This is a partial list of artificial materials left on the Moon, many during the missions of the Apollo program. The table below does not include lesser Apollo mission artificial objects, such as a hammer and other tools, retroreflectors, Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Packages, or the commemorative, artistic, and personal objects left by the twelve Apollo astronauts, such as the United States flags, the commemorative plaques attached to the ladders of the six Apollo Lunar Modules, the silver astronaut pin left by Alan Bean in honor of Clifton C. Williams whom he replaced, the Bible left by David Scott, the Fallen Astronaut statuette and memorial plaque placed by the crew of Apollo 15, the Apollo 11 goodwill messages disc, or the golf balls[1] Alan Shepard hit during an Apollo 14 moonwalk.
Five S-IVB third stages of Saturn V rockets from the Apollo program crashed into the Moon, and are the heaviest human-made objects on the lunar surface. Humans have left over 187,400 kilograms (413,100 lb) of material on the Moon. Besides the 2019 Chang'e 4 and SLIM missions, the only artificial objects on the Moon that are still in use are the retroreflectors for the Lunar Laser Ranging experiments left there by the Apollo 11, 14, and 15 astronauts, Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander, and by the Soviet Union's Lunokhod 1 and Lunokhod 2 missions.[2]
Objects at greater than 90 degrees east or west are on the far side of the Moon, including Ranger 4, Lunar Orbiter 1, Lunar Orbiter 2, Lunar Orbiter 3, Chang'e 4 lander and Yutu-2 rover.
Because of increasing numbers of missions to and objects at the Moon a global registry of lunar activities has been proposed in 2023 by the Open Lunar Foundation.[3]
Colors | |
---|---|
Crashed (unintentionally) | |
Impactor or post-mission crashed | |
Landed | |
Operational |
Artificial object | Image | Country | Year | Mass (lb) | Mass (kg) | Status | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Luna 2 | Soviet Union | 1959 | 860 | 390 | Impactor | [ ⚑ ] 29°06′N 0°00′E / 29.1°N 0°E | [4] | |
Luna 2 Third stage of Vostok rocket |
Soviet Union | 1959 | 20,100 | 9,100 | Crashed (post-mission) | [ ⚑ ] 29°06′N 0°00′E / 29.1°N 0°E | [5] | |
Ranger 4 | United States | 1962 | 730 | 331 | Impactor | [ ⚑ ] 15°30′S 130°42′W / 15.5°S 130.7°W | [6] | |
Ranger 6 | United States | 1964 | 840 | 381 | Impactor | [ ⚑ ] 9°21′29″N 21°28′48″E / 9.358°N 21.480°E | [7] | |
Ranger 7 | United States | 1964 | 805 | 365 | Impactor | [ ⚑ ] 10°38′S 20°36′W / 10.63°S 20.60°W | [8] | |
Luna 5 | Soviet Union | 1965 | 3,250 | 1,474 | Crashed | [ ⚑ ] 8°N 23°W / 8°N 23°W | [9] | |
Luna 7 | Soviet Union | 1965 | 3,316 | 1,504 | Crashed | [ ⚑ ] 9°48′N 47°48′W / 9.8°N 47.8°W | [10] | |
Luna 8 | Soviet Union | 1965 | 3,422 (launch mass) | 1552 (launch mass) | Crashed | [ ⚑ ] 9°06′N 63°18′W / 9.1°N 63.3°W | [11] | |
Ranger 8 | United States | 1965 | 809 | 367 | Impactor | [ ⚑ ] 2°38′17″N 24°47′13″E / 2.638°N 24.787°E | [12] | |
Ranger 9 | United States | 1965 | 809 | 367 | Impactor | [ ⚑ ] 12°49′41″S 2°23′13″W / 12.828°S 2.387°W | [13] | |
