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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 | ![]() |
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1959 | 860 | 390 | Impactor | 29.1°N 0°E | [4] |
Luna 2 Third stage of Vostok rocket |
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1959 | 20,100 | 9,100 | Crashed (post-mission) | 29.1°N 0°E | [5] |
Ranger 4 | ![]() |
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1962 | 730 | 331 | Crashed (controlled impact failed) | 15.5°S 130.7°W | [6] |
Ranger 6 | ![]() |
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1964 | 840 | 381 | Impactor | 9.358°N 21.480°E | [7] |
Ranger 7 | ![]() |
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1964 | 805 | 365 | Impactor | 10.63°S 20.60°W | [8] |
Luna 5 | ![]() |
1965 | 3,250 | 1,474 | Crashed | 8°N 23°W | [9] | |
Luna 7 | ![]() |
1965 | 3,316 | 1,504 | Crashed | 9.8°N 47.8°W | [10] | |
Luna 8 | ![]() |
1965 | 3,422 (launch mass) | 1552 (launch mass) | Crashed | 9.1°N 63.3°W | [11] | |
Ranger 8 | ![]() |
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1965 | 809 | 367 | Impactor | 2.638°N 24.787°E | [12] |
Ranger 9 | ![]() |
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1965 | 809 | 367 | Impactor | 12.828°S 2.387°W | [13] |
Luna 9 spacecraft/descent stage | ![]() |
1966 | 3,391 (before lander capsule ejection) | 1538 (before lander capsule ejection) | Crashed (post-mission) | 7.08°N 64.37°W | [14] | |
Luna 9 Automated Lunar Station (ALS) airbag and lander capsule | ![]() |
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1966 | 218 | 99 | Landed | 7.08°N 64.37°W | [14] |
Luna 10 | ![]() |
1966 | 3,500 | 1,600 | Crashed (post-mission) |
Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [15] | |
Luna 11 | ![]() |
1966 | 3,620 | 1,640 | Crashed (post-mission) | Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [16] | |
Luna 12 | ![]() |
1966 | 3,680 | 1,670 | Crashed (post-mission) | Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [17] | |
Surveyor 1 (separate from descent stage) | ![]() |
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1966 | 600 | 270 | Landed | 2.474°S 43.339°W | [18] |
Luna 13 (separate from descent stage) | ![]() |
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1966 | 249 | 113 | Landed | 18.87°N 62.05°W | [19] |
Lunar Orbiter 1 | ![]() |
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1966 | 851 | 386 | Crashed (post-mission) |
6.70°N 162°E | [20] |
Surveyor 2 | ![]() |
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1966 | 644 | 292 | Crashed | 5.5°N 12°W | [21] |
Lunar Orbiter 2 | ![]() |
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1966 | 849 | 385 | Crashed (post-mission) |
3.0°N 119°E | [22] |
Lunar Orbiter 3 | ![]() |
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1966 | 851 | 386 | Crashed (post-mission) |
14.3°N 97.7°W | [23] |
Surveyor 3 (separate from descent stage) | ![]() |
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1967 | 619 | 281 | Landed[lower-alpha 2] | 3.015°S 23.418°W | [24] |
Lunar Orbiter 4 | ![]() |
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1967 | 851 | 386 | Crashed (post-mission) |
Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [25] |
Surveyor 4 | ![]() |
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1967 | 624 | 283 | Crashed | 0.4°N 1.33°W | [26] |
Explorer 35 | ![]() |
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1967 | 229 | 104 | Crashed (post mission) |
Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [27] |
Lunar Orbiter 5 | ![]() |
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1967 | 851 | 386 | Crashed (post-mission) |
3°S 83°W | [28] |
Surveyor 5 (separate from descent stage) | ![]() |
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1967 | 619 | 281 | Landed | 1.461°N 23.195°E | [29] |
Surveyor 6 (separate from descent stage) | ![]() |
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1967 | 622 | 282 | Landed | 0.49°N 1.40°W | [30] |
Surveyor 7 (separate from descent stage) | ![]() |
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1968 | 640 | 290 | Landed | 40.86°S 11.47°W | [31] |
Luna 14 | ![]() |
1968 | 3,680 | 1,670 | Crashed (post-mission) | Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [32] | |
Apollo 10 LM-4 Snoopy descent stage |
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1969 | 4,874 | 2,211 | Likely crashed (post-mission) |
Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [33] |
Apollo 11 LM-5 Eagle descent stage |
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1969 | 4,484 | 2,034 | Landed | 0.6741°N 23.4730°E | [34] |
Luna 15 | ![]() |
1969 | 5,992 | 2,718 | Crashed | Unknown | [35] | |
Apollo 11 LM-5 Eagle ascent stage[lower-alpha 3] |
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1969 | 4,815 | 2,184 | Crashed (post-mission) or in orbit | Unknown | [36][37] |
Apollo 12 LM-6 Intrepid descent stage |
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1969 | 4,874 | 2,211 | Landed | 3.0124°S 23.4216°W | [38] |
Apollo 12 LM-6 Intrepid ascent stage[lower-alpha 3] |
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1969 | 4,771 | 2,164 | Crashed (post-mission) |
3.94°S 21.20°W | [39] |
Luna 16 descent stage[lower-alpha 4] | ![]() |
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1970 | 3,040 | 1,380 | Landed | 0.68°S 56.3°E | [40] |
Luna 17 and Lunokhod 1 | ![]() |
1970 | 12,300 | 5,600 | Landed | 38.28°N 35.0°W | [41] | |
Apollo 13 S-IVB (S-IVB-508)[42] |
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1970 | 29,661 | 13,454 | Crashed (post-mission) | 2.75°S 27.86°W | [43] |
Luna 18 | ![]() |
1971 | 4,140 | 1,880 | Crashed | 3.57°N 56.5°E | [44] | |
Luna 19 | ![]() |
1971 | 4,140 | 1,880 | Crashed (post-mission) | Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [45] | |
Apollo 14 S-IVB (S-IVB-509) |
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1971 | 30,900 | 14,016 | Crashed (post-mission) | 8.09°S 26.02°W | [46] |
Apollo 14 LM-8 Antares descent stage |
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1971 | 4,727 | 2,144 | Landed | 3.6453°S 17.4714°W | [47] |
Apollo 14 LM-8 Antares ascent stage[lower-alpha 3] |
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1971 | 4,705 | 2,132 | Crashed (post-mission) |
3.42°S 19.67°W | [48] |
Apollo 15 S-IVB (S-IVB-510) |
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1971 | 30,944 | 14,036 | Crashed (post-mission) | 1.51°S 11.81°W | [49] |
Apollo 15 LM-10 Falcon descent stage |
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1971 | 6,193 | 2,809 | Landed | 26.1322°N 3.6339°E | [50] |
Apollo 15 Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV-1) |
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1971 | 460 | 210 | Landed | 26.08°N 3.66°E | |
Apollo 15 LM-10 Falcon ascent stage[lower-alpha 3] |
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1971 | 4,700 | 2,132 | Crashed (post-mission) |
26.36°N 0.25°E | [51] |
Apollo 15 subsatellite | ![]() |
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1971 | 79 | 36 | Crashed (post-mission) |
Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [52] |
Luna 20 descent stage[lower-alpha 4] | ![]() |
1972 | <12,626 | <5,727 | Landed | 3.57°N 56.5°E | [53] | |
Apollo 16 S-IVB (S-IVB-511) |
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1972 | 30,869 | 14,002 | Crashed (post-mission) | 1.921°N 24.623°W | [54] |
Apollo 16 LM-11 Orion descent stage |
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1972 | 6,096 | 2,765 | Landed | 8.9730°S 15.5002°E | [55] |
Apollo 16 Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV-2) |
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1972 | 460 | 210 | Landed | 8.97°S 15.51°E | |
Apollo 16 LM-11 Orion ascent stage[lower-alpha 3] |
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1972 | 4,713 | 2,138 | Crashed (post-mission) |
Unknown | [56] |
Apollo 16 subsatellite | ![]() |
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1972 | 79 | 36 | Crashed (post-mission) |
Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [57] |
Apollo 17 S-IVB (S-IVB-512) |
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1972 | 30,780 | 13,960 | Crashed (post-mission) | 4.21°S 12.31°W | [58] |
Apollo 17 LM-12 Challenger descent stage |
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1972 | 6,169 | 2,798 | Landed | 20.1908°N 30.7717°E | [59] |
Apollo 17 Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV-3) |
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1972 | 460 | 210 | Landed | 20.17°N 30.77°E | |
Apollo 17 LM-12 Challenger ascent stage[lower-alpha 3] |
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1972 | 4,740 | 2,150 | Crashed (post-mission) |
19.96°N 30.50°E | [60] |
Luna 21 and Lunokhod 2[lower-alpha 5] | ![]() |
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1973 | 10,690 | 4,850 | Landed | 25.85°N 30.45°E | [61] |
Explorer 49 (RAE-B) | ![]() |
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1973 | 723 | 328 | Crashed (post-mission) | Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [62] |
Luna 22 | ![]() |
1974 | 8,800 | 4,000 | Crashed (post-mission) | Unknown[lower-alpha 1] | [63] | |
Luna 23 | ![]() |
1974 | 12,300 | 5,600 | Landed | 12.75°N 62.20°E | [64] | |
Luna 24 descent stage[lower-alpha 4] | ![]() |
1976 | <12,787 | <5,800 | Landed | 12.75°N 62.20°E | [65] | |
