Image of an astronaut riding a moon rover on the moon

Eugene Cernan explores the moon in the Lunar Roving Vehicle.

NASA

To the Moon . . . and Back!

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

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. 

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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