China's first successful uncrewed soft landing on the Moon was the Chang'e 3 mission on December 14, 2013, deploying the Yutu rover in the Imbrium Basin. China later landed on the far side with Chang'e 4 on January 3, 2019, the first-ever far-side landing, and performed the first far-side sample return with Chang'e 6 on June 1, 2024. China aims to land its first astronauts on the Moon by 2030.
In the decades since, many nations have contributed to lunar orbiters and landers. As of January 2024, four nations have successfully landed on the Moon (USSR, United States, India, China).
Sifting through the first-ever rock samples collected from the far side of the Moon, scientists in China have unearthed a surprise: fragments of a rare type of meteorite that could help to piece together the Solar System's history.
NASA stopped going o the moon after Apollo 17 because the budget was dropping significantly and the president at the time (Richard Nixon) wanted to spend the money on something else. He was dealing with an economy that was in trouble and the war in Vietnam to pay for.
31. The astronaut trio was sent to replace the Shenzhou-20 crew — Wang Jie, Chen Zhongrui and Chen Dong — who were originally scheduled to return home on Nov. 5, after completing a six-month stay in space.
Astronaut-geologist Harrison Schmitt's key lunar discoveries during Apollo 17 included the vibrant orange soil (volcanic glass beads from a lava fountain), which hinted at unexpected volatiles and a dynamic early Moon, and a significant rock sample, Troctolite 76535, which provided strong evidence for an ancient lunar magnetic field, challenging formation theories. He also collected numerous other rocks and soils, totaling over 240 pounds, furthering understanding of lunar geology and composition.
Krikalev is sometimes referred to as the "last Soviet citizen," having been aboard Mir during the dissolution of the Soviet Union. With the country that launched him no longer existing, his return was delayed, and he remained in space for 311 days—twice as long as planned.
If you're planning to drink the moon water, just be sure the water is potable, meaning safe and clean. 2. Find a spot where the moon shines brightest. Put your jar of water somewhere it can absorb the light of the moon with the least obstruction.
We cannot see the flags on the Moon with Earthbound telescopes, but we know they are still standing tall thanks to the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. The flag support bar latch failed on the Apollo 12 flag pole and remains forever collapsed on Oceanus Procellarum. Photo courtesy of NASA.
The founder of astrogeology, Gene Shoemaker, is the only person to date whose ashes have been buried on the moon.
Scientists in China have made a breakthrough with fusion energy that could finally overcome one of the most stubborn barriers to realising the next-generation energy source.
The impetus for the law was noble — an attempt to challenge human rights conditions in China and prevent leaks of space-related technology — but in practice the ban harms our security and future in space.
From their orbital altitude of 69 statute miles, Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and William Anders were able to describe the surface of the moon in detail. "The back side [of the moon] looks like a sand pile my kids have played in for some time. It's all beat up, no definition, just a lot of bumps and holes."
1. United States of America (NASA/USSF) With a budget nearly twice that of the next-highest agency, the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is easily the most prolific and active space agency in the world.
How many flags are on the Moon? A total of six flags have been planted on the Moon – one for each US Apollo landing.
Early in 2026, astronauts from NASA and the Canadian Space Agency will again travel around the moon and back. The crew of four is made up of Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen. Mr. Glover will be the first Black person to shoot the moon, and Ms. Koch the first woman.
In 1969, Apollo astronauts left footprints on the Moon that still remain today. This is because the Moon lacks an atmosphere, so there's no wind to erase them. It also has no liquid water or erosion like Earth, and its minimal seismic activity means the surface stays undisturbed.
It's the first confirmed debris of a type of meteorite known as Ivuna-type carbonaceous chondrite – or CI chondrite – ever to be found on the Moon, demonstrating that fragile, water-bearing asteroids can leave microscopic traces embedded in the lunar regolith.
Apollo 17 became the last crewed mission to the Moon for an indefinite amount of time. The main reason for this was money. The cost of getting to the Moon was, ironically, astronomical.
It begins 9 hours before the lunar eclipse, for this eclipse, it starts at 12:59 PM on September 7, 2025. During this time, people avoid auspicious activities, temple visits, cooking, and worship, as the cosmic energies are believed to be disturbed. Avoid touching sacred plants like Tulsi, Peepal, and Banyan.
There is no absolute proof that the Moon affects human mental and physical health, though its effect has been observed in other organisms: corals for instance appear to time their spawning based on the lunar cycle.
On a full moon, it's often advised to avoid starting new ventures, making major impulsive decisions, or engaging in conflict, as this time is seen as peak energy for culmination, release, and heightened emotions, making it better for reflection, closure, and self-care rather than new beginnings or rash actions. Instead of new projects, focus on releasing what no longer serves you and celebrating achievements, while being mindful of heightened feelings and potential overreactions.
On 14 April 1958 (after approximately 2,570 orbits), Sputnik 2 and Laika's remains left orbit and disintegrated on re-entering the Earth's atmosphere.
Return to the Moon
Artemis II, scheduled for launch between February and April sees the return of the first people to the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. Three American and one Canadian astronaut will orbit the Moon on a 10 day journey that lays the foundation for lunar landings in the coming years.
If you add up the accumulated speed cosmonaut Sergei Krivalev has traveled in space – the most of any human with a total time spent in orbit of 803 days 9 hours and 39 minutes – he has actually time-traveled into his own future by 0.02 seconds.