All Missions

N/AOrbiterFailure

Pioneer 0 (Able 1)

1958USAU.S. Air Force / Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA)

First attempt to send a space probe to the Moon, and the earliest effort to launch a spacecraft beyond Earth orbit.

N/AImpactorFailure

Unnamed Luna (Sept. 23, 1958)

1958SOVExperimental Design Bureau-1 (OKB-1)

Soviet Union’s secret opening bid in the race to impact the lunar surface.

1958-007AOrbiterFailure

Pioneer 1

1958USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

The first spacecraft launched by the newly formed NASA.

N/AImpactorFailure

Unnamed Luna (Oct. 11, 1958)

1958SOVExperimental Design Bureau-1 (OKB-1)

A hidden casualty of the Soviet moonshot program that disintegrated during the opening minutes of flight.

N/AOrbiterFailure

Pioneer 2

1958USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

The third and final lunar probe attempted during the initial Thor-Able series.

N/AImpactorFailure

Unnamed Luna (Dec. 4, 1958)

1958SOVExperimental Design Bureau-1 (OKB-1)

The failed, final attempt of the initial Soviet E-1 lunar trilogy.

1958-008AFlybyFailure

Pioneer 3

1958USAArmy Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA)

The mission that unexpectedly discovered Earth's outer Van Allen radiation belt.

1959-012AImpactorPartial

Luna 1

1959SOVExperimental Design Bureau-1 (OKB-1)

The historic vanguard of humanity's deep-space exploration, it was the first space probe to reach escape velocity and to fly…

1959-013AFlybyPartial

Pioneer 4

1959USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

The first successful deep-space probe launched by the United States,

N/AImpactorFailure

Unnamed Luna (June 18, 1959)

1959SOVExperimental Design Bureau-1 (OKB-1)

A faulty internal gyroscope cut short the Soviet Union's first upgraded lunar impact attempt.

1959-014AImpactorSuccess

Luna 2

1959SOVExperimental Design Bureau-1 (OKB-1)

First spacecraft to reach the surface of the Moon; first spacecraft to impact on another celestial body.

N/AOrbiterFailure

Pioneer P-1

1959USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Original pioneer of the heavy Atlas-Able booster configuration that suffered a catastrophic pre-launch explosion before ever…

1959-008AFlybySuccess

Luna 3

1959SOVExperimental Design Bureau-1 (OKB-1)

First images of the farside of the Moon.

N/AOrbiterFailure

Pioneer P-3 (Able IVB)

1959USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

First U.S. attempt to orbit the Moon, lost to a launch-shroud failure.

N/AFlybyFailure

Unnamed Luna (April 15, 1960)

1960SOVExperimental Design Bureau-1 (OKB-1)

Soviet bid to re-photograph the Moon's far side, lost at launch.

N/AFlybyFailure

Unnamed Luna (April 16, 1960)

1960SOVExperimental Design Bureau-1 (OKB-1)

Second far-side photo bid in two days, also lost at launch.

N/AOrbiterFailure

Pioneer P-30 (Able VA)

1960USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Second U.S. bid to orbit the Moon, lost when its upper stage failed.

N/AOrbiterFailure

Pioneer P-31 (Able VB)

1960USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Third and last Atlas-Able bid to orbit the Moon, lost at launch.

1962-001AImpactorFailure

Ranger 3

1962USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Narrowly missed the Moon due to a booster malfunction, failing its lunar impact mission.

1962-012AImpactorFailure

Ranger 4

1962USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

First American spacecraft to reach the Moon and first to impact the Moon.

1962-055AImpactorFailure

Ranger 5

1962USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

A power failure disabled key systems, caused Ranger 5 to miss the Moon by about 725 km.

1963-001ALanderFailure

Unnamed Luna (Jan. 4, 1963)

1963SOVExperimental Design Bureau-1 (OKB-1)

First Soviet attempt to soft-land on the Moon; stranded in orbit.

N/ALanderFailure

Unnamed Luna (Feb. 3, 1963)

1963SOVExperimental Design Bureau-1 (OKB-1)

Second Soviet soft-landing attempt, lost in a launch failure.

1963-008BLanderFailure

Luna 4

1963SOVExperimental Design Bureau-1 (OKB-1)

First Soviet Moon lander to leave Earth, however, it flew past

1964-007AImpactorFailure

Ranger 6

1964USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

First Ranger mission to successfully impact the Moon.

N/ALanderFailure

Unnamed Luna (March 21, 1964)

1964SOVExperimental Design Bureau-1 (OKB-1)

Fourth Soviet Moon-landing try, lost when its rocket failed.

N/ALanderFailure

Unnamed Luna (April 20, 1964)

1964SOVExperimental Design Bureau-1 (OKB-1)

Fifth Soviet soft-landing attempt, aborted during launch.

1964-041AImpactorSuccess

Ranger 7

1964USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

First successful U.S. close-up photographs of the Moon.

1965-010AImpactorSuccess

Ranger 8

1965USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Returned thousands of detailed lunar images for Apollo planning.

1965-018ALanderFailure

Kosmos 60

1965SOVExperimental Design Bureau-1 (OKB-1)

Soviet Moon-lander stranded in Earth orbit by a stage failure.

1965-023AImpactorSuccess

Ranger 9

1965USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Shared its finally plunge in real-time, broadcasting live television images of the Moon.

N/ALanderFailure

Unnamed Luna (April 10, 1965) (Unnamed Luna)

1965SOVExperimental Design Bureau-1 (OKB-1)

Seventh Soviet soft-landing try, lost before reaching orbit.

1965-036ALanderFailure

Luna 5

1965SOVExperimental Design Bureau-1 (OKB-1)

First Soviet Moon shot in two years; crashed instead of landing.

1965-044ALanderFailure

Luna 6

1965SOVExperimental Design Bureau-1 (OKB-1)

Soft-lander sent off course by a stuck engine; it missed the Moon.

1965-056AFlybySuccess

Zond 3

1965SOVExperimental Design Bureau-1 (OKB-1)

First nearly complete photographic map of the Moon’s far side.

1965-077ALanderFailure

Luna 7

1965SOVExperimental Design Bureau-1 (OKB-1)

Tenth Soviet soft-landing failure; it crashed near Kepler crater.

1965-099ALanderFailure

Luna 8

1965SOVExperimental Design Bureau-1 (OKB-1)

A burst airbag doomed the soft landing just short of success.

1966-006ALanderSuccess

Luna 9

1966SOVLavochkin Design Bureau

First spacecraft to soft-land on the Moon and return surface photos.

1966-017AOrbiterFailure

Kosmos 111

1966SOVLavochkin Design Bureau

Rushed first Soviet orbiter attempt; stranded in Earth orbit.

1966-027AOrbiterSuccess

Luna 10

1966SOVLavochkin Design Bureau

First spacecraft ever to orbit the Moon.

1966-045ALanderSuccess

Surveyor 1

1966USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

First successful U.S. soft landing on the Moon.

1966-073AOrbiterImpactorSuccess

Lunar Orbiter 1

1966USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

First American spacecraft to successfully orbit the Moon.

1966-078AOrbiterSuccess

Luna 11

1966SOVLavochkin Design Bureau

Sent to photograph the Moon from orbit, but it shot only blank sky.

1966-084ALanderFailure

Surveyor 2

1966USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Second U.S. Moon-landing try; a stuck thruster sent it crashing.

1966-094AOrbiterSuccess

Luna 12

1966SOVLavochkin Design Bureau

Returned the first detailed Soviet photos of the Moon from orbit.

1966-100AOrbiterImpactorSuccess

Lunar Orbiter 2

1966USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Photographed candidate landing sites for the Apollo and Surveyor missions.

1966-116ALanderSuccess

Luna 13

1966SOVLavochkin Design Bureau

Second Soviet Moon landing; first to probe the lunar soil directly.

1967-008AOrbiterImpactorPartial

Lunar Orbiter 3

1967USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Extremely detailed images of Apollo landing sites, especially Surveyor locations.

