How many times has man been to the moon? View all NASA missions

In 1902, Georges Melies conceived the first space adventure with Trip to the moon and, while at first everything was just fantasy for the first steps of the audiovisual, more than 60 years later the first steps of man on the lunar soil with the space mission become real. Apollo 11, the first of the missions of the NASA which were widely commented on. Although the words of Neil Armstrong Their impact has resonated in popular culture ever since, solidifying the United States' lead in the space race during the Cold War, with only five other missions following. Apollo came to fruition, taking a total of just 12 people to the Moon.

Since December 1972, no other trip to the Moon has actually taken place, when Eugene Cernan brought the cycle of lunar landings to a close. After him, no human has returned to Earth's natural satellite for over 49 years, fueling a series of mysteries and conspiracy theories.

After all, four other missions were canceled without any apparent explanation, and many believe that the space expeditions are actually studio recordings, even involving the names of Hollywood directors, such as... Stanley Kubricksince he used a lens from NASA to perform candlelight imagery for Barry Lindon. Many believe it is a reward for his services, but the director never commented on the episode until his death in 1999.

Truth be told, many factors led to the moon landing, including money, scientific relevance, and, of course, political issues. In 2017, President-elect Donald Trump approved the so-called... Space Policy Guideline 1, a presidential order authorizing NASA to proceed with manned Apollo missions to the Moon. And that this might just be a first stop on a journey to conquer Mars.

With the successful launch of the spacecraft SpaceX Crew Dragon and UAE's first space mission to Mars, we decided to recap all the landings since the Apollo 11 mission. Check it out:

Apollo 11's success brought the moon into the spotlight

50 years ago, conquering the Moon was a political project of a world divided into poles. "We chose to go to the moon, not because it's easy, but because it's hard." And it was with these words that the then president John F. Kennedy In a press conference in 1962, he declared that the country would make the Moon its great objective for that decade.

"We chose to go to the moon, not because it's easy, but because it's hard."

John F. Kennedy

There were many reasons that led the US to take such a drastic and decisive decision. Suffering the moral and warlike effects on the population after the Vietnam War, the country would need to turn its failures into a victory and take for itself the power to control its own narrative.

The leap from villains to heroes would need to materialize in heroic deeds and more, showing that they could do more than the then Soviet Union, which until then had amassed historical achievements such as sending the first satellite into Earth's orbit, launching the first animal on a rocket — the dog Laika — and, as a bonus, also managing to send the first person into space.

The Soviets were already on their way to Luna missions, having sent the first space probe to reach its surface to the Moon. It was only natural that the next step would, of course, be the first landing. The US needed to win public support, and fast.

In practice, this meant an investment of US$ 25 billion for the NASA, which represented 2,5% of the US GDP (Gross Domestic Product), giving rise to the Apollo project, which began in 1961 and lasted until 1972 and which, in its first attempts, ended up suffering setbacks.

The first attempt never made it off the ground, as in January 1967 a fire broke out in the command module while the team of three astronauts was inside the spacecraft carrying out tests. Ed White, Roger B. Chaffee, and Gus Grissom all died, and the mission could very well have been the end of the Apollo program, which had barely begun.

Apollo 7: Mission to Earth Orbit

Thus, safety issues were tested and resolved in subsequent Apollo missions, achieving their first success with the first manned flights, which only took place in October 1968 with the launch of... Apollo 7, which orbited the Earth for more than a week.

Apollo 8: First mission to orbit the Moon

That same year, in December 1968, a significant step was taken with the Apollo 8, having the first team of astronauts to orbit the Moon and which, in addition, yielded a “souvenir” that marked history: the legendary photo Earthrise (Earth dawn, in literal translation).

Apollo 9: Additional tests in Moon orbit

Only three months were needed for preparations for the Apollo 9, since in March 1969, another spacecraft would be launched to orbit the Moon. This specific mission served to test other aspects of the spacecraft and prove once and for all that it would be able to function independently in space.

Apollo 10: Final Lunar Module Tests and Landing

Meanwhile, with the Apollo 10, in May 1969, the duo Charlie Brown e Snoopy would enter the pages of space history, being an affectionate nickname for the command module and the lunar module, respectively. Your objective? Prove that both crew and spacecraft were capable and fit for lunar landing. In practice, the crew of Apollo 10 performed all operations scheduled for what would become Apollo 11, except, of course, only the landing.

