On International Moon Day, which is observed on July 20th, we celebrate the historic achievements of human exploration on the lunar surface. The Apollo missions, conducted by NASA between 1968 and 1972, were monumental in landing astronauts on the Moon. Six successful missions, namely Apollo 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, and 17, allowed a total of 12 astronauts to walk on the Moon. Three of them made the journey twice: James Lovell on Apollo 8 and Apollo 13, John Young on Apollo 10 and Apollo 16, and Eugene Cernan on Apollo 10 and Apollo 17.
The first-ever lunar footsteps were taken by Neil Armstrong and Edwin Buzz Aldrin on July 20, 1968, during the Apollo 11 mission. They made history with Armstrong's iconic words, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
Let's take a look at the remarkable astronauts who made this extraordinary journey :
- Neil Armstrong - Apollo 11: On July 20, 1968, Neil Armstrong became the first human to step onto the Moon.
- Buzz Aldrin - Apollo 11: Alongside Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin made history as the second person to walk on the Moon.
- Charles "Pete" Conrad - Apollo 12: Conrad was the commander of the Apollo 12 mission and touched down on the Moon's surface on November 19, 1969. He and his fellow astronaut, Alan Bean, conducted two successful Moonwalks.
- Alan Bean - Apollo 12: As the lunar module pilot on Apollo 12, Alan Bean became the fourth person to walk on the Moon. He later transitioned from astronaut to artist, using his experiences to create lunar-inspired artwork.
- Alan Shepard - Apollo 14: On February 5, 1971, Alan Shepard became the first American to hit golf balls on the Moon during the Apollo 14 mission.
- Edgar Mitchell - Apollo 14: Joining Shepard on the Apollo 14 mission, Edgar Mitchell was the sixth person to walk on the Moon. After his astronaut career, he focused on exploring human consciousness and global sustainability.
- David Scott - Apollo 15: David Scott commanded the Apollo 15 mission, during which he and fellow astronaut James Irwin conducted three Moonwalks.
- James Irwin - Apollo 15: As part of the Apollo 15 mission, James Irwin became the eighth person to walk on the Moon.
- John Young - Apollo 16: John Young commanded the Apollo 16 mission, and together with astronaut Charles Duke, conducted three Moonwalks.
- Charles Duke - Apollo 16: As the lunar module pilot on Apollo 16, Charles Duke became the tenth person to walk on the Moon. He left a family portrait on the lunar surface as a symbol of humanity's connection.
- Eugene Cernan - Apollo 17: On 11 December 1972, Eugene Cernan became the eleventh person to walk on the Moon.
- Harrison H. Schmitt - Apollo 17: Alongside Eugene Cernan, Harrison H. Schmitt became the twelfth and the last person so far to walk on the Moon.
Four of these Moonwalkers are still alive today: Aldrin from Apollo 11, David Scott from Apollo 15, Charles Duke from Apollo 16, and Harrison Schmitt from Apollo 17.
Furthermore, according to NASA, four more astronauts are set to return to the Moon in late 2024 as part of NASA's Artemis II mission. This upcoming mission will include the first woman and the first person of color to walk on the Moon.
