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List of lunar probes

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Surveyor 3 on the Moon.
The first image returned by Luna 3 showed the far side of the Moon

This is a list of robotic space probes that have flown by, impacted, orbited or landed on the Moon for the purpose of lunar exploration, as well as probes launched toward the Moon that failed to reach their target.

The crewed Apollo missions are listed at List of missions to the Moon.

Major programs encompassing several probes include:

Second confirmation of water on Moon by Chandrayaan-1's Moon Mineralogy Mapper that observed reflectance spectra of water ice.

Key

[edit]

Colour key:

  – Mission or flyby completed successfully (or partially successfully)       – Failed or cancelled mission
  – Mission en route or in progress (including mission extensions)   – Planned mission
  • † means "tentatively identified", as classified by NASA [1]. These are Cold War-era Soviet missions, mostly failures, about which few or no details have been officially released. The information given may be speculative.[needs update]
  • Date is the date of:
  • closest encounter (flybys)
  • impact (impactors)
  • orbital insertion to end of mission, whether planned or premature (orbiters)
  • landing to end of mission, whether planned or premature (landers)
  • launch (missions that never got underway due to failure at or soon after launch)
In cases which do not fit any of the above, the event to which the date refers is stated. Note that as a result of this scheme missions are not always listed in order of launch.
  • In the case of flybys (such as gravity assists) that are incidental to the main mission, "success" indicates the successful completion of the flyby, not necessarily that of the main mission.

Lunar probes by date

[edit]

1958–1960

[edit]
Spacecraft Organization Date Type Status Notes Image Ref
Pioneer 0 United States DoD 17 August 1958 orbiter failure first attempted launch beyond Earth orbit; launch vehicle failure; maximum altitude 16 km ABLE1
Luna E-1 No.1 Soviet Union USSR 23 September 1958 impactor failure launch vehicle failure [2]
Pioneer 1 United States NASA/
DoD 		11 October 1958 orbiter failure second stage premature shutdown; maximum altitude 113,800 km; some data returned 1958-007A
Luna E-1 No.2 Soviet Union USSR 12 October 1958 impactor failure launch vehicle failure [3]
Pioneer 2 United States NASA/
STL 		8 November 1958 orbiter failure third stage failure; maximum altitude 1,550 km; some data returned PION2
Luna E-1 No.3 Soviet Union USSR 4 December 1958 impactor failure launch vehicle failure [4]
Pioneer 3 United States NASA/
DoD 		6 December 1958 flyby failure fuel depletion; maximum altitude 102,360 km; some data returned 1958-008A
Luna 1 Soviet Union USSR 4 January 1959 flyby partial success first spacecraft in the vicinity of the Moon (flew within 5,995 km, but probably an intended impactor) 1959-012A
Pioneer 4 United States NASA/
DoD 		4 March 1959 flyby partial success achieved distant flyby; first US probe to enter solar orbit 1959-013A
Luna E-1A No.1 Soviet Union USSR 18 June 1959 impactor failure failed to reach Earth orbit [5]
Luna 2 Soviet Union USSR 14 September 1959 impactor success first impact on Moon 1959-014A
Pioneer P-1 United States NASA 24 September 1959? orbiter? failure designation sometimes given to a failed launch or launchpad explosion during testing; conflicting information between sources
Luna 3 Soviet Union USSR 6 October 1959 flyby success first images from the lunar farside 1959-008A
Pioneer P-3 United States NASA 26 November 1959 orbiter failure disintegrated shortly after launch PIONX
Luna 1960A† Soviet Union USSR 15 April 1960 flyby failure failed to attain correct trajectory [6]
Luna 1960B† Soviet Union USSR 16 April 1960 flyby failure launch vehicle failure [7]
Pioneer P-30 United States NASA 25 September 1960 orbiter failure second stage failure; failed to reach Earth orbit PIONY
Pioneer P-31 United States NASA 15 December 1960 orbiter failure first stage failure PIONZ

