CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The history of lunar exploration is a mix of triumphs and failures.
Recently, an American company has distinguished itself by achieving the first private moon landing, joining an exclusive club previously limited to just five sovereign nations.
A lunar lander designed by Intuitive Machines through a NASA initiative successfully completed its moon landing on Thursday. Despite landing on its side, the lander was operational and able to communicate, as announced by company representatives on Friday.
This milestone signifies America’s return to the lunar surface, the first since NASA’s Apollo missions concluded in 1972.
The moon’s surface bears the scars of various landing attempts, some successful, others not so much. Another U.S. enterprise, Astrobotic Technology, attempted a moon landing last month but had to abort due to a fuel leakage. The disabled lander re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere and was incinerated over the Pacific Ocean.
Both U.S. ventures are part of NASA’s commercial lunar payload delivery program.
Here is a summary of lunar exploration highs and lows:
LUNAR PIONEERS
The Luna 9 probe from the Soviet Union was the first to achieve a soft landing on the moon in 1966, setting a precedent for subsequent missions. Shortly thereafter, the United States succeeded with the landing of Surveyor 1. The two superpowers continued to advance robotic exploration, stoking the competition for manned lunar expeditions.
APOLLO DOMINANCE
The Apollo 11 mission of 1969 marked a significant victory in the space race, sending astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to the moon. Twelve astronauts in total walked on the lunar surface across six Apollo missions. The United States, still the sole nation to have sent humans to the moon, has plans for more crewed lunar missions, aiming to land astronauts on the moon again by roughly 2026, following an orbiting mission scheduled for a year prior.
CHINA’S MOONSHOT
In 2013, China became the third legacy nation to successfully complete a moon landing, deploying the Yutu rover. China continued its lunar ambitions by landing the Yutu-2 rover on the uncharted far side of the moon in 2019, a historic first. China also conducted a sample return mission in 2020, retrieving around 4 pounds of lunar material, and has another such mission planned soon. Looking to rival NASA, China intends to send its own astronauts to the moon’s surface by around 2030.
RUSSIAN ATTEMPTS
Russia’s recent effort to land on the moon for the first time since the 1970s ended in failure when its Luna 25 spacecraft collided with the lunar surface in 2023. The country’s last success, Luna 24, not only landed but also returned samples to Earth.
INDIA’S SECOND SHOT
After its initial failed attempt in 2019, India launched Chandrayaan-3 in 2023, which succeeded in landing, making India the fourth country to achieve a soft lunar landing. This victory came closely following Russia’s unsuccessful attempt.
THE JAPANESE ENDEAVOR
Japan joined the ranks of moon landers as the fifth nation to complete a landing, though the spacecraft settled on the incorrect side of the moon, limiting power generation but still managing to transmit data and imagery before succumbing to the lunar nights.
PRIVATE SECTOR EFFORTS
The Israeli privately funded lander, Beresheet, suffered a crash landing in 2019. Likewise, a Japanese entrepreneur-backed company, ispace, faced a crash with its lunar lander in 2023. Despite their setbacks, companies like Astrobotic Technology and Intuitive Machines are planning further lunar deliveries.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
FAQs About Moon Landings
- Q: Which was the first private company to achieve a moon landing?
- A: Intuitive Machines is the first private company to achieve a safe moon landing.
- Q: How many astronauts walked on the moon during the Apollo missions?
- A: Twelve astronauts walked on the moon over the course of six Apollo missions.
- Q: What was notable about China’s Yutu-2 rover?
- A: The Yutu-2 rover was notable for successfully touching down on the unexplored far side of the moon for the first time in history.
- Q: Has India succeeded in a lunar landing?
- A: Yes, after a failed attempt in 2019, India’s Chandrayaan-3 successfully landed on the moon in 2023.
Conclusion
The quest to explore the moon has seen a spectrum of outcomes from various countries and private entities. While the Apollo missions represent the pinnacle of lunar exploration, recent accomplishments from nations like China and India, as well as private sector contributions, signal a renewed global interest in lunar science and potential colonization. As the competition and collaboration in space exploration continue, the moon remains a pivotal celestial body for understanding our place in the cosmos and advancing space technology.