1967-035ALanderSuccess

Surveyor 3

1967USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

First U.S. lander to dig the lunar soil; later visited by Apollo 12.

1967-041AOrbiterImpactorPartial

Lunar Orbiter 4

1967USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Produced the first nearly complete photographic atlas of the Moon.

1967-068ALanderFailure

Surveyor 4

1967USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Lost seconds before landing; its retro-rocket likely exploded.

1967-075AOrbiterImpactorSuccess

Lunar Orbiter 5

1967USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Completed the global photographic survey of the Moon.

1967-084ALanderSuccess

Surveyor 5

1967USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

First chemical analysis of lunar soil, after surviving a fuel leak.

1967-112ALanderSuccess

Surveyor 6

1967USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

First spacecraft to lift off from the Moon, in a short test hop.

1968-001ALanderSuccess

Surveyor 7

1968USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Final Surveyor; a science landing on the rugged Tycho ejecta.

N/ALanderFailure

Unnamed Luna (Feb. 7, 1968) (Unnamed Luna)

1968SOVLavochkin Design Bureau

Soviet comms-test orbiter for the crewed program, lost at launch.

1968-027AOrbiterSuccess

Luna 14

1968SOVLavochkin Design Bureau

Orbiter that tested gear for the crewed program and Lunokhod rover.

1968-076AFlybySuccess

Zond 5

1968SOVCentral Design Bureau of Experimental Machine Building (TsKBEM)

First spacecraft to fly around the Moon and return safely to Earth. First living organisms to travel to the Moon and back.

1968-101AFlybyPartial

Zond 6

1968SOVCentral Design Bureau of Experimental Machine Building (TsKBEM)

Tested Soviet crewed lunar flyby technology shortly before Apollo 8.

1968-118ACrewedSuccess

Apollo 8

1968USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

First crewed mission to leave Earth orbit and travel to the Moon.

N/ARoverFailure

Unnamed Luna (Feb. 19, 1969)

1969SOVLavochkin Design Bureau

First mission intended to place a rover on the Moon.

1969-043ACrewedSuccess

Apollo 10

1969USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Completed the final full rehearsal for the Apollo 11 lunar landing.

N/ASample ReturnFailure

Unnamed Luna (June 14, 1969) (Luna E-8-5)

1969SOVLavochkin Design Bureau

First Soviet attempt at an automated lunar sample-return mission.

1969-058ASample ReturnOrbiterPartial

Luna 15

1969SOVLavochkin Design Bureau

Attempted to become the first mission to return lunar samples to Earth, launching just before Apollo 11.

1969-059ACrewedSuccess

Apollo 11

1969USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

First crewed mission to land on the Moon

1969-067AFlybySuccess

Zond 7

1969SOVCentral Design Bureau of Experimental Machine Building (TsKBEM)

First fully successful Soviet lunar-return spacecraft test of the Zond crewed flyby system.

1969-080ASample ReturnFailure

Kosmos 300

1969SOVLavochkin Design Bureau

Failed to escape Earth orbit because of an upper-stage malfunction.

1969-092ASample ReturnFailure

Kosmos 305

1969SOVLavochkin Design Bureau

Attempted to become a robotic lunar sample-return mission using the Ye-8-5 spacecraft.

1969-099ACrewedSuccess

Apollo 12

1969USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Second crewed mission to land on the Moon.

N/ASample ReturnFailure

Unnamed Luna (2/6/1970) (Unnamed Luna)

1970SOVLavochkin Design Bureau

Fifth attempt by the Soviet Union to develop an automated lunar sample-return spacecraft.

1970-029ACrewedFailure

Apollo 13

1970USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Safely returned its crew after a catastrophic oxygen tank explosion aborted the lunar landing.

1970-072ASample ReturnSuccess

Luna 16

1970SOVLavochkin Design Bureau

First robotic mission to collect lunar samples and return them safely to Earth.

1970-088AFlybySuccess

Zond 8

1970SOVCentral Design Bureau of Experimental Machine Building (TsKBEM)

Final mission of the Soviet Zond lunar flyby program.

