Crescent Moon European Southern Observatory

Exploring the Moon 

Astronaut saluting the flag

A history of lunar discovery from the first

space probes to recent times 

by Ian Ridpath 

Contents


1.

The first robot explorers


2.

Landers and orbiters – 1


3.

Landers and orbiters – 2


4.

Sample returns and lunar rovers


5.

Map of lunar landings


6.

Table of Moon probes


7.

Apollo to the Moon!


8.

Meeting the challenge


9.

Repeating the feat


10.

Driving on the Moon


11.

Heading for the hills


12.

Apollo lunar mission chronology


13.

Russia’s secret manned Moon programme


14.

What did we learn from Apollo?


15.

Lunar exploration since Apollo


16.

The international Moon fleet


17.

Exploring the Apollo landing sites – 1


18.

Exploring the Apollo landing sites – 2


19.

Exploring the Moon on stamps

The first robot explorers
Landers and orbiters 1
Landers and orbiters 2
Sample returns and lunar rovers
Map of lunar landings
Table of Moon probes
Apollo to the Moon!
Meeting the challenge
Repeating the feat
Driving on the Moon
Heading for the hills
Apollo lunar mission chronology
Russia’s secret manned Moon programme
What did we learn from Apollo?
Lunar exploration since Apollo
The international Moon fleet
Exploring the Apollo landing sites 1
Exploring the Apollo landing sites 2

Background image:

The waning crescent Moon. 

(European Southern Observatory) 


Exploring the Moon on stamps

Text © Ian Ridpath


These pages support Ian’s talk on Exploring the Moon