🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 62 (from laksa134)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa062.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.britannica.com/story/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.britannica.com/story/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/story\/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon","crawl_time":1776269337,"first_indexed_time":1562996204,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,britannica!www,\/story\/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon s443","src_root_hash":"5455945239613777662","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"How Many People Have Been to the Moon? | Britannica","meta_descriptions":["NASA sent two dozen people to the Moon as part of the Apollo space program in the 1960s and 1970s."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Even if you weren’t alive for the first\nMoon landing\non July 20, 1969, you’ve probably seen footage of it, when\nastronaut\nNeil Armstrong\nfamously declared, “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind,” and\nBuzz Aldrin\nhelped him plant an\nAmerican flag\non the lunar surface. And didn’t they also ride around in a golf cart? Or did they hit a few golf balls? Actually, that was\nAlan Shepard\nwith a golf club during the Apollo 14 mission. And that wasn’t a golf cart. It was a lunar rover, and it also came later:\nDavid Scott\nand\nJames Irwin\nused one for the first time during the Apollo 15 mission.\nConsidering that Americans lost interest in Moon landings by the last Apollo mission in 1972, you can be forgiven for not keeping all the details straight. You might be wondering just how many missions and how many people have been to the Moon.\nIn fact, during nine\nApollo\nmissions, 24 astronauts (all Americans) went to the Moon, and 12 of them walked on it.\nWhat follows is a quick history.\nPrelude: Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo 7\nIn 1961, after the\nSoviet Union\nsent the first man,\nYuri Gagarin\n, into space to orbit Earth,\nPres. John F. Kennedy\nannounced that the\nUnited States\nwould send the first man to the Moon by the end of the decade.\nNASA\nsubsequently began a series of test missions, starting with\nMercury\n(six one-man spaceflights, 1961–63) to get a sense of how humans function in space, then\nGemini\n(two uncrewed and 10 two-man spaceflights, 1964–66), which helped develop techniques for later lunar landings, and\nculminating\nwith the Apollo program (1966–72). Apollo began with a series of uncrewed flights orbiting Earth. In 1968 Apollo 7 was the first crewed\nspaceflight\nof the program, orbiting Earth 163 times to test the equipment.\nApollo 8 and Apollo 10\nApollo 8 (December 21–27, 1968) was the first crewed mission to complete lunar orbit and return safely to Earth. Its three-man crew of\nWilliam Anders\n,\nFrank Borman\n, and\nJim Lovell\nwere the first three people to go to the Moon, although they did not land. They were followed by the three members of Apollo 10 (May 18–26, 1969):\nThomas Stafford\n,\nJohn W. Young\n, and\nEugene Cernan\n, whose mission was regarded as a dress rehearsal for the lunar landing. Cernan and Stafford piloted the Lunar Module near the Moon’s surface, while Young remained on the Command Module, orbiting the Moon and setting up the routine most\nsubsequent\nApollo missions would follow.\nApollo 11 and Apollo 12\nNeil Armstrong takes humankind's first steps on the lunar surface during NASA's Apollo 11 mission\nPerhaps the most famous of all space films, these clips document the arrival of the first human beings on the Moon on July 20, 1969.\nSee all videos for this article\nFinally came\nApollo 11\nwith the first lunar landing, wherein Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the Moon. He was followed quickly by the second person to walk on the Moon, Buzz Aldrin, while\nMichael Collins\nremained on the Command Module orbiting the Moon. Collins was the ninth person to reach Earth’s closest neighbor. Apollo 12 (November 14–24, 1969) came soon after, with\nPete Conrad\nand\nAlan Bean\nspending almost 32 hours on the Moon’s surface while\nRichard F. Gordon\nmanned the Command Module in lunar orbit.\nApollo 13\nApollo 13\n(April 11–17, 1970) was meant to be a routine mission to the Moon, but an oxygen tank exploded two days after launch, and plans to land were quickly aborted. To return to Earth, however, the\nspacecraft\nneeded to orbit the Moon. The three crew members—Jim Lovell,\nFred Haise\n, and\nJack Swigert\n—shut down the Command Module to conserve energy and moved to the Lunar Module as a makeshift lifeboat. They spent nearly four days in lunar orbit with high levels of\ncarbon dioxide\n, little heat, and insufficient food and water supplies. Although the three men did not have the chance to walk on the Moon, Haise and Swigert became the 13th and 14th men to reach it (Lovell had been to the Moon on Apollo 8). After a harrowing journey, the crew returned safely to Earth. The voyage was later recognized in a\nRon Howard\nmovie starring\nTom Hanks\n.\nApollo 14 and Apollo 15\nApollo 14 was a little less hair-raising.\nAlan Shepard\n, who had been the first U.S. astronaut to travel in space aboard Freedom 7 in 1961, became the fifth person to walk on the Moon and, as an\navid\ngolfer, swung at a couple of golf balls.\nEdgar Mitchell\njoined him as the sixth person to walk on the Moon, while\nStuart A. Roosa\norbited in the Command Module, becoming the 17th man to reach the Moon. During Apollo 15 (July 26–August 7, 1971), astronauts\nDavid Scott\nand\nJames B. Irwin\nspent almost three days on the Moon and were the first to use the lunar rover, an electrically powered wheeled vehicle, while\nAlfred Worden\norbited the Moon on the Command Module.\nThe trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners.\nSUBSCRIBE\nApollo 17\nJohn W. Young\n, who had previously been to the Moon on Apollo 10, had the opportunity to walk on it, along with\nCharles M. Duke, Jr., during Apollo 16 (April 16–27, 1972). The two were the ninth and tenth astronauts to walk on the lunar surface.\nThomas K. Mattingly, who had been removed from Apollo 13 because of exposure to measles, manned the Command Module and became the 21st person to reach the Moon.\nApollo 17\n(December 7–19, 1972) was the last crewed mission to the Moon.\nHarrison Schmitt\n, the first professional geologist on the Moon, and Eugene Cernan, who had been to the Moon with Apollo 10, walked on the lunar surface for more than 22 hours. They collected over 249 pounds (115 kg) of rocks and other material. They were the 11th and 12th astronauts to walk on the Moon, and Ron Evans, who manned the Command Module, became the 24th man to reach the Moon.\nEpilogue: Artemis I and Artemis II\nArtemis II crew members\nMembers of the Artemis II crew, (from left) Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Pilot Victor Glover, and Commander Reid Wiseman, pausing for a group photo inside the\nOrion\nspacecraft on their way home from the Moon, 2026.