The Moon has been a source of fascination for humans for centuries. Today all the countries are likely in a predominant race to explore the Moon.
Its beauty, mystery, and proximity to Earth have inspired artists, scientists, and explorers alike. Currently, there is renewed interest in lunar exploration, driven by the potential for scientific discovery and economic development.
In order to explore the dynamics of the moon, various countries have attempted numerous times. Hereby we have mentioned all the missions done by various companies
Countries that have successfully landed on the moon
United States
- Apollo 11 (1969): First crewed mission to land on the moon
- Apollo 12 (1969): Second crewed mission to land on the moon
- Apollo 14 (1971): Third crewed mission to land on the moon
- Apollo 15 (1971): Fourth crewed mission to land on the moon
- Apollo 16 (1972): Fifth crewed mission to land on the moon
- Apollo 17 (1972): Sixth and final crewed mission to land on the moon
China
- Chang’e 3 (2013): First Chinese spacecraft to land on the moon
- Chang’e 4 (2019): First spacecraft to land on the far side of the moon
India
- Chandrayaan-2 (2019): Orbiter and lander spacecraft attempted to land on the moon, but the lander crashed.
Countries that have had spacecraft impact the moon
Soviet Union/ Russia
- Luna 2 (1959): First spacecraft to impact the moon
- Luna 9 (1966): First spacecraft to soft-land on the moon
- Luna 16 (1970): First spacecraft to successfully return samples from the moon
- Luna 25 (2023): Failed mission, crashed on the surface of moon.
United States
- Ranger 4 (1962): First spacecraft to intentionally crash into the moon
- Surveyor 1 (1966): First spacecraft to soft-land on the moon and transmit images back to Earth
Japan
- Hiten (1990): First Japanese spacecraft to orbit the moon
- Selene (2007): First Japanese spacecraft to soft-land on the moon
Israel
- Beresheet (2019): First Israeli spacecraft to attempt to land on the moon, but the spacecraft crashed
Ongoing missions
China
- Chang’e 5 (2020): First Chinese spacecraft to return samples from the moon
- Chang’e 6 (2024): Planned mission to return samples from the moon
- Chang’e 7 (2025): Planned mission to study the lunar south pole
United States
- Artemis 1 (2024): Uncrewed test flight of the Artemis program
- Artemis 2 (2025): Crewed test flight of the Artemis program
- Artemis 3 (2026): First crewed mission to land on the moon since 1972
India
- Chandrayaan-3 (2023): Planned mission to soft-land on the moon. To be completed on 23rd August 2023.
Japan
- Hakuto-R (2023): Planned commercial mission to the moon
In addition to all these, there have been a number of other spacecraft that have crashed on the moon unintentionally, such as the European Space Agency’s SMART-1 spacecraft.
Why so many expeditions & Attempts towards Moon?
- To learn more about the moon’s history and geology
- To search for resources, such as water and Helium-3.
- To test new technologies in a low-gravity environment
- To develop a lunar base as a stepping stone to Mars and other destinations.
- To boost national prestige and economic development
Overall, there are many reasons why countries are interested in exploring the moon. The moon is a valuable resource that can be used for scientific research, technological development, and commercial purposes. It is likely that we will see more and more countries sending missions to the moon in the years to come.
Conclusion
Sending a spacecraft to the moon is a major technological achievement, and it can boost a country’s prestige and economic development. This is a major motivation for countries like China and India, which are emerging space powers. Currently, Chandraayan 3 is all set to make its soft landing on the moon on 23rd August. Let’s see what happens. It is surely going to be a remarkable treat to view the completion of the mission.