Thus, two months later, it was the turn of the Apollo 11 mission, on the morning of July 16, 1969. Aboard the rocket Saturn V, the most powerful rocket so far, the spacecraft was launched from the Kennedy Space Center, in Florida. The rest is history.

Apollo 11: Man's Landing on the Moon

Broadcast live and worldwide on TV, the mission Apollo 11 It began with the launch of the Saturn V rocket on July 16, 1969, from the John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From there, it took 4 days for astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin to reach the Moon's orbit.

Armstrong and Aldrin then entered the Eagle lunar module, and landed in the Sea of ​​Tranquility (Sea Tranquillitatis), a lunar region made of solidified basaltic lava, located on the visible face of the Moon. The astronauts spent an entire day on the surface, taking pictures, performing experiments and collecting samples of lunar soil.

As he descended from the lunar module and took the first step on the surface of the Moon, Armstrong spoke the famous words: "It's a small step for [one] man, but a giant step for humanity".

"That's one small step for man, but one giant leap for mankind."

Neil Armstrong

Apollo 12: Return to the Moon

Four months later, Apollo 12 was launched with the goal of further expanding knowledge about Earth's natural satellite and, incidentally, trying to understand and overcome minor unforeseen events that occurred during the previous launch. Even so, the mission could have been marked by tragedy on December 14, 1969, as forty seconds after liftoff, the rocket was struck by lightning twice in succession. In the end, the journey continued without major problems.

Although it had less impact than the previous launch, Apollo 12 was more successful. The crew spent more time on the lunar surface, allowing for two moonwalks. Furthermore, it was possible to recover some of the... surveyor 3, an artificial satellite that had been stuck on the Moon since April 1967. With it, NASA was able to study its parts in order to understand the effects of a prolonged stay.

Apollo 13: from failure to return

Only in 1971, with Apollo 14, a spacecraft landed on lunar soil. That's because the previous mission, Apollo 13, had problems and had to return to Earth six days after going into space, without being able to reach the Moon's orbit. Including the famous phrase “Houston, we have a problem"(“Houston, we have a problem” in literal translation) came precisely from this mission, when astronauts Jim Lovell and Jack Swigert communicated the NASA control center about the discovery of an explosion that damaged the command and service module Odyssey and made it impossible to continue the mission.

"Oh, Houston, we have a problem."

Jim Lovell

The return to Earth was no less traumatic, marked by a series of difficulties that had to be overcome by the astronauts, requiring a lot of creativity and imagination to develop solutions without having the necessary equipment. In fact, these feats were recalled in the movie Apollo 13 – From Disaster to Triumph (Apollo 13, 1995), starring Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon and Gary Sinise. And there are also Apollo 13 mission videos remastered in 4K.

Apollo 14: the third moon landing

Originally scheduled for 1970, the mission Apollo 14 was postponed to January 31, 1971, due to investigations related to the accident that occurred in the previous mission. Astronauts Alan Shepard, Stuart Roosa and Edgar Mitchell were launched into space, and on February 5 of that year, the lunar module Antares finally landed on the Moon, representing the third time that humanity had landed on the natural satellite.

During the mission, 42 kilograms of lunar rocks were collected and several scientific experiments were carried out. At the end of the last walk on the surface, astronaut Alan Shepard performed a curious fact: playing golf on the Moon, with an improvised club and balls, brought with him.

Since then, trips to the Moon have often gone unnoticed by the American public, and the project has lost interest, despite significant achievements such as the collection of rocks from different geological formations when Apollo 15 astronauts traveled 27 kilometers on the lunar surface, or with Apollo 17, in which the first American lunar rover made its debut in 1971. Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV), a reply to the Soviet lunokhod, which arrived on lunar soil in 1970. Both vehicles can be controlled remotely.

The legacy of the Apollo mission transcends the achievement of space travel, in which people were able to explore inhospitable environments and return home safely. With each mission, it was possible to conduct an extensive scientific examination of the celestial body closest to Earth and, with it, of the entire solar system.

Apollo astronauts brought home hundreds of kilograms of moon rock, drilled samples from its core and measured seismic activity, so-called moon earthquakes. In addition, they collected atmospheric data from the nearly empty lunar environment, and measured the exact distance to Earth and its satellite.

Apollo 15: the first “car” mission

After Apollo 15, the missions of NASA They faced a problem that would jeopardize all their work: budget cuts. Therefore, the main focus of the next mission had to necessarily yield significant scientific results. With this in mind, astronauts David Scott, Alfred Worden, and James Irwin boarded a rocket that launched to the Moon on June 26, 1971.