\nIn 2017, close to 50 years after the last Apollo mission, NASA initiated the\nArtemis spaceflight program\nwith the goal of returning astronauts to the surface of the Moon in the 2020s. Artemis I launched in 2022 and tested the safety and performance in deep space of the uncrewed\nOrion\nspacecraft. It orbited the Moon about 44,000 miles (70,000 kilometers) from its surface on a 25.5-day flight. In 2026 \nArtemis II\nlaunched a crew of four astronauts around the far side of the Moon and back to Earth. Commander \nReid Wiseman\n, pilot \nVictor Glover\n, and mission specialists \nChristina Koch\n and \nJeremy Hansen\nbecame the 25th, 26th, 27th, and 28th people to reach the Moon. Glover is the first Black man to fly to the Moon, Koch the first woman, and Hansen the first non-American (he is Canadian). The whole crew set the record for the farthest distance traveled by humans in space, 252,756 miles (406,771 kilometers).","attrs_markdown":"[![Encyclopedia Britannica](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/mendel\/eb-logo\/MendelNewThistleLogo.png)](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/)\n\n[![Encyclopedia Britannica](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/mendel\/eb-logo\/MendelNewThistleLogo.png)](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/)\n\n[SUBSCRIBE](https:\/\/premium.britannica.com\/premium-membership\/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=global-nav&utm_campaign=blue-evergreen)\n\n[SUBSCRIBE](https:\/\/premium.britannica.com\/premium-membership\/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=global-nav-mobile&utm_campaign=blue-evergreen)\n\nLogin\n\nhttps:\/\/premium.britannica.com\/premium-membership\/?utm\\_source=premium\\&utm\\_medium=nav-login-box\\&utm\\_campaign=evergreen\n\n[SUBSCRIBE](https:\/\/premium.britannica.com\/premium-membership\/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=hamburger-menu&utm_campaign=blue)\n\n[Ask the Chatbot](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/chatbot)\n\n[Games & Quizzes](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/quiz\/browse) [History & Society](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/History-Society) [Science & Tech](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/Science-Tech) [Biographies](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/Biographies) [Animals & Nature](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/Animals-Nature) [Geography & Travel](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/Geography-Travel) [Arts & Culture](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/Arts-Culture) [ProCon](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/procon) [Money](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/money) [Videos](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/videos)\n\n[How Many People Have Been to the Moon?](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/story\/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon)\n\n- [Introduction](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/story\/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon)\n- [Prelude: Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo 7](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/story\/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon#ref478477)\n- [Apollo 8 and Apollo 10](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/story\/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon#ref478478)\n- [Apollo 11 and Apollo 12](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/story\/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon#ref478479)\n- [Apollo 13](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/story\/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon#ref478480)\n- [Apollo 14 and Apollo 15](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/story\/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon#ref478481)\n- [Apollo 17](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/story\/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon#ref478482)\n- [Epilogue: Artemis I and Artemis II](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/story\/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon#ref478483)\n\n[References & Edit History](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/story\/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon\/additional-info)  [Related Topics](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/facts\/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon)\n\n[Images & Videos](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/story\/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon\/images-videos)\n\n[![Apollo 11](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/63\/231863-004-6512108E\/Apollo-11-astronaut-Buzz-Aldrin-steps-off-lunar-module-onto-Moon.jpg)](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/63\/231863-050-72071FCD\/Apollo-11-astronaut-Buzz-Aldrin-steps-off-lunar-module-onto-Moon.jpg)\n\n[![Neil Armstrong takes humankind's first steps on the lunar surface during NASA's Apollo 11 mission](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/83\/23183-138-3E257FAE\/famous-Neil-Armstrong-space-films-clips-arrival-July-20-1969.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/video\/famous-Neil-Armstrong-space-films-clips-arrival-July-20-1969\/-8519)\n\n[![Illustration of a spacecraft above the lunar surface with the text \"we're sending astronauts into DEEP SPACE\" and a blue arrow pointing toward the spacecraft.](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/48\/284748-138-16DD88FE\/what-is-artemis-II.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/video\/what-is-artemis-II\/-359246)\n\n[![The Artemis II crew-Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover, and Reid Wiseman-smile and give thumbs up for a group photo inside the Orion spacecraft with U.S. and Canadian flags visible.](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/61\/287061-120-123D366A\/Artemis-II-crew-gives-thumbs-up-on-return-trip-to-Earth-April-2026.jpg)](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/61\/287061-050-123D366A\/Artemis-II-crew-gives-thumbs-up-on-return-trip-to-Earth-April-2026.jpg)  [![Explore the timeline of the Apollo missions that led the United States to land the first humans on the Moon.](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/57\/206457-004-8641EF6E\/Apollo-space-program-United-States-NASA-moon-landing.jpg)](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/57\/206457-050-8641EF6E\/Apollo-space-program-United-States-NASA-moon-landing.jpg)\n\n![Britannica AI Icon](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/mendel-resources\/3-179\/images\/chatbot\/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9)\n\nContents\n\nAsk Anything\n\n[Science](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/browse\/Science)    [Astronomy](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/browse\/Astronomy)\n\nCITE\n\nShare\n\nFeedback\n\nExternal Websites\n\n[![Apollo 11](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/63\/231863-050-72071FCD\/Apollo-11-astronaut-Buzz-Aldrin-steps-off-lunar-module-onto-Moon.jpg?w=400&h=300&c=crop)](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/63\/231863-050-72071FCD\/Apollo-11-astronaut-Buzz-Aldrin-steps-off-lunar-module-onto-Moon.jpg)\n\n[Apollo 11](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/63\/231863-050-72071FCD\/Apollo-11-astronaut-Buzz-Aldrin-steps-off-lunar-module-onto-Moon.jpg) U.S. astronaut Buzz Aldrin (Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr.) stepping off the ladder of Apollo 11's lunar module *Eagle* to take his first steps on the Moon, July 20, 1969.