1962–1965

[edit]
Spacecraft Organization Date Type Status Notes Image Ref
Ranger 3 United States NASA 28 January 1962 impactor failure missed target 1962-001A
Ranger 4 United States NASA 26 April 1962 impactor failure hit the lunar farside; no data returned 1962-012A
Ranger 5 United States NASA 21 October 1962 impactor failure power failure, missed target 1962-055A
Sputnik 25 Soviet Union USSR 5 January 1963 lander failure failed to escape Earth orbit 1963-001A
Luna E-6 No.3† Soviet Union USSR 2 February 1963 lander? failure failed to reach Earth orbit [8]
Luna 4 Soviet Union USSR 5 April 1963 lander? failure missed target, became Earth satellite 1963-008B
Ranger 6 United States NASA 2 February 1964 impactor partial success impacted, but no pictures returned due to power failure 1964-007A
Luna 1964A† Soviet Union USSR 21 March 1964 lander failure failed to reach Earth orbit
Ranger 7 United States NASA 31 July 1964 impactor success returned pictures until impact 1964-041A
Ranger 8 United States NASA 20 February 1965 impactor success returned pictures until impact 1965-010A
Cosmos 60 Soviet Union USSR 12 March 1965 lander failure failed to leave Earth orbit 1965-018A
Ranger 9 United States NASA 24 March 1965 impactor success TV broadcast of live pictures until impact 1965-023A
Luna 1965A† Soviet Union USSR 10 April 1965 lander failure failed to reach Earth orbit? [9]
Luna 5 Soviet Union USSR 12 May 1965 lander failure crashed into Moon 1965-036A
Luna 6 Soviet Union USSR 8 June 1965 lander failure missed Moon 1965-044A
Zond 3 Soviet Union USSR 20 July 1965 flyby success possibly originally intended as a Mars probe, but target changed after launch window missed 1965-056A
Luna 7 Soviet Union USSR 7 October 1965 lander failure crashed into Moon 1965-077A
Luna 8 Soviet Union USSR 6 December 1965 lander failure crashed into Moon 1965-099A

1966–1967

[edit]
Spacecraft Organization Date Type Status Notes Image Ref
Luna 9 Soviet Union USSR 3 February 1966 –
6 February 1966 		lander success first soft landing; first images from the surface 1966-006A
Cosmos 111 Soviet Union USSR 1 March 1966 orbiter failure failed to escape Earth orbit 1966-017A
Luna 10 Soviet Union USSR 3 April 1966 –
30 May 1966 		orbiter success first artificial satellite of the Moon 1966-027A
Luna 1966A† Soviet Union USSR 30 April 1966 orbiter failure failed to reach Earth orbit [10]
Surveyor 1 United States NASA 2 June 1966 lander success first US soft landing; Surveyor program performed various tests in support of forthcoming human landings 1966-045A
Explorer 33 United States NASA 1 July 1966 –
15 September 1971 		orbiter partial success studied interplanetary plasma, cosmic rays, magnetic fields and solar X rays; failed to attain lunar orbit as intended, but achieved mission objectives from Earth orbit 1966-058A
Lunar Orbiter 1 United States NASA 14 August 1966 –
29 October 1966 		orbiter success photographic mapping of lunar surface; intentionally impacted after completion of mission 1966-073A
Luna 11 Soviet Union USSR 28 August 1966 –
1 October 1966 		orbiter success gamma-ray and X-ray-based observations of Moon's composition; gravity, radiation and meteorite studies 1966-078A
Surveyor 2 United States NASA 23 September 1966 lander failure crashed into Moon 1966-084A
Luna 12 Soviet Union USSR 25 October 1966 –
19 January 1967 		orbiter success lunar surface photography 1966-094A
Lunar Orbiter 2 United States NASA 10 November 1966 –
11 October 1967 		orbiter success photographic mapping of lunar surface; intentionally impacted after completion of mission 1966-100A
Luna 13 Soviet Union USSR 24 December 1966 lander success TV pictures of lunar landscape; soil measurements 1966-116A
Lunar Orbiter 3 United States NASA 8 February 1967 –
9 October 1967 		orbiter success photographic mapping of lunar surface; intentionally impacted after completion of mission 1967-008A
Surveyor 3 United States NASA 20 April 1967 –
4 May 1967 		lander success various studies, primarily in support of forthcoming human landings. First lander visited by a later crewed mission (Apollo 12) that even brought its components back to Earth. 1967-035A
Lunar Orbiter 4 United States NASA May–October 1967 orbiter success lunar photographic survey 1967-041A
Explorer 35 United States NASA July 1967 –
24 June 1973 		orbiter success studies of interplanetary plasma, magnetic fields, energetic particles and solar X rays 1967-070A
Surveyor 4 United States NASA 17 July 1967 lander failure crashed into Moon 1967-068A
Lunar Orbiter 5 United States NASA 5 August 1967 –
31 January 1968 		orbiter success lunar photographic survey; intentionally impacted after completion of mission 1967-075A
Surveyor 5 United States NASA 11 September 1967 –
17 December 1967 		lander success various studies, primarily in support of forthcoming human landings 1967-084A
Zond 1967A† Soviet Union USSR 28 September 1967 failure lunar capsule test flight; launch failure [11]
Surveyor 6 United States NASA 10 November 1967 –
14 December 1967 		lander success various studies, primarily in support of forthcoming human landings 1967-112A
Zond 1967B† Soviet Union USSR 22 November 1967 failure lunar capsule test flight; launch failure [12]