1970-095ARoverLanderSuccess

Luna 17 and Lunokhod 1

1970SOVLavochkin Design Bureau

First robotic rover to successfully operate on another celestial body.

1971-008ACrewedSuccess

Apollo 14

1971USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Restored confidence in the Apollo program following the Apollo 13 accident.

1971-063ACrewedSuccess

Apollo 15

1971USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

First Apollo with extended surface operations and the first use of the Lunar Roving Vehicle.

1971-063DOrbiterSuccess

PFS-1

1971USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Science satellite released into lunar orbit by the Apollo 15 crew.

1971-073ASample ReturnFailure

Luna 18

1971SOVLavochkin Design Bureau

Attempted the Soviet Union’s second robotic lunar sample-return mission after Luna 16.

1971-082AOrbiterSuccess

Luna 19

1971SOVLavochkin Design Bureau

First advanced Soviet orbiter; it mapped the Moon’s gravity field.

1972-007ASample ReturnOrbiterSuccess

Luna 20

1972SOVLavochkin Design Bureau

Second successful robotic mission to return lunar samples to Earth.

1972-031ACrewedSuccess

Apollo 16

1972USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Fifth crewed mission to land on the Moon and the second to explore the lunar highlands.

1972-031DOrbiterPartial

PFS-2

1972USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Apollo 16’s science satellite; a low orbit cut its life to 34 days.

1972-096ACrewedSuccess

Apollo 17

1972USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Final Apollo mission, first geologist on the Moon and most recent human landing on the Moon.

1973-001ARoverLanderSuccess

Luna 21 and Lunokhod 2

1973SOVLavochkin Design Bureau

Second robotic rover to successfully operate on another celestial body.

1974-040AOrbiterSuccess

Luna 22

1974SOVLavochkin Design Bureau

The last Soviet lunar orbiter, and its most productive one.

1974-084ASample ReturnPartial

Luna 23

1974SOVLavochkin Design Bureau

Achieved a successful soft landing but was damaged, preventing sample collection.

1976-081ASample ReturnSuccess

Luna 24

1976SOVLavochkin Design Bureau

Third and final successful Soviet robotic lunar sample-return mission.

1990-007AOrbiterImpactorSuccess

Hiten and Hagoromo (MUSES-A)

1990JPNInstitute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS)

First Japanese lunar mission. Third nation to send a spacecraft to the Moon.

1994-004AOrbiterSuccess

Clementine

1994USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

First U.S. Moon mission in 20 years; hinted at south-pole ice.

1998-001AOrbiterImpactorSuccess

Lunar Prospector

1998USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Mapped the Moon’s composition and resources and found strong evidence for water ice near the lunar poles.

2003-043COrbiterImpactorSuccess

SMART-1

2003 – 2004EUREuropean Space Agency (ESA)

First European Space Agency mission to the Moon.

2007-004B, 2007-004COrbiterActive

ARTEMIS-THEMIS

2007 – 2011USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Two recycled probes, first to orbit the Earth-Moon Lagrange points.

2007-039AOrbiterImpactorSuccess

SELENE (Kaguya)

2007JPNJapan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

Japan’s largest and most advanced lunar mission at the time.

2007-051AOrbiterImpactorSuccess

Chang'e 1

2007CHNChina National Space Administration (CNSA)

China’s first lunar mission and first spacecraft to operate beyond Earth orbit.

2008-052AOrbiterImpactorSuccess

Chandrayaan-1 and MIP

2008INDIndian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)

India’s first mission to the Moon; confirmed water on the Moon.

2009-031AOrbiterActive

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO)

2009USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

NASA’s longest-running orbiter, still mapping the Moon in detail.

2009-031BImpactorSuccess

LCROSS

2009USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Confirmed water ice exists on the Moon in permanently shadowed polar craters.

2010-050AOrbiterSuccess

Chang'e 2

2010CHNChina National Space Administration (CNSA)

Pathfinder orbiter that went on to a Lagrange point and an asteroid.