\n\n(more)\n\n# How Many People Have Been to the Moon?\nThe answer is 28, though only 12 astronauts have walked on the Moon.\n\nHomework Help\n\nWritten by\n\n[Alicja Zelazko Alicja Zelazko is Associate Editor, Arts and Humanities, covering topics in the visual arts, architecture, music, and performance. Before joining Encyclopædia Britannica in 2017, she worked at the Art...](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/editor\/Alicja-Zelazko\/9823860)\n\nAlicja Zelazko\n\nFact-checked by\n\n[Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/editor\/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica\/4419)\n\nBritannica Editors\n\nLast updated\n\nApr. 13, 2026\n\n•[History](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/story\/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon\/additional-info#history)\n\n![Britannica AI Icon](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/mendel-resources\/3-179\/images\/chatbot\/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9) Britannica AI\n\nAsk Anything\n\nTable of Contents\n\nTable of Contents\n\nAsk Anything\n\nEven if you weren’t alive for the first [Moon landing](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/Moon-exploration) on July 20, 1969, you’ve probably seen footage of it, when [astronaut](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/astronaut) [Neil Armstrong](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Neil-Armstrong) famously declared, “That’s one small step for \\[a\\] man, one giant leap for mankind,” and [Buzz Aldrin](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Buzz-Aldrin) helped him plant an [American flag](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/flag-of-the-United-States-of-America) on the lunar surface. And didn’t they also ride around in a golf cart? Or did they hit a few golf balls? Actually, that was [Alan Shepard](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Alan-B-Shepard-Jr) with a golf club during the Apollo 14 mission. And that wasn’t a golf cart. It was a lunar rover, and it also came later: [David Scott](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/David-Scott) and [James Irwin](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/James-B-Irwin) used one for the first time during the Apollo 15 mission.\n\nConsidering that Americans lost interest in Moon landings by the last Apollo mission in 1972, you can be forgiven for not keeping all the details straight. You might be wondering just how many missions and how many people have been to the Moon. **In fact, during nine [Apollo](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/Apollo-space-program) missions, 24 astronauts (all Americans) went to the Moon, and 12 of them walked on it.** What follows is a quick history.\n\n## Prelude: Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo 7\nIn 1961, after the [Soviet Union](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Soviet-Union) sent the first man, [Yuri Gagarin](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Yuri-Gagarin), into space to orbit Earth, [Pres. John F. Kennedy](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/John-F-Kennedy) announced that the [United States](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/United-States) would send the first man to the Moon by the end of the decade. [NASA](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/NASA) subsequently began a series of test missions, starting with [Mercury](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/Mercury-space-project) (six one-man spaceflights, 1961–63) to get a sense of how humans function in space, then [Gemini](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/Gemini-spacecraft-and-space-program) (two uncrewed and 10 two-man spaceflights, 1964–66), which helped develop techniques for later lunar landings, and [culminating](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/dictionary\/culminating) with the Apollo program (1966–72). Apollo began with a series of uncrewed flights orbiting Earth. In 1968 Apollo 7 was the first crewed [spaceflight](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/spaceflight) of the program, orbiting Earth 163 times to test the equipment.\n\n## Apollo 8 and Apollo 10\nApollo 8 (December 21–27, 1968) was the first crewed mission to complete lunar orbit and return safely to Earth. Its three-man crew of [William Anders](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/William-A-Anders), [Frank Borman](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Frank-Borman), and [Jim Lovell](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Jim-Lovell) were the first three people to go to the Moon, although they did not land. They were followed by the three members of Apollo 10 (May 18–26, 1969): [Thomas Stafford](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Thomas-Stafford), [John W. Young](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/John-W-Young), and [Eugene Cernan](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Eugene-Andrew-Cernan), whose mission was regarded as a dress rehearsal for the lunar landing. Cernan and Stafford piloted the Lunar Module near the Moon’s surface, while Young remained on the Command Module, orbiting the Moon and setting up the routine most [subsequent](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/dictionary\/subsequent) Apollo missions would follow.\n\n## Apollo 11 and Apollo 12\n[![Neil Armstrong takes humankind's first steps on the lunar surface during NASA's Apollo 11 mission](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/83\/23183-138-3E257FAE\/famous-Neil-Armstrong-space-films-clips-arrival-July-20-1969.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop)](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/video\/famous-Neil-Armstrong-space-films-clips-arrival-July-20-1969\/-8519)\n\nNeil Armstrong takes humankind's first steps on the lunar surface during NASA's Apollo 11 missionPerhaps the most famous of all space films, these clips document the arrival of the first human beings on the Moon on July 20, 1969.\n\n(more)\n\n[See all videos for this article](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/story\/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon\/images-videos)\n\nFinally came [Apollo 11](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Apollo-11) with the first lunar landing, wherein Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the Moon. He was followed quickly by the second person to walk on the Moon, Buzz Aldrin, while [Michael Collins](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Michael-Collins-American-astronaut) remained on the Command Module orbiting the Moon. Collins was the ninth person to reach Earth’s closest neighbor. Apollo 12 (November 14–24, 1969) came soon after, with [Pete Conrad](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Pete-Conrad) and [Alan Bean](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Alan-Bean) spending almost 32 hours on the Moon’s surface while [Richard F. Gordon](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Richard-F-Gordon-Jr) manned the Command Module in lunar orbit.\n\n## Apollo 13\n[Apollo 13](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Apollo-13-mission) (April 11–17, 1970) was meant to be a routine mission to the Moon, but an oxygen tank exploded two days after launch, and plans to land were quickly aborted. To return to Earth, however, the [spacecraft](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/technology\/spacecraft) needed to orbit the Moon. The three crew members—Jim Lovell, [Fred Haise](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Fred-Haise), and [Jack Swigert](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/John-L-Swigert-Jr)—shut down the Command Module to conserve energy and moved to the Lunar Module as a makeshift lifeboat. They spent nearly four days in lunar orbit with high levels of [carbon dioxide](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/carbon-dioxide), little heat, and insufficient food and water supplies. Although the three men did not have the chance to walk on the Moon, Haise and Swigert became the 13th and 14th men to reach it (Lovell had been to the Moon on Apollo 8). After a harrowing journey, the crew returned safely to Earth. The voyage was later recognized in a [Ron Howard](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Ron-Howard) movie starring [Tom Hanks](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Tom-Hanks).\n\n## Apollo 14 and Apollo 15\n[![Illustration of a spacecraft above the lunar surface with the text \"we're sending astronauts into DEEP SPACE\" and a blue arrow pointing toward the spacecraft.](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/48\/284748-138-16DD88FE\/what-is-artemis-II.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop)](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/video\/what-is-artemis-II\/-359246)\n\nWhy Artemis II Is Taking Us Back to the MoonNASA's Artemis program is looking to the Moon—and beyond.\n\n(more)\n\n[See all videos for this article](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/story\/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon\/images-videos)\n\nApollo 14 was a little less hair-raising. [Alan Shepard](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Alan-B-Shepard-Jr), who had been the first U.S. astronaut to travel in space aboard Freedom 7 in 1961, became the fifth person to walk on the Moon and, as an [avid](https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/avid) golfer, swung at a couple of golf balls. [Edgar Mitchell](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Edgar-D-Mitchell) joined him as the sixth person to walk on the Moon, while [Stuart A. Roosa](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Stuart-A-Roosa) orbited in the Command Module, becoming the 17th man to reach the Moon. During Apollo 15 (July 26–August 7, 1971), astronauts [David Scott](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/David-Scott) and [James B. Irwin](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/James-B-Irwin) spent almost three days on the Moon and were the first to use the lunar rover, an electrically powered wheeled vehicle, while [Alfred Worden](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Alfred-Worden) orbited the Moon on the Command Module.\n\nExplore Britannica Premium\\!\n\nThe trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners.\n\n[SUBSCRIBE](https:\/\/premium.britannica.com\/premium-membership\/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=redesign-2026)\n\n![Penguin, ship, mountain, atlas](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/marketing\/inline-left.webp)\n\n![shohei ohtani, plants, andy wharhol art](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/marketing\/inline-right.webp)\n\n![Mobile](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/marketing\/inline-mobile.webp?w=400)\n\n## Apollo 17\n[John W. Young](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/John-W-Young), who had previously been to the Moon on Apollo 10, had the opportunity to walk on it, along with Charles M. Duke, Jr., during Apollo 16 (April 16–27, 1972). The two were the ninth and tenth astronauts to walk on the lunar surface. Thomas K. Mattingly, who had been removed from Apollo 13 because of exposure to measles, manned the Command Module and became the 21st person to reach the Moon. [Apollo 17](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/event\/Apollo-17) (December 7–19, 1972) was the last crewed mission to the Moon. [Harrison Schmitt](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Harrison-Schmitt), the first professional geologist on the Moon, and Eugene Cernan, who had been to the Moon with Apollo 10, walked on the lunar surface for more than 22 hours. They collected over 249 pounds (115 kg) of rocks and other material. They were the 11th and 12th astronauts to walk on the Moon, and Ron Evans, who manned the Command Module, became the 24th man to reach the Moon.\n\nRelated Topics:\n\n[Moon exploration](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/Moon-exploration)\n\n*(Show more)*\n\n[See all related content](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/facts\/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon)\n\n## Epilogue: Artemis I and Artemis II\nFun Fact\n\n[Artemis](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Artemis-program) is named after the [Greek goddess of the Moon](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Artemis-Greek-goddess), the twin sister of the god [Apollo](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Apollo-Greek-mythology), for whom the previous American crewed lunar spaceflight program was named.\n\n[![The Artemis II crew-Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover, and Reid Wiseman-smile and give thumbs up for a group photo inside the Orion spacecraft with U.S. and Canadian flags visible.](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/61\/287061-050-123D366A\/Artemis-II-crew-gives-thumbs-up-on-return-trip-to-Earth-April-2026.jpg?w=300)](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/61\/287061-050-123D366A\/Artemis-II-crew-gives-thumbs-up-on-return-trip-to-Earth-April-2026.jpg)\n\n[Artemis II crew members](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/61\/287061-050-123D366A\/Artemis-II-crew-gives-thumbs-up-on-return-trip-to-Earth-April-2026.jpg)Members of the Artemis II crew, (from left) Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Pilot Victor Glover, and Commander Reid Wiseman, pausing for a group photo inside the *Orion* spacecraft on their way home from the Moon, 2026.\n\n(more)\n\nIn 2017, close to 50 years after the last Apollo mission, NASA initiated the [Artemis spaceflight program](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Artemis-program) with the goal of returning astronauts to the surface of the Moon in the 2020s. Artemis I launched in 2022 and tested the safety and performance in deep space of the uncrewed *Orion* spacecraft. It orbited the Moon about 44,000 miles (70,000 kilometers) from its surface on a 25.5-day flight. In 2026 [Artemis II](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Artemis-II) launched a crew of four astronauts around the far side of the Moon and back to Earth. Commander [Reid Wiseman](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Reid-Wiseman), pilot [Victor Glover](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Victor-Glover-Jr), and mission specialists [Christina Koch](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Christina-Koch) and [Jeremy Hansen](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Jeremy-Hansen) became the 25th, 26th, 27th, and 28th people to reach the Moon. Glover is the first Black man to fly to the Moon, Koch the first woman, and Hansen the first non-American (he is Canadian). The whole crew set the record for the farthest distance traveled by humans in space, 252,756 miles (406,771 kilometers).\n\n[![Explore the timeline of the Apollo missions that led the United States to land the first humans on the Moon.](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/57\/206457-050-8641EF6E\/Apollo-space-program-United-States-NASA-moon-landing.jpg?w=1000)](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/57\/206457-050-8641EF6E\/Apollo-space-program-United-States-NASA-moon-landing.jpg)\n\n[Explore the timeline of the Apollo missions that led the United States to land the first humans on the Moon.](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/57\/206457-050-8641EF6E\/Apollo-space-program-United-States-NASA-moon-landing.jpg) Timeline and infographic of the Apollo space missions.\n\n(more)\n\n[Alicja Zelazko](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/editor\/Alicja-Zelazko\/9823860)\n\n![Britannica AI Icon](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/mendel-resources\/3-179\/images\/chatbot\/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9)Britannica AI\n\n*chevron\\_right*\n\nHow Many People Have Been to the Moon?\n\n*close*\n\n[AI-generated answers](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/about-britannica-ai) from Britannica articles. AI makes mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.\n\n[How Long Does It Take to Get to the Moon?](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/How-Long-Does-It-Take-to-Get-to-the-Moon)\n\n[Introduction](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/How-Long-Does-It-Take-to-Get-to-the-Moon)   [References & Edit History](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/How-Long-Does-It-Take-to-Get-to-the-Moon\/additional-info)  [Related Topics](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/facts\/How-Long-Does-It-Take-to-Get-to-the-Moon)\n\n[Images](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/How-Long-Does-It-Take-to-Get-to-the-Moon\/images-videos)\n\n[![Moon: seen from Apollo 11](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/89\/145489-004-D942D25C\/moon-return-journey-Apollo-11-July-21-1969.jpg)](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/89\/145489-050-4E9609BA\/moon-return-journey-Apollo-11-July-21-1969.jpg)  [![Illustration of Artemis II flight path from Earth to Moon with text: \"Artemis II is taking astronauts back toward the Moon. A day-to-day guide of NASA's 10-day mission.\"](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/18\/286718-049-3A9F3D1B\/artemis-ii-flight-path-NASA-space-flight-mission-around-moon.jpg)](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/story\/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon)\n\n![Britannica AI Icon](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/mendel-resources\/3-179\/images\/chatbot\/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9)\n\nContents\n\nAsk Anything\n\n[Science](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/browse\/Science)    [Astronomy](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/browse\/Astronomy)\n\nCITE\n\nShare\n\nFeedback\n\nExternal Websites\n\n[![Moon: seen from Apollo 11](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/89\/145489-050-4E9609BA\/moon-return-journey-Apollo-11-July-21-1969.jpg?w=400&h=300&c=crop)](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/89\/145489-050-4E9609BA\/moon-return-journey-Apollo-11-July-21-1969.jpg)\n\n[Moon: seen from Apollo 11](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/89\/145489-050-4E9609BA\/moon-return-journey-Apollo-11-July-21-1969.jpg) Full moon seen from Apollo 11 on its return journey, July 21, 1969.\n\n(more)\n\n# How Long Does It Take to Get to the Moon?\nHomework Help\n\nWritten and fact-checked by\n\n[Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/editor\/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica\/4419)\n\nBritannica Editors\n\nLast updated\n\nApr. 8, 2026\n\n•[History](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/How-Long-Does-It-Take-to-Get-to-the-Moon\/additional-info#history)\n\n![Britannica AI Icon](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/mendel-resources\/3-179\/images\/chatbot\/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9) Britannica AI\n\nAsk Anything\n\nTable of Contents\n\nTable of Contents\n\nAsk Anything\n\n## News •\n[NASA already has next Artemis flight in its sights following astronauts' triumphant moon flyby](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/news\/2272967\/74008cb58e79ed525ae5e1fe08a04ad9)\n\n• Apr. 12, 2026, 5:23 PM ET (AP)\n\n...(Show more)\n\n[Artemis II toilet acts up again as astronauts speed toward the moon to break Apollo 13's record](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/news\/2272967\/85bd7e2d77284c3d53ca2a38cf7dee13)  • Apr. 4, 2026, 8:15 PM ET (AP)\n\n[Meet the Artemis crew in NASA's first astronaut mission to the moon in more than a half-century](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/news\/2272967\/3a47786c3757f7d79154d96933aa5bd9)  • Mar. 28, 2026, 8:01 AM ET (AP)\n\nShow less\n\nThe [time](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/Moon-exploration) taken to reach the [Moon](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Moon) varies depending on propulsion technology, a [spacecraft’s](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/technology\/spacecraft) [trajectory](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/dictionary\/trajectory), and the distance of the Moon from [Earth](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Earth) at a given point in time. With current propulsion technology a crewed mission is estimated to take around 3 days to land on the Moon. The [Apollo](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/Apollo-space-program) 8 mission, the first crewed spacecraft to exit Earth’s gravitational field and orbit the Moon, took 69 hours and 8 minutes, a little under 3 days, to enter lunar orbit. The [Apollo 11](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Apollo-11) mission, the first successful crewed mission to land [astronauts](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/astronaut) on the Moon, took 4 days, 6 hours, and 45 minutes from launch to lunar landing.\n\nRelated Topics:\n\n[space exploration](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/space-exploration)\n\n[Moon exploration](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/Moon-exploration)\n\n*(Show more)*\n\nOn the Web:\n\n[Space.com - How long does it take to get to the moon?](https:\/\/www.space.com\/how-long-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-moon) (Apr. 08, 2026)\n\n*(Show more)*\n\n[See all related content](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/facts\/How-Long-Does-It-Take-to-Get-to-the-Moon)\n\nUncrewed flights can reach the Moon in a much shorter time. NASA’s [New Horizons](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/New-Horizons) [probe](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/dictionary\/probe) crossed the Moon’s orbit in 8 hours and 35 minutes while traveling to [Pluto](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Pluto-dwarf-planet) in 2006.