1968–1970

[edit]
Spacecraft Organization Date Type Status Notes Image Ref
Surveyor 7 United States NASA 10 January 1968 –
21 February 1968 		lander success various studies, primarily in support of forthcoming human landings; fifth and final Surveyor mission to achieve soft landing 1968-001A
Luna 1968A† Soviet Union USSR 7 February 1968 orbiter? failure failed to reach Earth orbit [13]
Zond 4 Soviet Union USSR 2 March 1968 (launch) lunar programme flight test, directed away from Moon, either intentionally or unintentionally 1968-013A
Luna 14 Soviet Union USSR 10 April 1968 – ? orbiter success tests of radio communications technologies; lunar mascon studies 1968-027A
Zond 1968A† Soviet Union USSR 23 April 1968 flyby? failure launch failure [14]
Zond 5 Soviet Union USSR 18 September 1968 flyby success bioscience experiments; returned to soft landing on Earth 1968-076A
Zond 6 Soviet Union USSR 14 November 1968 flyby success cosmic-ray, micrometeoroid and bioscience studies; returned to soft landing on Earth 1968-101A
Zond 1969A† Soviet Union USSR 20 January 1969 flyby failure launch aborted [15]
Luna 1969A† Soviet Union USSR 19 February 1969 lander failure launch vehicle failure [16]
   Lunokhod 201† rover failure
Zond L1S-1† Soviet Union USSR 21 February 1969 orbiter failure launch vehicle failure [17]
Luna 1969B† Soviet Union USSR 15 April 1969 sample return? failure launch failure [18]
Luna 1969C† Soviet Union USSR 14 June 1969 sample return failure launch failure [19]
Zond L1S-2† Soviet Union USSR 3 July 1969 orbiter failure launch failure [20]
Luna 15 Soviet Union USSR 21 July 1969 sample return? failure? completed 52 lunar orbits then crash-landed 1969-058A
Zond 7 Soviet Union USSR 11 August 1969 flyby success returned to soft landing on Earth 1969-067A
Cosmos 300 Soviet Union USSR 23 September 1969 sample return failure failed to escape Earth orbit 1969-080A
Cosmos 305 Soviet Union USSR 22 October 1969 sample return failure failed to escape Earth orbit 1969-092A
Luna 1970A† Soviet Union USSR 6 February 1970 sample return? failure launch vehicle failure [21]
Luna 1970B† Soviet Union USSR 19 February 1970 orbiter? failure launch vehicle failure [22]
Luna 16 Soviet Union USSR 20 September 1970 sample return success first robotic sample return 1970-072A
Zond 8 Soviet Union USSR 24 October 1970 flyby success returned to soft landing on Earth 1970-088A
Luna 17 Soviet Union USSR 17 November 1970 –
4 October 1971 		lander success deployed rover 1970-095A
   Lunokhod 1 rover success first robotic rover; travelled over 10 km 1970-095D

