Lunar Mission Summaries
Details of robotic and human spacecraft missions that have been sent to the Moon to explore the lunar surface and determine the Moon's origin.
Lunar Exploration Timeline
(Click here for a text version of the timeline)
Lunar Exploration Timeline
1959
Luna 1 - Jan 2, 1959 - Flyby
Pioneer 4 - Mar 3, 1959 - Flyby
Luna 2 - Sep 12, 1959 - Impact
Luna 3 - Oct 4, 1959 - Probe
1961
Ranger 1 - Aug 23, 1961 - Attempted Test Flight
Ranger 2 - Nov 18, 1961 - Attempted Test Flight
1962
Ranger 3 - Jan 26, 1962 - Attempted Impact
Ranger 4 - Apr 23, 1962 - Impact
Ranger 5 - Oct 18, 1962 - Attempted Impact
1963
Luna 4 - Apr 2, 1963 - Flyby
1964
Ranger 6 - Jan 30, 1964 - Impact
Ranger 7 - Jul 28, 1964 - Impact
1965
Ranger 8 - Feb 17, 1965 - Impact
Ranger 9 - Mar 21, 1965 - Impact
Luna 5 - May 9, 1965 - Impact
Luna 6 - Jun 8, 1965 - Attempted Lander
Zond 3 - Jul 18, 1965 - Flyby
Luna 7 - Oct 4, 1965 - Impact
Luna 8 - Dec 3, 1965 - Impact
1966
Luna 9 - Jan 31, 1966 - Lander
Luna 10 - Mar 31, 1966 - Orbiter
Surveyor 1 - May 30, 1966 - Lander
Lunar Orbiter 1 - Aug 10, 1966 - Orbiter
Luna 11 - Aug 24, 1966 - Orbiter
Surveyor 2 - Sep 20, 1966 - Attempted Lander
Luna 12 - Oct 22, 1966 - Orbiter
Lunar Orbiter 2 - Nov 6, 1966 - Orbiter
Luna 13 - Dec 21, 1966 - Lander
1967
Lunar Orbiter 3 - Feb 4, 1967 - Orbiter
Surveyor 3 - Apr 17, 1967 - Lander
Lunar Orbiter 4 - May 8, 1967 - Orbiter
Surveyor 4 - Jul 14, 1967 - Attempted Lander
Lunar Orbiter 5 - Aug 1, 1967 - Orbiter
Surveyor 5 - Sep 8, 1967 - Lander
Surveyor 6 - Nov 7, 1967 - Lander
1968
Surveyor 7 - Jan 7, 1968 - Lander
Luna 14 - Apr 7, 1968 - Orbiter
Zond 5 - Sep 15, 1968 - Return Probe
Zond 6 - Nov 10, 1968 - Return Probe
Apollo 8 - Dec 21, 1968 - Crewed Orbiter
1969
Apollo 10 - May 18, 1969 - Orbiter
Luna 15 - Jul 13, 1969 - Orbiter
Apollo 11 - Jul 16, 1969 - Crewed Lander
Zond 7 - Aug 7, 1969 - Return Probe
Apollo 12 - Nov 14, 1969 - Crewed Lander
1970
Apollo 13 - Apr 11, 1970 - Crewed Lander (aborted)
Luna 16 - Sep 12, 1970 - Sample Return
Zond 8 - Oct 20, 1970 - Return Probe
Luna 17/Lunokhod 1- Nov 10, 1970 - Rover
1971
Apollo 14 - Jan 31, 1971 - Crewed Lander
Apollo 15 - Jul 26, 1971 - Crewed Lander
Luna 18 - Sep 2, 1971 - Impact
Luna 19 - Sep 28, 1971 - Orbiter
1972
Luna 20 - Feb 14, 1972 - Sample Return
Apollo 16 - Apr 16, 1972 - Crewed Landing
Apollo 17 - Dec 7, 1972 - Crewed Landing
1973
Luna 21/Lunokhod 2 - Jan 8, 1973 - Rover
1974
Luna 22 - Jun 2, 1974 - Orbiter
Luna 23 - Oct 28, 1974 - Lander
1976
Luna 24 - Aug 14, 1976 - Sample Return
1990
Hiten - Jan 24, 1990 - Flyby, Orbiter, and Impactor
1994
Clementine - Jan 25, 1994 - Orbiter
1997
AsiaSat 3/HGS-1 - Dec 24, 1997 - Lunar Flyby
1998
Lunar Prospector - Jan 7, 1998 - Orbiter and Impactor
2003
SMART 1 - Sep 27, 2003 - Lunar Orbiter
2007
Kaguya (SELENE) - Sep 2007 - Lunar Orbiter
Chang'e 1 - Sep 2007 - Lunar Orbiter
2008
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter - Oct 2008 - Lunar Orbiter
Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) - Oct 2008
Chandrayaan-1 - Sep 2007 - Lunar Orbiter
Lunar-A - Cancelled - Orbiter and Penetrators