Luna 9 spacecraft/descent stage | Soviet Union | 1966 | 3,391 (before lander capsule ejection) | 1538 (before lander capsule ejection) | Crashed (post-mission) | [ ⚑ ] 7°05′N 64°22′W / 7.08°N 64.37°W | [14] | |
Luna 9 Automated Lunar Station (ALS) airbag and lander capsule | Soviet Union | 1966 | 218 | 99 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 7°05′N 64°22′W / 7.08°N 64.37°W | [14] | |
Luna 10 | Soviet Union | 1966 | 3,500 | 1,600 | Crashed (post-mission) |
Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [15] | |
Luna 11 | Soviet Union | 1966 | 3,620 | 1,640 | Crashed (post-mission) | Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [16] | |
Luna 12 | Soviet Union | 1966 | 3,680 | 1,670 | Crashed (post-mission) | Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [17] | |
Surveyor 1 (separate from descent stage) | United States | 1966 | 600 | 270 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 2°28′26″S 43°20′20″W / 2.474°S 43.339°W | [18] | |
Luna 13 (separate from descent stage) | Soviet Union | 1966 | 249 | 113 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 18°52′N 62°03′W / 18.87°N 62.05°W | [19] | |
Lunar Orbiter 1 | United States | 1966 | 851 | 386 | Crashed (post-mission) |
[ ⚑ ] 6°42′N 162°00′E / 6.70°N 162°E | [20] | |
Surveyor 2 | United States | 1966 | 644 | 292 | Crashed | [ ⚑ ] 5°30′N 12°00′W / 5.5°N 12°W | [21] | |
Lunar Orbiter 2 | United States | 1966 | 849 | 385 | Crashed (post-mission) |
[ ⚑ ] 3°00′N 119°00′E / 3.0°N 119°E | [22] | |
Lunar Orbiter 3 | United States | 1966 | 851 | 386 | Crashed (post-mission) |
[ ⚑ ] 14°18′N 97°42′W / 14.3°N 97.7°W | [23] | |
Surveyor 3 (separate from descent stage) | United States | 1967 | 619 | 281 | Landed[lower-alpha 2] | [ ⚑ ] 3°00′54″S 23°25′05″W / 3.015°S 23.418°W | [24] | |
Lunar Orbiter 4 | United States | 1967 | 851 | 386 | Crashed (post-mission) |
Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [25] | |
Surveyor 4 | United States | 1967 | 624 | 283 | Crashed | [ ⚑ ] 0°24′N 1°20′W / 0.4°N 1.33°W | [26] | |
Explorer 35 | United States | 1967 | 229 | 104 | Crashed (post mission) |
Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [27] | |
Lunar Orbiter 5 | United States | 1967 | 851 | 386 | Crashed (post-mission) |
[ ⚑ ] 3°S 83°W / 3°S 83°W | [28] | |
Surveyor 5 (separate from descent stage) | United States | 1967 | 619 | 281 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 1°27′40″N 23°11′42″E / 1.461°N 23.195°E | [29] | |
Surveyor 6 (separate from descent stage) | United States | 1967 | 622 | 282 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 0°29′N 1°24′W / 0.49°N 1.40°W | [30] | |
Surveyor 7 (separate from descent stage) | United States | 1968 | 640 | 290 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 40°52′S 11°28′W / 40.86°S 11.47°W | [31] | |
Luna 14 | Soviet Union | 1968 | 3,680 | 1,670 | Crashed (post-mission) | Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [32] | |
Apollo 10 LM-4 Snoopy descent stage |
United States | 1969 | 4,874 | 2,211 | Likely crashed (post-mission) |
Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [33] | |
Apollo 11 LM-5 Eagle descent stage |
United States | 1969 | 4,484 | 2,034 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 0°40′27″N 23°28′23″E / 0.6741°N 23.4730°E | [34] | |
Luna 15 | Soviet Union | 1969 | 5,992 | 2,718 | Crashed | Unknown | [35] | |
Apollo 11 LM-5 Eagle ascent stage[lower-alpha 3] |
United States | 1969 | 4,815 | 2,184 | Crashed (post-mission) or in orbit | Unknown | [36][37] | |
Apollo 12 LM-6 Intrepid descent stage |
United States | 1969 | 4,874 | 2,211 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 3°00′45″S 23°25′18″W / 3.0124°S 23.4216°W | [38] | |
Apollo 12 LM-6 Intrepid ascent stage[lower-alpha 3] |
United States | 1969 | 4,771 | 2,164 | Crashed (post-mission) |
[ ⚑ ] 3°56′S 21°12′W / 3.94°S 21.20°W | [39] | |
Luna 16 descent stage[lower-alpha 4] | Soviet Union | 1970 | 3,040 | 1,380 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 0°41′S 56°18′E / 0.68°S 56.3°E | [40] | |
Luna 17 and Lunokhod 1 | Soviet Union | 1970 | 12,300 | 5,600 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 38°17′N 35°00′W / 38.28°N 35.0°W | [41] | |
Apollo 13 S-IVB (S-IVB-508)[42] |
United States | 1970 | 29,661 | 13,454 | Crashed (post-mission) | [ ⚑ ] 2°45′S 27°52′W / 2.75°S 27.86°W | [43] | |
Luna 18 | Soviet Union | 1971 | 4,140 | 1,880 | Crashed | [ ⚑ ] 3°34′N 56°30′E / 3.57°N 56.5°E | [44] | |
Luna 19 | Soviet Union | 1971 | 4,140 | 1,880 | Crashed (post-mission) | Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [45] | |
Apollo 14 S-IVB (S-IVB-509) |
United States | 1971 | 30,900 | 14,016 | Crashed (post-mission) | [ ⚑ ] 8°05′S 26°01′W / 8.09°S 26.02°W | [46] | |
Apollo 14 LM-8 Antares descent stage |
United States | 1971 | 4,727 | 2,144 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 3°38′43″S 17°28′17″W / 3.6453°S 17.4714°W | [47] | |
Apollo 14 LM-8 Antares ascent stage[lower-alpha 3] |
United States | 1971 | 4,705 | 2,132 | Crashed (post-mission) |
[ ⚑ ] 3°25′S 19°40′W / 3.42°S 19.67°W | [48] | |
Apollo 15 S-IVB (S-IVB-510) |
United States | 1971 | 30,944 | 14,036 | Crashed (post-mission) | [ ⚑ ] 1°31′S 11°49′W / 1.51°S 11.81°W | [49] | |
Apollo 15 LM-10 Falcon descent stage |
United States | 1971 | 6,193 | 2,809 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 26°07′56″N 3°38′02″E / 26.1322°N 3.6339°E | [50] | |
Apollo 15 Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV-1) |
United States | 1971 | 460 | 210 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 26°05′N 3°40′E / 26.08°N 3.66°E | ||
Apollo 15 LM-10 Falcon ascent stage[lower-alpha 3] |
United States | 1971 | 4,700 | 2,132 | Crashed (post-mission) |
[ ⚑ ] 26°22′N 0°15′E / 26.36°N 0.25°E | [51] | |
Apollo 15 subsatellite | United States | 1971 | 79 | 36 | Crashed (post-mission) |
Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [52] | |
Luna 20 descent stage[lower-alpha 4] | Soviet Union | 1972 | 12626 <12,626
|
5727 <5,727
|
Landed | [ ⚑ ] 3°34′N 56°30′E / 3.57°N 56.5°E | [53] | |
Apollo 16 S-IVB (S-IVB-511) |
United States | 1972 | 30,869 | 14,002 | Crashed (post-mission) | [ ⚑ ] 1°55′16″N 24°37′23″W / 1.921°N 24.623°W | [54] | |
Apollo 16 LM-11 Orion descent stage |
