
Lunar Exploration Highlights - 2000–2010
Missions to the Moon this century
MISSION | Agency | Launch Date | End Date |
SMART-1 | ESA | 27 Sept. 2003 | 3 Sept. 2006 |
Kaguya (SELENE) | JAXA | 14 Sept. 2007 | 10 June 2009 |
Chang' E-1 | CNSA | 24 Oct. 2009 | 1 Mar. 2010 |
Chandrayaan-1 | ISRO | 22 Oct. 2008 | 31 Aug. 2009 |
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) | NASA | 17 June 2009 | STILL ACTIVE |
LCROSS | NASA | 17 June 2009 | 9 Oct. 2009 |
ARTEMIS | NASA | 20 July 2009* | STILL ACTIVE |
Chang' E-2 | CNSA | 1 Oct. 2010 | 8 June 2011** |
GRAIL | NASA | 10 Sept. 2011 | 17 Dec. 2011 |
LADEE | NASA | 6 Sept. 2013 | 17 Apr. 2014 |
Chang' E-3 | CNSA | 1 Dec. 2013 | STILL ACTIVE |
* Actual launch date = 17 Feb. 2007 as part of the THEMIS mission. Date represents the start of operations once the three satellite arrived at the Moon.
** End of lunar operations and departed lunar orbit.
- Moon's Greatest Hits Since 2000 (large file with all science nuggets)
- Anhydrous Moon
- Ash flow caldera discovered
- Global maps and datasets
- Highlands composition
- Impact melts
- LADEE Science Highlights
- Lunar core
- Lunar laser ranging
- Lunar Magma Ocean
- Lunar pits
- Lunar swirls
- Lunar terranes
- New lunar lithologies
- New measurement techniques
- Organic matter in lunar samples
- Procellarum Basin
- Recent lunar tectonism
- Recent volcanic activity
- Regolith properties
- SPA impact
- Volatiles - Endogenous
- Volatiles - Surface
Mission-specific science results: