape Earth orbit. |
Ranger 2 |
U.S.A. |
Nov 1961 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Launch failed. |
Ranger 3 |
U.S.A. |
Jan 1962 |
Achieve Lunar Landing |
Missed moon by 22K miles. |
Ranger 4 |
U.S.A. |
Apr 1962 |
Achieve Lunar Landing |
Computer failed, crashed on lunars farside. |
Ranger 5 |
U.S.A. |
Oct 1962 |
Achieve Lunar Landing |
Missed the moon by 450 miles. |
Ranger 6 |
U.S.A. |
Jan / Feb 1964 |
Lunar Photography |
Cameras failed, impacted on lunar surface. |
Ranger 7 |
U.S.A. |
Jul 1964 |
Lunar Photography |
Transmitted first close-up photos of the moon. |
Ranger 8 |
U.S.A. |
Feb 1965 |
Lunar Photography |
Transmitted high-quality photos of the moon. |
Ranger 9 |
U.S.A. |
Mar 1965 |
Lunar Photography |
Transmitted high-quality photos of the moon. |
Surveyor 1 |
U.S.A. |
May / Jun 1966 |
Lunar Lander |
First soft-landed robotic craft. |
Surveyor 2 |
U.S.A |
Sept 1966 |
lunar lander |
Crashed on lunar surface near the Crater Copernicus. |
Surveyor 3 |
U.S.A. |
Apr 1967 |
Lunar Lander |
Soft-landed robotic laboratory. |
Surveyor 4 |
U.S.A. |
Jul 1967 |
lunar lander |
Lost radio contact prior to landing. |
Surveyor 5 |
U.S.A |
Sept 1967 |
Lunar Lander |
Soft-landed robotic laboratory. |
Surveyor 6 |
U.S.A. |
Nov 1967 |
Lunar Lander |
Soft-landed robotic laboratory. |
Surveyor 7 |
U.S.A. |
Jan 1968 |
Lunar Lander |
Landed near the crater Tycho. |
Lunar Orbiter 1 |
U.S.A. |
Aug 1966 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Photographed over 2 million square miles of the moons surface. |
Lunar Orbiter 2 |
U.S.A. |
Nov 1966 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Photographed future landing sites. |
Lunar Orbiter 3 |
U.S.A. |
Feb 1967 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Provided gravitational field and lunar environment data. |
Lunar Orbiter 4 |
U.S.A. |
May 1967 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Provided the first pictures of the lunar south pole. |
Lunar Orbiter 5 |
U.S.A. |
Aug 1967 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Lunar satellite. |
Apollo 8 |
U.S.A. |
Dec 1968 |
Manned Lunar Orbital Flight |
First humans to orbit the moon (10 orbits) |
Apollo 10 |
U.S.A. |
May 1969 |
Manned Lunar Orbital Flight |
First docking maneuvers. |
Apollo 11 |
U.S.A. |
Jul 1969 |
Piloted Lunar Landing |
First humans on the moon, experiments and collected lunar samples. |
Apollo 12 |
U.S.A. |
Nov 1969 |
Piloted Lunar Landing |
Second group of humans on the moon. |
Apollo 13 |
U.S.A |
Apr 1970 |
Piloted Lunar Landing |
Aborted landing attempt. |
Apollo 14 |
U.S.A. |
Jan / Feb 1971 |
Piloted Lunar Landing |
Third group of humans on the moon. |
Apollo 15 |
U.S.A. |
Jul / Aug 1971 |
Piloted Lunar Landing |
Fourth group of humans on the moon. |
Apollo 16 |
U.S.A. |
Apr 1972 |
Piloted Lunar Landing |
Fifth group of humans on the moon. |
Apollo 17 |
U.S.A. |
Dec 1972 |
Piloted Lunar Landing |
Sixth and final Apollo group to land on the moon. |
Explorer 35 |
U.S.A. |
Jul 1967 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Used as an anchor for probing interplanetary magnetic fields. |
Clementine |
U.S.A. |
Jan 1994 |
Lunar Satellite |
Photographed the lunar surface. |
Lunar Prospector |
U.S.A. |
Jan 1998 |
Lunar Polar Orbiter |
Determined whether water ice exists on the Moon near its poles. |