1971–1976

[edit]
Spacecraft Organization Date Type Status Notes Image Ref
Luna 18 Soviet Union USSR 11 September 1971 lander/sample return? failure crashed into Moon 1971-073A
Luna 19 Soviet Union USSR 3 October 1971 –
October 1972 		orbiter success 1971-082A
Luna 20 Soviet Union USSR 21 February 1972 sample return success second successful robotic sample return 1972-007A
Soyuz L3† Soviet Union USSR 23 November 1972 orbiter failure launch failure [23]
Luna 21 Soviet Union USSR 15 January 1973 –
May 1973? 		lander success deployed rover 1973-001A
   Lunokhod 2 rover success second robotic rover; travelled 37 km
Explorer 49 United States NASA 15 June 1973 –
June 1975 		orbiter success radio astronomy observations; last US lunar mission until 1994 1973-039A
Mariner 10 United States NASA November 1973 flyby success en route to Venus and Mercury 1973-085A
Luna 22 Soviet Union USSR 2 June 1974 –
November 1974 		orbiter success 1974-037A
Luna 23 Soviet Union USSR 6 November 1974 sample return failure damaged on landing, sample return failed 1974-084A
Luna 1975A† Soviet Union USSR 16 October 1975 sample return failure failed to reach Earth orbit [24]
Luna 24 Soviet Union USSR 18 August 1976 sample return success third and final successful sample return in Luna programme 1976-081A

1983–1998

[edit]
Spacecraft Organization Date Type Status Notes Image Ref
ICE (formerly ISEE-3) United States NASA 22 December 1983 flyby success gravity assist en route to comet flybys 1978-079A
Hiten Japan ISAS March 1990 – October 1991 flyby (approached 10 times) success in Moon-crossing Earth orbit from January 1990, later transferred to lunar orbit after failure of Hagoromo; intentionally impacted on Moon at end of mission; first Japanese probe (and non-USSR/US probe) to enter lunar orbit 1990-007A
February 1992 – April 1993 orbiter success
   Hagoromo Japan ISAS March 1990 orbiter failure released by Hiten into lunar orbit, but transmitter failed and orbit never confirmed
GEOTAIL Japan ISAS / United StatesNASA September 1992 – November 1994 flyby (approached 14 times) success gravity assist en route magnetotail around L2 / finally deployed into high Earth orbit [25]
WIND United States NASA 1 December 1994 and 27 December 1994 flyby success gravity assists en route to Earth–Sun L1 Lagrangian point 1994-071A
Clementine United States BMDO/
NASA 		February – June 1994 orbiter partial success lunar and Earth observations and component testing; planned Geographos flyby failed 1994-004A
HGS-1 United States Hughes Global Services May/June 1998 Flyby (orbital correction) errant communications satellite, flew within 6,200 kilometers of Moon during orbit correction manoeuvres 1997-086A
Lunar Prospector United States NASA January 1998 –
July 1999 		orbiter success lunar surface mapping; intentionally impacted into polar crater at end of mission to test for liberation of water vapour (not detected) 1998-001A
Nozomi Japan ISAS 24 September 1998 flyby success gravity assists on planned mission to Mars 1998-041A
18 December 1998 flyby success

2001–2009

[edit]
Spacecraft Organization Date Type Status Notes Image Ref
WMAP United States NASA 30 July 2001 flyby success gravity assist en route to Earth–Sun L2 Lagrangian point 2001-027A
SMART-1 ESA 13 November 2004 –
3 September 2006 		orbiter success technology testbed and lunar geological studies; intentionally impacted at end of mission; first European probe to orbit the Moon 2003-043C
STEREO A United States NASA 15 December 2006 flyby success gravity assist to enter a heliocentric orbit 2006-047A
STEREO B United States NASA 15 December 2006 and 21 January 2007 flyby success gravity assists to enter a heliocentric orbit 2006-047B
SELENE
(Kaguya) 		Japan JAXA 3 October 2007 – 10 June 2009 orbiter success mineralogical, geographical, magnetic and gravitational observations 2007-039A
Okina
(Relay Star) 		9 October 2007 – 12 February 2009 Kaguya subsatellite success relay for Kaguya's Far Side operations
Ouna
(VRAD) 		12 October 2007 – 29 June 2009 Kaguya subsatellite success (still in orbit) Very Long Baseline Interferometry
Chang'e 1 China CNSA 5 November 2007 – 1 March 2009 orbiter success 3D lunar mapping and geological observations; first Chinese probe to orbit a body besides Earth; impacted to collect data in preparation for future soft landings 2007-051A [26][27]
Chandrayaan-1 India ISRO 8 November 2008 – 29 August 2009 orbiter success high resolution 3D mapping, search water in polar region (first detection of water) and spectral analysis of the Moon's surface and inner compositions[1] 2008-052A [28] Archived 2014-04-12 at the Wayback Machine
Moon Impact Probe (MIP) India ISRO 14 November 2008 impactor success test and demonstrate targeting technologies for future soft landings, scientific observation from close range [29]
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter United States NASA 23 June 2009 – orbiter in orbit survey of lunar resources and identification of possible landing sites 2009-031A
LCROSS United States NASA 23 June 2009 flyby success consisted of the Shepherding Spacecraft and Centaur upper stage (Earth Departure Upper Stage) 2009-031B [30]
   LCROSS Shepherding Spacecraft 9 October 2009 impactor success analyzed upper-stage impact plume for traces of water liberated from the Moon's surface
   LCROSS Earth Departure Upper Stage 9 October 2009 impactor success

