Today marks the 50th anniversary of the first person setting foot on the moon. Here’s a look back at all 12 astronauts who walked there and when we might return.
On the moon
The word “astronaut” is derived from Greek and means “space sailor.” There have only been 12 people to sail through space, leave their ship and walk on the moon. Here’s a breakdown of the moonwalkers during the Apollo missions from 1969 to 1972.
Next giant leap
NASA is returning to the moon with robotic missions as well as the Lunar Gateway, a staging station for manned missions beyond the moon. NASA has announced it is going to the moon with commercial and international partners, and the next moon landing is expected in 2024.
NASA is building a spacecraft designed to carry four astronauts to and from the moon and support up to six crew members on future missions to Mars. The ship could be used multiple times.
The new crew vehicle will be shaped like an Apollo capsule, and while Apollo was limited to landings along the moon’s equator, the new ship carries enough propellant to land anywhere on the moon’s surface.
The 2024 landing is expected to be on the southern side of the moon.
Apollo program
Sources: NASA, Library of Congress, European Space Agency Photos from NASA and Smithsonian
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