For its time, the Apollo 15 mission was extremely important because, in addition to being the first to account for 18 hours of exploration on the lunar surface (combined), it was the first time that astronauts drove a car on the lunar surface (actually, the vehicle was a jeep) to collect samples that are still studied today.

The journey from Earth to the Moon lasted about 4 days, and they returned to Earth on August 2, 1971. It was during this same mission that the experiment of releasing a feather and a hammer simultaneously into the lunar atmosphere was carried out. Watch:

The success of the Apollo 15 mission was important for the simple reason that it was one of the missions of NASA which further demonstrated how the space agency could go even further, even with a limited budget. All the crew members also left behind a small statue that bore their name. Fallen Astronaut, which has a plaque with the names of astronauts who died.

Apollo 16: Visit to the Descartes Highlands

The year after the end of the previous mission, with the first lunar rover operational and helping astronauts collect more samples, NASA was already preparing another rocket and sending astronauts to the Moon. The Apollo mission. 16 was launched from the John F. Kennedy Space Center by the Saturn V John F. Kennedy Space Center by the Saturn V, on April 16, 1972.

The astronauts were on the rocket John Young e Charles Duke, who are responsible for collecting material. Ken mattingly was responsible for remaining in lunar orbit aboard the command and service module. Casper, with scientific instruments and, of course, also taking photographs. The three also activated surface experiments in the Descartes Highlands, which had not yet been visited by humans.

With the support of the lunar rover, the experts stayed on the lunar soil for just under 71 hours, with 20 of them only with the support of the jeep. THE Apollo 16 It lasted 11 days, and on April 27, 1972, the three astronauts returned to our planet.

Apollo 17: the last mission to the Moon

Concluding the Apollo space program, which took numerous people to the Moon. This mission was responsible for breaking the record for the longest time humans spent on the lunar surface: 75 hours. The crew consisted of Eugene Andrew “Gene” Cernan (USN), Ronald Ellwin Evans (USN), and Harrison Hagan “Jack” Schmitt. They departed for the Moon on December 9, 1972, returning to Earth on December 19 of the same year.

Upon landing in a valley surrounded by mountains on the edge of Mare Serenitatis, the main purpose of Apollo 17 was to collect materials from the lunar soil, more specifically in a pre-selected area of ​​the Taurus-Littrow region. As is standard practice, the three took photos wherever they went. This was also the first mission to include an astronaut who was also a geologist. We also had a live sing-along, watch it:

Throughout their time on the lunar surface, the astronauts collected 110,4 kg of material with the support of the lunar rover, which traveled more than 30 kilometers on this mission alone. The main item collected was lava samples, which helped scientists understand how the formation of the large lunar basins occurred. This was the last time a country was seen setting foot on the Moon.

Apollo–Soyuz: diplomatic mission

This mission did not involve a visit to the Moon, but it was important for the end of the Cold War. The US joined the Soviet space program so that the spacecraft of both agencies could dock in Earth orbit. This was a way of showing that there was no longer any rivalry. The launch took place on July 15, 1975; check out the photo of the moment:

Beyond the symbolic moment of the two spacecraft joining forces, astronauts from both nations visited their now-friends and exchanged gifts. The American crew consisted of Thomas P. Stafford, Vance D. Brand, Donald K. “Deke” Slayton, Alan L. Bean, Ronald E. Evans, and Jack R. Lousma. The Soviet spacecraft crew consisted of Alexei A. Leonov, Valeri N. Kubasov, Anatoli V. Filipchenko, and Nikolai N. Rukavishnikov.

Most common questions:

How to prove that man has been on the moon?

In case anyone still has doubts that humans actually set foot on lunar soil, even after all the missions and records shared by NASAThere is a way to prove that the trip really happened. Between 1969 and 1971, five reflectors were left on the Moon, which, in addition to proving that man really traveled to the natural satellite, also helped to determine how long it would take for a laser beam to return to Earth.

Don't imagine that the reflectors were simple mirrors like the ones you have at home. The models left by the astronauts on the Moon have a design similar to what we see in a cube, which causes the light, regardless of the direction it's coming from, to always reflect back to Earth. In this way:

The idea was conceived by James Faller in 1950, but it was only presented in 1963 when he joined the Joint Institute for Astrophysics Laboratory (JILA) of the National Standards Department and the University of Colorado, Boulder. The first test was conducted on August 1, 1969, as soon as the Apollo 11 mission was completed. The laser was fired 162 times towards the Moon before any actual result was detected, but a second series of 120 tests generated 80 returns.