2010–2019

[edit]
Spacecraft Organization Date Type Status Notes Image Ref
Chang'e 2 China CNSA 1 October 2010 – 27 August 2011 orbiter success capture high resolution images of the landing zone for Chang'e 3, measure and analyze composition of the surface. Then sent to L2 and on to an asteroid flyby. 2010-050A [31]
ARTEMIS P1 United States NASA 2 July 2011 – orbiter in orbit to study the effect of the solar wind on the lunar surface 2007-004B [32]
ARTEMIS P2 United States NASA 17 July 2011 – orbiter in orbit to study the effect of the solar wind on the lunar surface 2007-004C [33]
GRAIL A
(Ebb) 		United States NASA 31 December 2011 – 17 December 2012 orbiter success mapped the Moon's gravitational field; intentionally impacted at end of mission 2011-046A [34]
GRAIL B
(Flow) 		United States NASA 1 January 2012 – 12 December 2012 orbiter success mapped the Moon's gravitational field; intentionally impacted at end of mission 2011-046B [35]
LADEE United States NASA 6 September 2013 – 8 April 2014 orbiter success designed to study the lunar exosphere and dust. Intentionally impacted on far side of Moon. 2013-047A
Chang'e 3 China CNSA 1 December 2013 - lander in progress soft-landed on the Moon and deployed Yutu rover on 14 December 2013; one functioning instrument as of 1 September 2020 [36] 2013-070A [37]
   Yutu China CNSA 1 December 2013 –
2016? 		rover success survived multiple lunar nights, became immobile 42 days after landing 2013-070C
Chang'e 5-T1 China CNSA 28 October 2014 flyby success Technology demonstrator for Chang'e 5 mission; after separating the Xiaofei reentry capsule, the service module eventually entered lunar orbit to conduct rendezvous exercises 2014-065A [38]
10 January 2015 – orbiter in progress
Manfred Memorial Moon Mission Luxembourg Luxspace October 2014 flyby/impactor (post mission) success privately funded payload attached to a Long March 3C rocket third stage; its dosimeter measured ionizing radiation in space. Unintentional Impact on 4 March 2022. [39][40]
TESS United States NASA 17 May 2018 flyby success gravity assist to achieve a lunar resonant high Earth orbit 2018-038A
Queqiao China CNSA 25 May 2018 flyby success Used a gravity assist en route to the Earth–Moon L2 Lagrangian point. Currently serving as relay for Chang'e 4 lander and rover on the far side. 2018-045A
Longjiang-1 China HIT 25 May 2018 orbiter failure malfunctioned after launch, became flyby 2018-045B
Longjiang-2 China HIT 25 May 2018 – 31 July 2019 orbiter success Very Long Baseline Interferometry, in orbit until 31 July 2019 when it was deliberately directed to crash onto the Moon. 2018-045C
Chang'e 4 China CNSA 7 December 2018 – lander in progress First spacecraft to soft land on the far side of the Moon. 2018-103A
   Yutu-2 rover active
Beresheet Israel SpaceIL 22 February 2019 – 11 April 2019 lander failure First Israeli and privately funded lunar lander. Entered lunar orbit on 4 April, hard-landed on 11 April 2019. 2019-009B [41]
Chandrayaan-2 India ISRO 22 July 2019 – orbiter in orbit observe lunar geography and mineralogy, search for water molecules 2019-042A
   Vikram India ISRO 6 September 2019 lander failure crashed due to a software glitch[2]
   Pragyan India ISRO 7 September 2019 rover not deployed was to be deployed from Vikram