*** USSR *** |
Luna 1 |
U.S.S.R. |
Jan 1959 |
Achieve Lunar Impact |
First lunar flyby. |
Luna 2 |
U.S.S.R. |
Sept 1959 |
Achieve Lunar Impact |
First lunar impact near the Sea of Serenity. |
Luna 3 |
U.S.S.R. |
Oct 1959 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
First photographs of the lunar far side. |
Luna 4 |
U.S.S.R. |
Apr 1963 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Contact lost. |
Luna 5 |
U.S.S.R. |
May 1965 |
Lunar Lander |
First soft-landing attempt, crashed on lunar surface. |
Luna 6 |
U.S.S.R. |
Jun 1965 |
Lunar Lander |
Missed moon due to engine failure. |
Luna 7 |
U.S.S.R. |
Oct 1965 |
Lunar Lander |
Crashed on lunar surface. |
Luna 8 |
U.S.S.R. |
Dec 1965 |
Lunar Lander |
Crashed on lunar surface. |
Luna 9 |
U.S.S.R. |
Jan / Feb 1966 |
Lunar Lander |
First lunar soft landing and first TV transmission from lunar surface. |
Luna 10 |
U.S.S.R. |
Mar 1966 |
Achieve Lunar Orbiter |
First lunar satellite that monitored various lunar parameters. |
Luna 11 |
U.S.S.R. |
Aug 1966 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Successful lunar satellite. |
Luna 12 |
U.S.S.R. |
Oct 1966 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Transmitted high-quality photos of lunar surface. |
Luna 13 |
U.S.S.R. |
Dec 1966 |
Lunar Lander |
Measured soil density and surface radioactivity. |
Luna 14 |
U.S.S.R. |
Apr 1968 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Studied gravitational field. |
Luna 15 |
U.S.S.R. |
Jul 1969 |
Return Lunar Sample |
Crashed in the lunar surface. |
Luna 16 |
U.S.S.R. |
Sept 1970 |
Return Lunar Samples |
Collected lunar samples, first robotic sample return. |
Luna 17 |
U.S.S.R. |
Nov 1970 |
Lunar Rover - Lunokhod 1 |
First robotic rover. |
Luna 18 |
U.S.S.R. |
Sept 1971 |
Lunar Lander |
Crashed in the Sea of Fertility. |
Luna 19 |
U.S.S.R. |
Sept 1971 |
Achieve Lunar Orbit |
Lunar satellite. |
Luna 20 |
U.S.S.R. |
Feb 1972 |
Return Lunar Samples |
Collected samples from the Sea of Crises area. |
Luna 21 |
U.S.S.R. |
Jan 1973 |
Lunar Rover |
Robotic lunar rover. |
Luna 22 |
U.S.S.R. |
May/Jun 1974 |
Return Lunar Samples |
Lunar satellite. |
Luna 23 |
U.S.S.R. |
Oct 1974 |
Return Lunar Samples |
Landed but sampling device malfunctioned, no samples returned. |
Luna 24 |
U.S.S.R. |
Aug 1976 |
Return Lunar Samples |
Third robotic sample returned to earth. |
Zond 3 |
U.S.S.R. |
Jul 1965 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Photographed lunar far side. |
Zond 5 |
U.S.S.R. |
Sept 1968 |
Circumlunar |
First lunar flyby and earth return. |
Zond 6 |
U.S.S.R. |
Nov 1968 |
Circumlunar |
Lunar flyby and earth return. |
Zond 7 |
U.S.S.R. |
Aug 1969 |
Circumlunar |
Lunar flyby and Earth return. |
Zond 8 |
U.S.S.R. |
Oct 1970 |
Circumlunar |
Lunar flyby and Earth return. |
Cosmos 111 |
U.S.S.R. |
Mar 1966 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Unsuccessful |
Cosmos 300 |
U.S.S.R. |
Sept 1969 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Unsuccessful lunar attempt. |
Cosmos 305 |
U.S.S.R. |
Oct 1969 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Unsuccessful lunar attempt. |
Sputnik 25 |
U.S.S.R. |
Jan 1963 |
Launch Lunar Probe |
Unsuccessful lunar attempt |
*** Japan *** |
Hiten (Muses-A) |
Japan |
Jan 1990 |
Lunar Satellite |
Studied gravity's effect on satellites. |