United States | 1972 | 6,096 | 2,765 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 8°58′23″S 15°30′01″E / 8.9730°S 15.5002°E | [55] | |
Apollo 16 Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV-2) |
United States | 1972 | 460 | 210 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 8°58′S 15°31′E / 8.97°S 15.51°E | ||
Apollo 16 LM-11 Orion ascent stage[lower-alpha 3] |
United States | 1972 | 4,713 | 2,138 | Crashed (post-mission) |
Unknown | [56] | |
Apollo 16 subsatellite | United States | 1972 | 79 | 36 | Crashed (post-mission) |
Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [57] | |
Apollo 17 S-IVB (S-IVB-512) |
United States | 1972 | 30,780 | 13,960 | Crashed (post-mission) | [ ⚑ ] 4°13′S 12°19′W / 4.21°S 12.31°W | [58] | |
Apollo 17 LM-12 Challenger descent stage |
United States | 1972 | 6,169 | 2,798 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 20°11′27″N 30°46′18″E / 20.1908°N 30.7717°E | [59] | |
Apollo 17 Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV-3) |
United States | 1972 | 460 | 210 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 20°10′N 30°46′E / 20.17°N 30.77°E | ||
Apollo 17 LM-12 Challenger ascent stage[lower-alpha 3] |
United States | 1972 | 4,740 | 2,150 | Crashed (post-mission) |
[ ⚑ ] 19°58′N 30°30′E / 19.96°N 30.50°E | [60] | |
Luna 21 and Lunokhod 2[lower-alpha 5] | Soviet Union | 1973 | 10,690 | 4,850 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 25°51′N 30°27′E / 25.85°N 30.45°E | [61] | |
Explorer 49 (RAE-B) | United States | 1973 | 723 | 328 | Crashed (post-mission) | Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [62] | |
Luna 22 | Soviet Union | 1974 | 8,800 | 4,000 | Crashed (post-mission) | Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [63] | |
Luna 23 | Soviet Union | 1974 | 12,300 | 5,600 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 12°45′N 62°12′E / 12.75°N 62.20°E | [64] | |
Luna 24 descent stage[lower-alpha 4] | Soviet Union | 1976 | 12787 <12,787
|
5800 <5,800
|
Landed | [ ⚑ ] 12°45′N 62°12′E / 12.75°N 62.20°E | [65] | |
Hagoromo Hiten[lower-alpha 6] |
Japan | 1990 | 26 | 12 | Crashed (not confirmed/post-mission) |
Unknown | [66] | |
Hiten | Japan | 1993 | 315 | 143 | Crashed (post-mission)/Impactor | [ ⚑ ] 34°18′S 55°36′E / 34.3°S 55.6°E | [67] | |
Lunar Prospector | United States | 1998 | 278 | 126 | Crashed (post-mission) | [ ⚑ ] 87°42′S 42°21′E / 87.7°S 42.35°E | [68][69] | |
SMART-1 | European Space Agency | 2006 | 677 | 307 | Crashed (post-mission) | [ ⚑ ] 34°15′43″S 46°11′35″W / 34.262°S 46.193°W | [70] | |
Moon Impact Probe (MIP) Chandrayaan-1 |
India | 2008 | 77 | 35 | Impactor | [ ⚑ ] 89°46′S 39°24′W / 89.76°S 39.40°W | [71][72][73] | |
SELENE Rstar (Okina) | Japan | 2009 | 117 | 53 | Crashed (post-mission) | [ ⚑ ] 28°12′47″N 159°01′59″W / 28.213°N 159.033°W | [74][75][76] | |
SELENE Vstar (Ouna) | Japan | Unknown | 117 | 53 | Crashed (post-mission) | Unknown | [77] | |
Chang'e 1 | China | 2009 | 4,400 | 2,000 | Crashed (post-mission) | [ ⚑ ] 1°30′S 52°22′E / 1.50°S 52.36°E | [78][79][80] | |
SELENE (Kaguya) main orbiter | Japan | 2009 | 4,374 | 1,984[78] | Crashed (post-mission) | [ ⚑ ] 65°30′S 80°30′E / 65.5°S 80.5°E | [81][82][83] | |