\n\n[The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/editor\/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica\/4419)\n\n![Britannica AI Icon](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/mendel-resources\/3-179\/images\/chatbot\/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9)Britannica AI\n\n*chevron\\_right*\n\nHow Long Does It Take to Get to the Moon?\n\n*close*\n\n[AI-generated answers](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/about-britannica-ai) from Britannica articles. AI makes mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.\n\nLoad Next Page\n\nFeedback\n\nThank you for your feedback\n\nOur editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.\n\n*print* Print\n\nPlease select which sections you would like to print:\n\n*verified*Cite\n\nWhile every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.\n\nSelect Citation Style\n\nZelazko, Alicja. \"How Many People Have Been to the Moon?\". *Encyclopedia Britannica*, 13 Apr. 2026, https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/story\/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon. Accessed 15 April 2026.\n\nCopy Citation\n\nShare\n\nShare to social media\n\n[Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BRITANNICA\/) [X](https:\/\/x.com\/britannica)\n\nURL\n\n<https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/story\/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon>\n\nFeedback\n\nThank you for your feedback\n\nOur editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.\n\n*verified*Cite\n\nWhile every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.\n\nSelect Citation Style\n\nBritannica Editors. \"How Long Does It Take to Get to the Moon?\". *Encyclopedia Britannica*, 8 Apr. 2026, https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/How-Long-Does-It-Take-to-Get-to-the-Moon. Accessed 15 April 2026.\n\nCopy Citation\n\nShare\n\nShare to social media\n\n[Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BRITANNICA\/) [X](https:\/\/x.com\/britannica)\n\nURL\n\n<https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/How-Long-Does-It-Take-to-Get-to-the-Moon>\n\nExternal Websites\n\n- [Space.com - How long does it take to get to the moon?](https:\/\/www.space.com\/how-long-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-moon)","attrs_readable_markdown":"Even if you weren’t alive for the first [Moon landing](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/Moon-exploration) on July 20, 1969, you’ve probably seen footage of it, when [astronaut](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/astronaut) [Neil Armstrong](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Neil-Armstrong) famously declared, “That’s one small step for \\[a\\] man, one giant leap for mankind,” and [Buzz Aldrin](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Buzz-Aldrin) helped him plant an [American flag](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/flag-of-the-United-States-of-America) on the lunar surface. And didn’t they also ride around in a golf cart? Or did they hit a few golf balls? Actually, that was [Alan Shepard](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Alan-B-Shepard-Jr) with a golf club during the Apollo 14 mission. And that wasn’t a golf cart. It was a lunar rover, and it also came later: [David Scott](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/David-Scott) and [James Irwin](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/James-B-Irwin) used one for the first time during the Apollo 15 mission.\n\nConsidering that Americans lost interest in Moon landings by the last Apollo mission in 1972, you can be forgiven for not keeping all the details straight. You might be wondering just how many missions and how many people have been to the Moon. **In fact, during nine [Apollo](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/Apollo-space-program) missions, 24 astronauts (all Americans) went to the Moon, and 12 of them walked on it.** What follows is a quick history.\n\n## Prelude: Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo 7\nIn 1961, after the [Soviet Union](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Soviet-Union) sent the first man, [Yuri Gagarin](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Yuri-Gagarin), into space to orbit Earth, [Pres. John F. Kennedy](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/John-F-Kennedy) announced that the [United States](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/United-States) would send the first man to the Moon by the end of the decade. [NASA](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/NASA) subsequently began a series of test missions, starting with [Mercury](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/Mercury-space-project) (six one-man spaceflights, 1961–63) to get a sense of how humans function in space, then [Gemini](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/Gemini-spacecraft-and-space-program) (two uncrewed and 10 two-man spaceflights, 1964–66), which helped develop techniques for later lunar landings, and [culminating](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/dictionary\/culminating) with the Apollo program (1966–72). Apollo began with a series of uncrewed flights orbiting Earth. In 1968 Apollo 7 was the first crewed [spaceflight](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/spaceflight) of the program, orbiting Earth 163 times to test the equipment.\n\n## Apollo 8 and Apollo 10\nApollo 8 (December 21–27, 1968) was the first crewed mission to complete lunar orbit and return safely to Earth. Its three-man crew of [William Anders](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/William-A-Anders), [Frank Borman](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Frank-Borman), and [Jim Lovell](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Jim-Lovell) were the first three people to go to the Moon, although they did not land. They were followed by the three members of Apollo 10 (May 18–26, 1969): [Thomas Stafford](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Thomas-Stafford), [John W. Young](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/John-W-Young), and [Eugene Cernan](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Eugene-Andrew-Cernan), whose mission was regarded as a dress rehearsal for the lunar landing. Cernan and Stafford piloted the Lunar Module near the Moon’s surface, while Young remained on the Command Module, orbiting the Moon and setting up the routine most [subsequent](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/dictionary\/subsequent) Apollo missions would follow.\n\n## Apollo 11 and Apollo 12\nNeil Armstrong takes humankind's first steps on the lunar surface during NASA's Apollo 11 missionPerhaps the most famous of all space films, these clips document the arrival of the first human beings on the Moon on July 20, 1969.