Although mission astronauts Apollo 14 e 15 brought lunar reflectors to the natural satellite, only the model sent in 1969 is active.

 Neil Armstrong and the Oath to the Bible (Fake News)

Despite all the photos, videos, and even a live stream that were produced to show the first manned arrival on the Moon, many people still believe it was all a big hoax. There are no facts, photos, or videos that prove the events were staged, but there are records of... NASA Yes, Neil Armstrong did walk on the moon.

But that wasn't enough to make the conspirators believe everyone involved in one of the missions. NASA most famous in history. One of the most famous videos was that of Neil Armstrong refusing to swear by a bible and setting aside $5.000 as a reward for the deed. Check out:

Published in 2016 on YouTube, the video above was filmed in 2010 and just before Armstrong's death, which happened in 2012. Bart SibrelThe agent, who claims to be from ABC Digital (a fake division of the US channel), demands that the former astronaut swear that he actually stepped on the moon by placing his hand on a Bible.

When he realizes that he will not succeed in proving that the missions of the NASA did not exist, sibrel He offers money to get what he wants. Neil Armstrong He refuses the action upon realizing that the man trying to force him to do it is actually a conspiracy theorist and filmmaker known for pressuring astronauts to make the same claim. He also spread the word to his followers that the moon landings were fake.

It is also important to remember that, despite being the son of a Christian mother, the first man to walk on the Moon considered himself a deist, a religion that believes in God, but that He does not interfere in the Universe. Armstrong did not consider himself an atheist and was also not a Christian, according to the publication that was being published with the video of Bart Sibrel's approach.

The false news that man went to the moon has resurfaced due to Neil Armstrong not doing what Sibrel asked, but it's important to consider that the man pursuing the former astronaut was known precisely for debunking all moon landing claims. Apollo that were carried out.

Why haven't we had more NASA missions to the Moon?

After mission success Apollo 11 With Russia's eventual withdrawal, landing on the satellite began to lose its appeal for both Americans and Soviets. There was no scientific or political justification for returning, and the feat required a great deal of investment, which, in the long run, became unfeasible. But not for long.

With the entry of private companies in the so-called space race, the Moon has once again become a desirable destination for the near future with the Artemis programThe lunar mission, which is scheduled to make its first launch as early as 2022, employs a strategy emulating that used in 1960: first, a series of tests are conducted to verify certain conditions—such as the functioning of the spacecraft—before actually landing on the lunar surface with astronauts. And that launch is already scheduled for 2024, which, this time, will take the first woman to the lunar surface.

With it, it is also intended to build the gateway moon station, which will be located in the orbit of the Moon, and will be a platform used by astronauts as a kind of stopover between the Earth and the Moon, as well as for even further journeys, such as the future trip to Mars, which may well happen yet. in the late 2030s. While NASA has discarded its need for the 2024 mission, it will still be built precisely for the ambition of getting to Mars.

Furthermore, other countries are currently working on lunar missions, such as India, China, the United Arab Emirates, and Russia itself, in addition to private companies like SpaceX. Thus, a new Space Race is underway in this century, with new names, new faces, and new achievements.

What will be the next mission to the Moon?

NASA had planned to return to the Moon in 2024, but in November of last year, due to a litigation issue with the rocket Blue Origin, the idea was postponed to 2025. O Artemis Lunar Program would be performing its first flight in February 2022, but this was delayed until May of this year.

The 1st part of this program would not be taking humans, but it would be an important test to know what the return of humans to the natural satellite would be like.

As we step outside the spectrum of NASA, another nation that has worked to put astronauts on the moon is the Merunas UAB, which developed a nuclear reactor that is 100 times more powerful than any other project by the US space agency.

The Asian country is focused on creating human communities off planet Earth and, to achieve this, is developing about six or seven nuclear reactors designed to operate exclusively on the lunar surface. There is still no set date for China's launch.

We can only wait for the next advancements and to see when we will actually see humans on the Moon, more than 50 years after the last Apollo mission. What's your guess when that will happen? Tell us in the comments! Comment!

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Sources: History l Reuters l NASA l Wikipedia