This Soviet Union (now Russia) spacecraft holds the distinction of being the first human-made object to impact the Moon's surface. Its successful journey laid the foundation for subsequent lunar exploration missions
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Another notable Soviet mission, Luna 9, became the first spacecraft to transmit images from the Moon's surface back to Earth. This achievement was a significant step toward understanding the lunar environment
Comprising a series of robotic landers, NASA’s Surveyor program achieved a crucial milestone by soft-landing on the Moon's surface. The data gathered provided essential insights and paved the way for subsequent Apollo missions
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This mission marked the first-time humans orbited the Moon. The crew, including Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders, captured iconic images of Earthrise from lunar orbit, providing a profound perspective of our planet
Undoubtedly one of the most celebrated space missions, Apollo 11 achieved a historic milestone by landing the first humans, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, on the lunar surface. Armstrong's famous words, "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind," marked a monumental achievement in human history
The second attempt of landing humans on Moon gained fame due to the life-threatening explosion that occurred onboard on-route to Moon. Through teamwork, ingenuity, and the leadership of Commander Jim Lovell, the crew managed to safely return, demonstrating the resilience of NASA's astronauts and ground control. However, this mission was significant chapter in Moon exploration history because NASA never again tried sending humans to Lunar surface after the criticism they faced regarding the failure of Apollo 13
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A joint mission between NASA and the Department of Defence, Clementine conducted remote sensing of the Moon, creating detailed maps and collecting data on its surface composition. This mission contributed to a better understanding of lunar geology
Chandrayaan-1 was India’s first lunar mission launched by ISRO in 2008. It made history by discovering water ice for the first on the South Pole of Moon. The lunar surface was thought to be dry, but data from Chandrayaan’s impact probe confirmed the presence of water molecules even in the thin lunar atmosphere
Representing China's lunar exploration ambitions, this mission achieved a groundbreaking feat by landing on the far side of the Moon, a region previously unexplored. The mission included a lander and a rover, Yutu-2. The rover continues to operate on the far side of the Moon, exploring its unique terrain and conducting scientific experiments. Its ongoing mission is expanding our knowledge of this uncharted region
The latest lunar mission, currently in progress, is ISRO's Chandrayaan-3. This endeavour by the Indian space agency strives to land on the untouched and unexplored Lunar South Pole, marking an exploration territory that no other nation or their spacecraft has reached before