Hagoromo Hiten[lower-alpha 6] |
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1990 | 26 | 12 | Crashed (not confirmed/post-mission) |
Unknown | [66] |
Hiten | ![]() |
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1993 | 315 | 143 | Crashed (post-mission)/Impactor | 34.3°S 55.6°E | [67] |
Lunar Prospector | ![]() |
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1998 | 278 | 126 | Crashed (post-mission) | 87.7°S 42.35°E | [68][69] |
SMART-1 | ![]() |
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2006 | 677 | 307 | Crashed (post-mission) | 34.262°S 46.193°W | [70] |
Moon Impact Probe (MIP) Chandrayaan-1 |
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2008 | 77 | 35 | Impactor | 89.76°S 39.40°W | [71][72][73] |
SELENE Rstar (Okina) | ![]() |
2009 | 117 | 53 | Crashed (post-mission) | 28.213°N 159.033°W | [74][75][76] | |
SELENE Vstar (Ouna) | ![]() |
Unknown | 117 | 53 | Crashed (post-mission) | Unknown | [77] | |
Chang'e 1 | ![]() |
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2009 | 4,400 | 2,000 | Crashed (post-mission) | 1.50°S 52.36°E | [78][79][80] |
SELENE (Kaguya) main orbiter | ![]() |
2009 | 4,374 | 1,984[78] | Crashed (post-mission) | 65.5°S 80.5°E | [81][82][83] | |
LCROSS Shepherding Spacecraft | ![]() |
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2009 | 1,500 | 700 | Crashed (post-mission) | 84.729°S 49.36°W | [lower-alpha 7][84][85] |
LCROSS Centaur | ![]() |
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2009 | 5,000 | 2,270 | Impactor | 84.675°S 48.725°W | [lower-alpha 8][86][87] |
GRAIL | ![]() |
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2012 | 293 | 133 | Crashed (post-mission) |
75.62°N 26.63°W | [88] |
Chang'e 3 lander | ![]() |
2013 | 2,600 | 1,200 | Landed/operational[89] | 44.12°N 19.51°W | [90][91][92] | |
Chang'e 3 Yutu rover |
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2013 | 2,600 | 1,200 | Landed[93] | 44.12°N 19.51°W | [90][94][92] |
LADEE | ![]() |
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2014 | 547 | 248 | Crashed (post-mission) | 10.8°N 91.6°W | |
Chang'e 4 lander | ![]() |
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2019 | 2,600 | 1,200 | Landed/operational | 45.4561°S 177.5885°E | [95] |
Chang'e 4 Yutu-2 rover |
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2019 | 2,600 | 1,200 | Landed/operational | 45.4561°S 177.5885°E | [96] |
Beresheet | ![]() |
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2019 | 330 | 150 | Crashed[97][98] | 32.5956°N 19.3496°E | |
Longjiang-2 | ![]() |
2019 | 104 | 47 | Crashed (post-mission)[99] | 16.6956°N 159.5170°E | [100] | |
Chandrayaan-2 Vikram lander Pragyan rover |
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2019 | 3,243 | 1,471 | Crashed[101] | 70.8810°S 22.7840°E | [102] |
Chang'e 5 descent stage |
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2020 | 7,055 | 3,200 | Landed | 43.0576°N 51.9161°W | ||
Chang'e 5 ascent stage |
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2020 | >1543 | >700 | Crashed (post-mission) | 30.000°S 0.000°E | |
Chang'e 5-T1 third stage rocket | ![]() |
2022 | 6100 | 2,800 | Crashed (post-mission) | 5.226°N 125.514°W | [103][104] | |
Manfred Memorial Moon Mission | ![]() |
2022 | 31 | 14 | Crashed (post-mission together with Chang'e 5-T1 third stage rocket) | |||
Hakuto-R Mission 1 | ![]() |
2023 | 750 | 340 | Crashed | 47.581°N 44.094°E | [105] | |
Emirates Lunar Mission | ![]() |
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Luna 25 | ![]() |
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2023 | 3,860 | 1,750 | Crashed | 57.865°S 61.360°E | [106][107] |
Chandrayaan-3 Vikram lander Pragyan rover |
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2023 | 3,863 | 1,752 | Landed | 69.373°S 32.319°E | [108][109] |
SLIM | ![]() |
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2024 | 259.4 | 118.7 | Operational | 13.316°S 25.251°E | [110] |
LEV-1 | ![]() |
2024 | 4.6 | 2.1 | Landed | 13.316°S 25.251°E | [110] | |
LEV-2 | ![]() |
2024 | 0.55 | 0.25 | Landed | 13.316°S 25.251°E | [110] | |
IM-1 Odysseus EagleCam |
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2024 | 4,206 | 1,903 | Landed | 84.9°S 12.9°E | [111] |
Chang'e 6 descent stage |
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2024 | 7,055 | 3,200 | Landed | 41.6385°S 153.9852°W | [112] | |
Chang'e 6 rover |
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2024 | 11 | 5 | ||||
Chang'e 6 ascent stage |
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2024 | >1543 | >700 | Crashed (post-mission) | 39.0°S 180.0°E | [113] |
Total estimated dry mass | 476,410 | 216,096 |
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