Eugene Cernan explores the moon in the Lunar Roving Vehicle.

NASA

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To the Moon . . . and Back!

It’s been 50 years since people last set foot on the moon. Astronauts are preparing to return.

January 2, 2023
By Rebecca Zissou

As You Read, Think About: What is one goal of sending astronauts back to the moon? 

The mission was a huge success. Astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt explored the moon, collecting more than 240 pounds of rocks and soil. They drove around the bumpy lunar surface in a four-wheeled Lunar Roving Vehicle. They also took thousands of photos for scientists to study back on Earth. 

On December 14, 1972, the astronauts climbed into their space capsule and lifted off to start the long trip home. No one has set foot on the moon since.

Fifty years later, NASA is preparing to return. The U.S. space agency plans to send a crew to the moon in 2025.

The program, called Artemis, is already underway. In November, an uncrewed test flight blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to orbit the moon. 

“It’s really exciting,” says Rachel Kraft, who works at NASA. “Our goal is to understand what it takes to live and work on another celestial body.”

The mission was a huge success. U.S. astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt explored the moon. They collected more than 240 pounds of rocks and soil. They drove around the bumpy lunar surface. They used a four-wheeled Lunar Roving Vehicle. They also took thousands of photos for scientists to study back on Earth.

On December 14, 1972, the astronauts climbed into their space capsule. They lifted off to start the long trip home. No one has set foot on the moon since.

Fifty years later, the United States is preparing to return. NASA, the U.S. space agency, plans to send a crew to the moon in 2025.

The program is called Artemis. And it’s already underway. This past summer, an uncrewed spacecraft orbited the moon. It tested the launch system.

“It’s really exciting,” says Rachel Kraft. She works at NASA. “Our goal is to understand what it takes to live and work on another celestial body.”

NASA

Cernan stands near one of six U.S. flags that are still on the moon.

Reaching New Heights

From 1969 to 1972, 12 NASA astronauts touched down on the moon’s powdery surface. They were part of the Apollo program, which was created to send the first humans to Earth’s closest neighbor. The U.S. is still the only country to have sent people to the lunar surface. 

At first, many Americans were fascinated by the moon landings. But by the final Apollo mission, interest had largely faded. Some people thought the program, which cost about $25 billion, was too expensive. 

In the decades that followed, NASA turned its attention elsewhere. For example, since 2000, U.S. astronauts have lived and worked on the International Space Station. They have worked alongside scientists from other nations in the space laboratory. Plus, NASA has sent wheeled robots called rovers to Mars and launched spacecraft to orbit and study other distant places.

From 1969 to 1972, 12 NASA astronauts touched down on the moon. They were part of the Apollo program. It was created to send the first humans to Earth’s closest neighbor. The U.S. is still the only country to have sent people to the lunar surface.

At first, many Americans were fascinated by the moon landings. But by the final Apollo mission, interest had largely faded. Some people thought the program was too expensive. It cost about $25 billion.

In the decades that followed, NASA turned its attention elsewhere. For example, since 2000, U.S. astronauts have lived and worked on the International Space Station. They have worked alongside scientists from other nations in the space laboratory. Plus, NASA has sent wheeled robots called rovers to Mars. The agency has also launched spacecraft to orbit and study other distant places. 

More to Explore

Why send humans back to the moon? One reason is to help NASA prepare for its next big goal: sending people to Mars in the 2040s. The moon is much closer to Earth than Mars is. That makes it the perfect testing ground for sending astronauts deeper into space. 

Scientists are designing a space station called Gateway to orbit the moon. It will one day act as a base and docking station for spacecraft on the way to and from deep space. 

Cernan and Schmitt spent about three days on the moon. NASA plans to have the Artemis astronauts explore it for twice as long. They’ll visit the moon’s south pole, one of the coldest areas in our solar system. 

NASA wants its new moon missions to encourage kids to become astronauts and scientists—just as the Apollo missions did.

“We hope to inspire a whole new generation,” Kraft says. 

Why send humans back to the moon? One reason is to help NASA prepare for its next big goal: sending people to Mars in the 2040s. The moon is much closer to Earth than Mars is. That makes it the perfect testing ground for sending astronauts deeper into space.

Scientists are designing a space station called Gateway. It’s going to orbit the moon. It will one day act as a base and docking station for spacecraft on the way to and from deep space.

Cernan and Schmitt spent about three days on the moon. NASA plans to have the Artemis astronauts explore it for twice as long. They’ll visit the moon’s south pole. It’s one of the coldest areas in our solar system.

NASA wants its new moon missions to encourage kids to become astronauts and scientists—just as the Apollo missions did.

“We hope to inspire a whole new generation,” Kraft says. 

A Look at the Moon

Gerry Ellis/Minden Pictures

The U.S. has landed astronauts on the moon six times.

  1. Apollo 11: July 1969
  2. Apollo 12: November 1969
  3. Apollo 14: February 1971
  4. Apollo 15: July 1971
  5. Apollo 16: April 1972
  6. Apollo 17: December 1972

Artemis astronauts are expected to land close to the unlabeled red dot.


Sierra Nevada Corp/NASA

Astronauts will need about 3 days to reach the moon. 

A journey to Mars would take about 9 months.


Shutterstock.com

The moon is about a quarter the size of Earth.


Heritage Space/Heritage Images via Getty Images

There is no wind or rain on the moon, so the footprints left by astronauts may be there for centuries. 


High temperature: 250 degrees Fahrenheit 

Low temperature: –410 degrees Fahrenheit


Shutterstock.com

On average, the moon is 239,000 miles from Earth. 

On average, Mars is 140,000,000 miles from Earth.

Note: The solar system diagram is not drawn to scale.

Source: NASA


A Look at the Moon

Gerry Ellis/Minden Pictures


The U.S. has landed astronauts on the moon six times.

  1. Apollo 11: July 1969
  2. Apollo 12: November 1969
  3. Apollo 14: February 1971
  4. Apollo 15: July 1971
  5. Apollo 16: April 1972
  6. Apollo 17: December 1972

Artemis astronauts are expected to land close to the unlabeled red dot.

Sierra Nevada Corp/NASA


Astronauts will need about 3 days to reach the moon. 

A journey to Mars would take about 9 months.

Shutterstock.com


The moon is about a quarter the size of Earth.

Heritage Space/Heritage Images via Getty Images


There is no wind or rain on the moon, so the footprints left by astronauts may be there for centuries. 


High temperature: 250 degrees Fahrenheit 

Low temperature: –410 degrees Fahrenheit

Shutterstock.com


On average, the moon is 239,000 miles from Earth. 

On average, Mars is 140,000,000 miles from Earth.

Note: The solar system diagram is not drawn to scale.

Source: NASA

1. Did human space exploration stop after the last human moon landing? Explain.

2. According to the author, how might sending humans to the moon help NASA prepare to send humans to Mars?

3. What is the purpose of the sidebar, “A Look at the Moon”?

1. Did human space exploration stop after the last human moon landing? Explain.

2. According to the author, how might sending humans to the moon help NASA prepare to send humans to Mars?

3. What is the purpose of the sidebar, “A Look at the Moon”?

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