2011-046A, 2011-046BOrbiterImpactorSuccess

GRAIL: Ebb and Flow (GRAIL)

2011 – 2012USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Created the highest-resolution gravity map of the Moon ever produced.

2013-047AOrbiterImpactorSuccess

Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE)

2013USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

First mission dedicated to studying the Moon’s thin atmosphere.

2013-070ARoverLanderActive

Chang'e 3 and Yutu

2013CHNChina National Space Administration (CNSA)

First soft landing since 1976, and still active on the Moon.

2014-065AFlybySuccess

Chang'e 5-T1

2014CHNChina National Space Administration (CNSA)

Tested lunar-return and reentry technology for China’s future sample missions.

2018-045AOrbiterActive

Queqiao

2018CHNChina National Space Administration (CNSA)

Relay satellite at L2 that connected the far-side Chang'e 4 to Earth.

2018-103ARoverLanderActive

Chang'e 4 and Yutu 2

2018 – 2019CHNChina National Space Administration (CNSA)

First spacecraft to achieve a soft landing on the Moon’s far side.

2019-009BLanderFailure

Beresheet

2019ISRSpaceIL & Israel Aerospace Industries

Israel's first Moon try; the first private lunar landing attempt.

2019-042AOrbiterLanderActive

Chandrayaan-2

2019INDIndian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)

Successfully placed a long-lived scientific orbiter into lunar orbit, which continues to study the Moon years beyond its…

2020-087ASample ReturnSuccess

Chang'e 5

2020CHNChina National Space Administration (CNSA)

Returned the first lunar samples to Earth since Luna 24 in 1976.

2022-070AOrbiterSuccess

CAPSTONE (Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment)

2022USAAdvanced Space (for NASA)

Tiny pathfinder that proved the halo orbit chosen for the Gateway lunar station.

2022-094AOrbiterActive

Danuri (Korean Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter)

2022KORKorea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI)

South Korea's first Moon mission, carrying NASA's ShadowCam.

2022-156AFlybyOrbiterSuccess

Artemis I

2022USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

First mission of NASA’s Artemis program to return humans to the Moon.

2022-168ALanderFailure

Hakuto-R Mission 1

2022 – 2023JPNispace

First Japanese commercial Moon landing try; lost on final descent.

2022-168ARoverFailure

Emirates Lunar Mission and Rashid Rover

2022 – 2023UAEMohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC)

First lunar mission and first lunar rover developed by the United Arab Emirates.

2023-098ARoverLanderSuccess

Chandrayaan-3

2023INDIndian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)

First successful soft landing by India and the first spacecraft to land near the Moon’s south pole.

2023-118ALanderFailure

Luna 25

2023RUSRoscosmos

Russia's first Moon shot since 1976; it crashed near the south pole.

2023-137DLanderPartial

SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon)

2023JPNJapan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

Japan's first Moon landing, and the first pinpoint touchdown.

2024-006ALanderFailure

Peregrine Mission 1

2024USAAstrobotic Technology

First CLPS lander; a propellant leak ended it before the Moon.

2024-030ALanderPartial

IM-1

2024USAIntuitive Machines

First U.S. soft landing since Apollo, though it tipped on arrival.

2024-051AOrbiterActive

Queqiao-2 (Magpie Bridge 2)

2024CHNChina National Space Administration (CNSA)

Provides communications and navigation support for spacecraft operating on the Moon’s far side and south polar region.

2024-089ASample ReturnSuccess

Chang'e 6 (Chang'e-6)

2024CHNChina National Space Administration (CNSA)

First sample return from the Moon’s far side.

2025-010ALanderSuccess

Blue Ghost 1

2025USAFirefly Aerospace

First commercial spacecraft to complete a fully successful soft landing on the Moon.

2025-010BLanderRoverFailure

Hakuto-R Mission 2 (Resilience)

2025JPNispace

ispace's second landing try, lost 90 seconds before touchdown.

2025-038ALanderPartial

IM-2

2025USAIntuitive Machines

Reached closest to the south pole, but landed on its side.

2026-069ACrewedFlybySuccess

Artemis II

2026USANational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

First crewed mission beyond Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972.