\n\n[See all videos for this article](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/story\/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon\/images-videos)\n\nFinally came [Apollo 11](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Apollo-11) with the first lunar landing, wherein Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the Moon. He was followed quickly by the second person to walk on the Moon, Buzz Aldrin, while [Michael Collins](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Michael-Collins-American-astronaut) remained on the Command Module orbiting the Moon. Collins was the ninth person to reach Earth’s closest neighbor. Apollo 12 (November 14–24, 1969) came soon after, with [Pete Conrad](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Pete-Conrad) and [Alan Bean](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Alan-Bean) spending almost 32 hours on the Moon’s surface while [Richard F. Gordon](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Richard-F-Gordon-Jr) manned the Command Module in lunar orbit.\n\n## Apollo 13\n[Apollo 13](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Apollo-13-mission) (April 11–17, 1970) was meant to be a routine mission to the Moon, but an oxygen tank exploded two days after launch, and plans to land were quickly aborted. To return to Earth, however, the [spacecraft](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/technology\/spacecraft) needed to orbit the Moon. The three crew members—Jim Lovell, [Fred Haise](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Fred-Haise), and [Jack Swigert](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/John-L-Swigert-Jr)—shut down the Command Module to conserve energy and moved to the Lunar Module as a makeshift lifeboat. They spent nearly four days in lunar orbit with high levels of [carbon dioxide](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/carbon-dioxide), little heat, and insufficient food and water supplies. Although the three men did not have the chance to walk on the Moon, Haise and Swigert became the 13th and 14th men to reach it (Lovell had been to the Moon on Apollo 8). After a harrowing journey, the crew returned safely to Earth. The voyage was later recognized in a [Ron Howard](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Ron-Howard) movie starring [Tom Hanks](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Tom-Hanks).\n\n## Apollo 14 and Apollo 15\nApollo 14 was a little less hair-raising. [Alan Shepard](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Alan-B-Shepard-Jr), who had been the first U.S. astronaut to travel in space aboard Freedom 7 in 1961, became the fifth person to walk on the Moon and, as an [avid](https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/avid) golfer, swung at a couple of golf balls. [Edgar Mitchell](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Edgar-D-Mitchell) joined him as the sixth person to walk on the Moon, while [Stuart A. Roosa](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Stuart-A-Roosa) orbited in the Command Module, becoming the 17th man to reach the Moon. During Apollo 15 (July 26–August 7, 1971), astronauts [David Scott](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/David-Scott) and [James B. Irwin](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/James-B-Irwin) spent almost three days on the Moon and were the first to use the lunar rover, an electrically powered wheeled vehicle, while [Alfred Worden](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Alfred-Worden) orbited the Moon on the Command Module.\n\nThe trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners.\n\n[SUBSCRIBE](https:\/\/premium.britannica.com\/premium-membership\/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=redesign-2026)\n\n![Penguin, ship, mountain, atlas](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/marketing\/inline-left.webp)\n\n![shohei ohtani, plants, andy wharhol art](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/marketing\/inline-right.webp)\n\n![Mobile](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/marketing\/inline-mobile.webp?w=400)\n\n## Apollo 17\n[John W. Young](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/John-W-Young), who had previously been to the Moon on Apollo 10, had the opportunity to walk on it, along with Charles M. Duke, Jr., during Apollo 16 (April 16–27, 1972). The two were the ninth and tenth astronauts to walk on the lunar surface. Thomas K. Mattingly, who had been removed from Apollo 13 because of exposure to measles, manned the Command Module and became the 21st person to reach the Moon. [Apollo 17](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/event\/Apollo-17) (December 7–19, 1972) was the last crewed mission to the Moon. [Harrison Schmitt](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Harrison-Schmitt), the first professional geologist on the Moon, and Eugene Cernan, who had been to the Moon with Apollo 10, walked on the lunar surface for more than 22 hours. They collected over 249 pounds (115 kg) of rocks and other material. They were the 11th and 12th astronauts to walk on the Moon, and Ron Evans, who manned the Command Module, became the 24th man to reach the Moon.\n\n## Epilogue: Artemis I and Artemis II\n[Artemis II crew members](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/61\/287061-050-123D366A\/Artemis-II-crew-gives-thumbs-up-on-return-trip-to-Earth-April-2026.jpg)Members of the Artemis II crew, (from left) Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Pilot Victor Glover, and Commander Reid Wiseman, pausing for a group photo inside the *Orion* spacecraft on their way home from the Moon, 2026.\n\nIn 2017, close to 50 years after the last Apollo mission, NASA initiated the [Artemis spaceflight program](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Artemis-program) with the goal of returning astronauts to the surface of the Moon in the 2020s. Artemis I launched in 2022 and tested the safety and performance in deep space of the uncrewed *Orion* spacecraft. It orbited the Moon about 44,000 miles (70,000 kilometers) from its surface on a 25.5-day flight. In 2026 [Artemis II](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Artemis-II) launched a crew of four astronauts around the far side of the Moon and back to Earth. Commander [Reid Wiseman](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Reid-Wiseman), pilot [Victor Glover](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Victor-Glover-Jr), and mission specialists [Christina Koch](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Christina-Koch) and [Jeremy Hansen](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Jeremy-Hansen) became the 25th, 26th, 27th, and 28th people to reach the Moon. Glover is the first Black man to fly to the Moon, Koch the first woman, and Hansen the first non-American (he is Canadian). The whole crew set the record for the farthest distance traveled by humans in space, 252,756 miles (406,771 kilometers).\n\n[![Explore the timeline of the Apollo missions that led the United States to land the first humans on the Moon.](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/57\/206457-050-8641EF6E\/Apollo-space-program-United-States-NASA-moon-landing.jpg?w=1000)](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/57\/206457-050-8641EF6E\/Apollo-space-program-United-States-NASA-moon-landing.jpg)","meta_canonical":null}