2020–present

[edit]
Spacecraft Organization Date Type Status Notes Image Ref
Chang'e 5 China CNSA 16 December 2020 sample return success Retrieved 1.731 kg of lunar sample and returned it to Earth 2020-087A[3]
   Chang'e 5 Lander China CNSA 30 November 2020 - 11 December 2020 success Obtained lunar sample and placed on ascent vehicle; conducted radar studies of underground structure
   Chang'e 5 Ascender China CNSA 3 December 2020 - 7 December 2020 success Transferred lunar sample onto return capsule via lunar-orbit rendezvous; intentionally deorbited
   Chang'e 5 Orbiter China CNSA 9 September 2021 flyby success Extended mission following separation of Chang'e 5 Returner; returned from Sun-Earth L1[4] to conduct lunar flyby[5]
   Chang'e 5 Orbiter China CNSA Late 2021 - orbiter in orbit First spacecraft to utilize Distant Retrograde Orbit (DRO) about Earth-Moon L1 and L2
CAPSTONE United States NASA 14 November 2022[6] orbiter[7][8] in orbit Lunar orbiting CubeSat that will test and verify the calculated orbital stability planned for the Gateway space station. CAPSTONE
Artemis 1 Orion MPCV CM-002 United States NASA 21 November 2022 flyby success Uncrewed test of the Orion spacecraft in lunar flyby and DRO orbit. ARTEMIS-1[9]
25 November 2022 orbiter success
5 December 2022 flyby success
LunaH-Map United States NASA 21 November 2022 (flyby) orbiter failure intended to perform engine burn to achieve a lunar orbit to search for evidence of lunar water ice inside permanently shadowed craters using its neutron detector. Orbit insertion failed possibly due to a struck valve. The mission was terminated after six month in solar orbit. LUNAH-MAP[10][11]
Lunar IceCube United States NASA 21 November 2022 (flyby) orbiter failure intended to perform engine burn to achieve a lunar orbit to use its infrared spectrometer to detect water and organic compounds in the lunar surface and exosphere. L-ICECUBE
EQUULEUS Japan JAXA 21 November 2022 flyby success image the Earth's plasmasphere, impact craters on the Moon's far side and L2 experiments. EQUULEUS
LunIR United States Lockheed Martin 21 November 2022 flyby failure image surface thermography, failed to observe the Moon due to faulty communication LUNIR[12]
NEA Scout United States NASA 21 November 2022 flyby failure Solar sail intended to flyby a near-Earth asteroid. Communication failure. NEA-SCOUT
ArgoMoon Italy ASI 21 November 2022 flyby success image the ICPS and perform deep space Nanotechnology experiments. ARGOMOON
OMOTENASHI solid motor and orbiting module Japan JAXA 21 November 2022 (flyby) impactor failure intentional impact after separation from surface probe. Prepares the trajectory for landing of surface probe. Communication failure, missed target OMOTENASH
   OMOTENASHI surface probe Japan JAXA semi-hard lander failure inflatable module attempting to land semi-hard at lunar surface. Communication failure, missed target
CuSP United States NASA 21 November 2022 flyby success mission to study particles and magnetic fields. Did lunar flyby due to launch trajectory. CUSP
BioSentinel United States NASA 21 November 2022 flyby success it contains yeast cards that will be rehydrated in space, designed to detect, measure, and compare the effects of deep space radiation. BIOSENTNL
Team Miles United States Fluid & Reason 21 November 2022 flyby success demonstrate low-thrust plasma propulsion in deep space. TEAMMILES
Danuri
(Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter) 		South KoreaKARI/
United States NASA 		16 December 2022[13] orbiter in orbit Lunar Orbiter by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) of South Korea. The orbiter, its science payload and ground control infrastructure are technology demonstrators. The orbiter will also be tasked with surveying lunar resources such as water ice, uranium, helium-3, silicon, and aluminium, and produce a topographic map to help select future lunar landing sites. KPLO
Hakuto-R Mission 1 Japan ispace April 2023 lander failure[14] Lunar lander technology demonstration. HAKUTO-R1
   Rashid United Arab Emirates UAESA/MBRSC April 2023 rover Lunar rover, part of the Emirates Lunar Mission.
   SORA-Q Japan JAXA/Tomy/Doshisha University April 2023 rover Lunar rover technology demonstration.
Lunar Flashlight United States NASA 11 December 2022 (launch) orbiter failure[15][16] was to enter a near-rectilinear halo orbit; couldn't leave Earth orbit due to propulsion failures. L-FLASHLT
JUICE Europe ESA 14 April 2023 (launch) flyby en route will fly by the Moon in August 2024 en route to Jupiter. [17]
Chandrayaan-3 India ISRO 14 July 2023 (launch)
