The Moon!! The Moon!!

[gemfyre]

A few questions.

What other missions landed on the moon?
Did the Russians ever get there?

Have we ever sent back unmanned craft to take samples and readings? Or did we just concentrate all the focus on Mars once the 70s had ended?

Comments

[angriest.livejournal.com]

The first moon landing was a vehicle designated Luna 2 by the Soviet Union, which crashed into the moon on September 12 1959. Luna 3 made a successful flyby of the moon a few weeks later, taking the first ever photos of the "dark side" of the moon. Luna 9 was the first capsule to make a successful landing on the moon, and took a bunch of photos. That was in January 1966. A second automated capsule, Luna 13, made a successful landing in December 1966.

The USA launched seven Surveyor automated capsules from 1966 to 1968 - some crashed on the moon, five were a success and sent back thousands of photographs.

Subsequent automated capsules have either landed on or impacted into the moon from Japan, India, China and the European Union.

The only nation to put humans on the moon is the USA, starting with Apollo 11 in 1969. Other missions to land on the moon were Apollo 12, 14, 15, 16 and 17. In total, 12 people have walked on the moon starting with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.

The Russians have claimed they've started a new moon programme with a goal of establishing a permanent moonbase in 2027-2032, but there's been little or no evidence that they're actively working towards that goal.

[aurickandrien.livejournal.com]

I've always thought that the design for the luna 9 lander has got to be one of the coolest. :)

Also of note is the Luna 16 which in September 1970 landed, cored a sample and blasted it back to Earth. Meaning that the Soviets were able to get samples even though they never set foot on the Moon's surface.

Have there been any actual landings since 1976? I mean besides simply impacting an orbiter on the surface. I believe there have been a few orbiters since the early 90s.

[angriest.livejournal.com]

No landings in years as far as I'm aware.

[thelastdon.livejournal.com]

Eh there is very little viable interest in the moon, besides geological concerns and maybe a manned base. Mars is much more interesting because of the potential for the expansion of mankind. One day mankind may very well call both Earth and Mars home.

[morningglorymlp.livejournal.com]

I've been getting the impression that there is renewed interest in going to the moon. I think there is talk of putting some sort of a permanent structure on there. Maybe just as a test for a station on Mars, and maybe used as future tourism type thing, but something nonetheless. I think NASA would be really dumb not to construct something on the moon before they went off to Mars to make sure everything works.