LCROSS Shepherding Spacecraft | United States | 2009 | 1,500 | 700 | Crashed (post-mission) | [ ⚑ ] 84°43′44″S 49°21′36″W / 84.729°S 49.36°W | [lower-alpha 7][84][85] | |
LCROSS Centaur | United States | 2009 | 5,000 | 2,270 | Crashed (post-mission) | [ ⚑ ] 84°40′30″S 48°43′30″W / 84.675°S 48.725°W | [lower-alpha 8][86][87] | |
GRAIL | United States | 2012 | 293 | 133 | Crashed (post-mission) |
[ ⚑ ] 75°37′N 26°38′W / 75.62°N 26.63°W | [88] | |
Chang'e 3 lander | China | 2013 | 2,600 | 1,200 | Landed/operational[89] | [ ⚑ ] 44°07′N 19°31′W / 44.12°N 19.51°W | [90][91][92] | |
Chang'e 3 Yutu rover |
China | 2013 | 2,600 | 1,200 | Landed[93] | [ ⚑ ] 44°07′N 19°31′W / 44.12°N 19.51°W | [90][94][92] | |
LADEE | United States | 2014 | 547 | 248 | Crashed (post-mission) | [ ⚑ ] 10°48′N 91°36′W / 10.8°N 91.6°W | ||
Chang'e 4 lander | China | 2019 | 2,600 | 1,200 | Landed/operational | 077.250 [ ⚑ ] 45°27′22″S 177°35′19″E / 45.4561°S 177.5885°E
|
[95] | |
Chang'e 4 Yutu-2 rover |
China | 2019 | 2,600 | 1,200 | Landed/operational | 077.250 [ ⚑ ] 45°27′22″S 177°35′19″E / 45.4561°S 177.5885°E
|
[96] | |
Beresheet | Israel | 2019 | 330 | 150 | Crashed[97][98] | [ ⚑ ] 32°35′44″N 19°20′59″E / 32.5956°N 19.3496°E | ||
Longjiang-2 | China | 2019 | 104 | 47 | Crashed (post-mission)[99] | [ ⚑ ] 16°41′44″N 159°31′01″E / 16.6956°N 159.5170°E | [100] | |
Chandrayaan-2 Vikram lander Pragyan rover |
India | 2019 | 3,243 | 1,471 | Crashed[101] | [ ⚑ ] 70°52′52″S 22°47′02″E / 70.8810°S 22.7840°E | [102] | |
Chang'e 5 descent stage |
China | 2020 | <18,077 | <8,200 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 43°05′56″N 51°50′13″W / 43.099°N 51.837°W | ||
Chang'e 5 ascent stage |
China | 2020 | >400 | >882 | Crashed (post-mission) | [ ⚑ ] 30°00′00″S 0°00′00″E / 30.000°S 0.000°E | ||
Chang'e 5-T1 third stage rocket | China | 2022 | 6100 | 2,800 | Crashed (post-mission) | [ ⚑ ] 5°13′34″N 125°30′50″W / 5.226°N 125.514°W | [103][104] | |
Manfred Memorial Moon Mission | Luxembourg | 2022 | 31 | 14 | Crashed (post-mission together with Chang'e 5-T1 third stage rocket) | |||
Hakuto-R Mission 1 | Japan | 2023 | 750 | 340 | Crashed | [ ⚑ ] 47°34′52″N 44°05′38″E / 47.581°N 44.094°E | [105] | |
Emirates Lunar Mission | United Arab Emirates | |||||||
Luna 25 | Russia | 2023 | 3,860 | 1,750 | Crashed | [ ⚑ ] 57°51′54″S 61°21′36″E / 57.865°S 61.360°E | [106][107] | |
Chandrayaan-3 Vikram lander Pragyan rover |
India | 2023 | 3,863 | 1,752 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 69°22′23″S 32°19′08″E / 69.373°S 32.319°E | [108][109] | |
SLIM | Japan | 2024 | 259.4 | 118.7 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 13°18′58″S 25°15′04″E / 13.316°S 25.251°E | [110] | |
LEV-1 | Japan | 2024 | 2.1 | 4.6 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 13°18′58″S 25°15′04″E / 13.316°S 25.251°E | [110] | |
LEV-2 | Japan | 2024 | 0.25 | 0.55 | Landed | [ ⚑ ] 13°18′58″S 25°15′04″E / 13.316°S 25.251°E | [110] | |
Total estimated dry mass | 454,056 | 205,988 |
Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List of artificial objects on the Moon.
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