5 August 2023 (orbit insertion) 		Orbiter in orbit bring the lander from Earth parking orbit to pre-landing 100 km (62 mi) lunar orbit and study the spectral and polarimetric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit. The spacecraft entered lunar orbit on 5 August, and India became the first country to touch down near the lunar south pole, at 69°S, the southernmost lunar landing  on 23 August 2023 at 18:03 IST (12:33 UTC). CHANDRYN3
   Vikram India ISRO 23 August 2023 lander success primary objective is to redo Chandrayaan-2 landing which had failed. In-site observation & conducting experiments on the materials available on the lunar surface to better understand composition of the Moon.
   Pragyan India ISRO 23 August 2023 rover success stowed inside lander. Demonstrating the rover’s loitering capabilities on the Moon. In-site observation and conducting experiments on the materials available on the lunar surface to better understand composition of the Moon.
   Chandrayaan-3 Propulsion Module India ISRO Between 13 October and 10 November 2023 4 flybys success Extended mission following lunar orbit operations to returning to Earth orbit
Luna 25 Russia Roscosmos 10 August 2023 lander failure[18] Launched 10 August 2023, orbit insertion 16 August 2023, crashed on lunar surface on 19 August 2023 following an anomalous orbital lowering maneuver. LUNA-25
SLIM Japan JAXA 19 January 2024 gravity assist/lander success[19] Successfully demonstrated precision landing by landing within 100 m (330 ft) of its target spot.[20][21] Its solar cells were initially not generating electricity due to wrong attitude[22] but in ten days the Sun moved enough to temporarily provide power to the spacecraft.[23] SLIM
   LEV-1 Japan JAXA 19 January 2024 rover success Lunar rover with a hopping mechanism. Conducted six hops on lunar surface.[24]
   LEV-2 (SORA-Q) Japan JAXA/Tomy/Doshisha University 19 January 2024 rover success Lunar rover, reflight of the SORA-Q rover launched with the failed Hakuto-R Mission 1. Imaged SLIM lander on lunar surface.[25]
Peregrine United States Astrobotic Technology 8 January 2024 (launch) lander failure Lunar lander selected for NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services carrying a total of 25 payloads. Landing abandoned due to excessive propellant leak.[26] PEREGRN-1
   Colmena × 5 Mexico UNAM 8 January 2024 (launch) rover failure Five small robots that will be catapulted onto the lunar surface. Mission phased out along with landing of Peregrine lander due to excessive propellant leak.[27]
   Iris United States CMU 8 January 2024 (launch) rover failure Lunar rover, will test small, lightweight rover mobility on the Moon, and collect scientific images for geological sciences. Mission phased out along with landing of Peregrine lander due to excessive propellant leak.[28]
IM-1 Odysseus United States Intuitive Machines 22 February 2024 lander success Lunar lander selected for NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services carrying a total of 6 payloads. IM-1-NOVA
   EagleCam United States Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University 28 February 2024 semi-hard lander failure Deployable camera designed to attempt to capture the first third-person images of a lunar landing. Ejected post landing due to technical issues, failed to return images.[29]
DRO-A China CAS 13 March 2024 (launch) orbiter in orbit YZ-1S upper stage failed to deliver spacecrafts into correct orbit. The satellites were intended to test Distant retrograde orbit.[30] Tracking data appears to show China is attempting to salvage spacecraft and they appear to have succeeded in reaching their desired orbit.[31][32] 2024-048A
DRO-B orbiter in orbit
Queqiao-2 China CNSA 24 March 2024 orbiter in orbit Lunar far side relay satellite. QUEQIAO-2
   Tiandu-1 China Deep Space Exploration Laboratory orbiter in orbit will test communications for future lunar satellite constellation technologies.
   Tiandu-2 orbiter in orbit
Chang'e 6 China CNSA 3 May 2024 sample return operational[33] First sample-return from the South Pole–Aitken basin on the far side of the Moon.[34][35] CHANG-E-6
[33][36]
   Chang'e 6 Lander China CNSA 1 June 2024 - success Obtained lunar sample and placed on ascent vehicle; conducted radar studies of underground structure
   Chang'e 6 Ascender China CNSA 3 June 2024 - 7 June 2024 success Transferred lunar sample to return capsule on 6 June 2024 after lunar-orbit rendezvous; deorbited[36]
   Jinchan rover China CNSA 3 May 2024 success Conduct infrared spectroscopy of lunar surface and imaged Chang'e 6 lander on lunar surface.[37]
   Chang'e 6 Orbiter China CNSA 8 May 2024 - 20 June 2024 orbiter success On extended mission orbiting Sun-Earth L2[38]
   ICUBE-Q Pakistan SUPARCO 3 May 2024 orbiter operational Pakistan's first lunar mission.

Future

[edit]
Main article: List of missions to the Moon § Future missions

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ "Chandrayaan-1 - ISRO". www.isro.gov.in. Archived from the original on 2019-07-08. Retrieved 2022-07-15.
  2. ^ How did Chandrayaan 2 fail? ISRO finally has the answer. Mahesh Guptan, The Week. 16 November 2019.
  3. ^ "A Chinese spacecraft is testing out a new orbit around the moon". SpaceNews. 2022-02-15. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
  4. ^ "Chang'e-5 orbiter embarks on extended mission to Sun-Earth Lagrange point". SpaceNews. 2020-12-21. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  5. ^ "China's Chang'e-5 orbiter is heading back to the moon". SpaceNews. 2021-09-06. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  6. ^ Figliozzi, Gianine (8 June 2022). "CAPSTONE Mission Launch No Longer Targeting June 13". NASA. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  7. ^ "NASA Funds CubeSat Pathfinder Mission to Unique Lunar Orbit". NASA (Press release). 13 September 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  8. ^ "Rocket Lab to Launch NASA Funded Commercial Moon Mission from New Zealand". Rocket Lab. 9 August 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  9. ^ Wall, Mike (November 21, 2022). "NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft aces close moon flyby in crucial engine burn". Space.com. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  10. ^ Wall, Mike (November 23, 2022). "Artemis 1 cubesat fails to fire engine as planned during moon flyby". Space.com. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  11. ^ "LunaH-Map Mission". 3 August 2023.
  12. ^ Lockheed Martin Space [@LMSpace] (9 December 2022). "As a @LockheedMartin funded tech demo mission, LunIR's primary goal was to gain knowledge to support future exploration. While we ran into an unexpected issue with our radio signal and couldn't snap any pics of the Moon, we DID try something new, and here's what we learned" (Tweet). Retrieved 21 December 2022 – via Twitter.
  13. ^ S.Korean Spaceflight [@KOR_Spaceflight] (28 July 2022). "Danuri(KPLO) launch now scheduled for August 5th 08:08 KST, according to MSIT/KARI" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  14. ^ Komiya, Kantaro; Roulette, Joey (25 April 2023). "Japan's ispace assumes failure in bid to make first commercial moon landing". Reuters – via www.reuters.com.
  15. ^ "NASA ends Lunar Flashlight mission because of thruster problems". 15 May 2023.
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  29. ^ "2/3 mission plans and procedures in order to deploy its CubeSat camera system. Despite the team's strong effort, the technical complications ultimately resulted in an inability to capture images of the Odysseus lander".
  30. ^ Jones, Andrew (2024-03-14). "Surprise Chinese lunar mission hit by launch anomaly". SpaceNews. Retrieved 2024-03-14.
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  33. ^ a b "嫦娥六号探测器成功实施近月制动顺利进入环月轨道飞行" (in Simplified Chinese). 中国新闻网. 2024-05-08. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  34. ^ "China's Moon Missions Shadow NASA Artemis's Pace - IEEE Spectrum". IEEE.
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  38. ^ Jones, Andrew (10 September 2024). "China's Chang'e-6 orbiter tunrs up at Sun-Earth Lagrange point after moon sampling mission". SpaceNews. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
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