3. Robots.txt Check

Query:

Response:

4. Spam/Ban Check

Query:

Response:

5. Seen Status Check

ℹ️ Skipped - page is already crawled

📄

INDEXABLE

✅

CRAWLED

15 hours ago

🤖

ROBOTS ALLOWED

Page Info Filters

Filter	Status	Condition	Details
HTTP status	PASS	`download_http_code = 200`	HTTP 200
Age cutoff	PASS	`download_stamp > now() - 6 MONTH`	0 months ago
History drop	PASS	`isNull(history_drop_reason)`	No drop reason
Spam/ban	PASS	`fh_dont_index != 1 AND ml_spam_score = 0`	ml_spam_score=0
Canonical	PASS	`meta_canonical IS NULL OR = '' OR = src_unparsed`	Not set

Page Details

Property	Value
URL	https://www.britannica.com/story/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon
Last Crawled	2026-04-15 16:08:57 (15 hours ago)
First Indexed	2019-07-13 05:36:44 (6 years ago)
HTTP Status Code	200
Meta Title	How Many People Have Been to the Moon? \| Britannica
Meta Description	NASA sent two dozen people to the Moon as part of the Apollo space program in the 1960s and 1970s.
Meta Canonical	null
Boilerpipe Text	Even if you weren’t alive for the first Moon landing on July 20, 1969, you’ve probably seen footage of it, when astronaut Neil Armstrong famously declared, “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind,” and Buzz Aldrin helped him plant an American flag on the lunar surface. And didn’t they also ride around in a golf cart? Or did they hit a few golf balls? Actually, that was Alan Shepard with a golf club during the Apollo 14 mission. And that wasn’t a golf cart. It was a lunar rover, and it also came later: David Scott and James Irwin used one for the first time during the Apollo 15 mission. Considering that Americans lost interest in Moon landings by the last Apollo mission in 1972, you can be forgiven for not keeping all the details straight. You might be wondering just how many missions and how many people have been to the Moon. In fact, during nine Apollo missions, 24 astronauts (all Americans) went to the Moon, and 12 of them walked on it. What follows is a quick history. Prelude: Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo 7 In 1961, after the Soviet Union sent the first man, Yuri Gagarin , into space to orbit Earth, Pres. John F. Kennedy announced that the United States would send the first man to the Moon by the end of the decade. NASA subsequently began a series of test missions, starting with Mercury (six one-man spaceflights, 1961–63) to get a sense of how humans function in space, then Gemini (two uncrewed and 10 two-man spaceflights, 1964–66), which helped develop techniques for later lunar landings, and culminating with the Apollo program (1966–72). Apollo began with a series of uncrewed flights orbiting Earth. In 1968 Apollo 7 was the first crewed spaceflight of the program, orbiting Earth 163 times to test the equipment. Apollo 8 and Apollo 10 Apollo 8 (December 21–27, 1968) was the first crewed mission to complete lunar orbit and return safely to Earth. Its three-man crew of William Anders , Frank Borman , and Jim Lovell were the first three people to go to the Moon, although they did not land. They were followed by the three members of Apollo 10 (May 18–26, 1969): Thomas Stafford , John W. Young , and Eugene Cernan , whose mission was regarded as a dress rehearsal for the lunar landing. Cernan and Stafford piloted the Lunar Module near the Moon’s surface, while Young remained on the Command Module, orbiting the Moon and setting up the routine most subsequent Apollo missions would follow. Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 Neil Armstrong takes humankind's first steps on the lunar surface during NASA's Apollo 11 mission Perhaps the most famous of all space films, these clips document the arrival of the first human beings on the Moon on July 20, 1969. See all videos for this article Finally came Apollo 11 with the first lunar landing, wherein Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the Moon. He was followed quickly by the second person to walk on the Moon, Buzz Aldrin, while Michael Collins remained on the Command Module orbiting the Moon. Collins was the ninth person to reach Earth’s closest neighbor. Apollo 12 (November 14–24, 1969) came soon after, with Pete Conrad and Alan Bean spending almost 32 hours on the Moon’s surface while Richard F. Gordon manned the Command Module in lunar orbit. Apollo 13 Apollo 13 (April 11–17, 1970) was meant to be a routine mission to the Moon, but an oxygen tank exploded two days after launch, and plans to land were quickly aborted. To return to Earth, however, the spacecraft needed to orbit the Moon. The three crew members—Jim Lovell, Fred Haise , and Jack Swigert —shut down the Command Module to conserve energy and moved to the Lunar Module as a makeshift lifeboat. They spent nearly four days in lunar orbit with high levels of carbon dioxide , little heat, and insufficient food and water supplies. Although the three men did not have the chance to walk on the Moon, Haise and Swigert became the 13th and 14th men to reach it (Lovell had been to the Moon on Apollo 8). After a harrowing journey, the crew returned safely to Earth. The voyage was later recognized in a Ron Howard movie starring Tom Hanks . Apollo 14 and Apollo 15 Apollo 14 was a little less hair-raising. Alan Shepard , who had been the first U.S. astronaut to travel in space aboard Freedom 7 in 1961, became the fifth person to walk on the Moon and, as an avid golfer, swung at a couple of golf balls. Edgar Mitchell joined him as the sixth person to walk on the Moon, while Stuart A. Roosa orbited in the Command Module, becoming the 17th man to reach the Moon. During Apollo 15 (July 26–August 7, 1971), astronauts David Scott and James B. Irwin spent almost three days on the Moon and were the first to use the lunar rover, an electrically powered wheeled vehicle, while Alfred Worden orbited the Moon on the Command Module. The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners. SUBSCRIBE Apollo 17 John W. Young , who had previously been to the Moon on Apollo 10, had the opportunity to walk on it, along with Charles M. Duke, Jr., during Apollo 16 (April 16–27, 1972). The two were the ninth and tenth astronauts to walk on the lunar surface. Thomas K. Mattingly, who had been removed from Apollo 13 because of exposure to measles, manned the Command Module and became the 21st person to reach the Moon. Apollo 17 (December 7–19, 1972) was the last crewed mission to the Moon. Harrison Schmitt , the first professional geologist on the Moon, and Eugene Cernan, who had been to the Moon with Apollo 10, walked on the lunar surface for more than 22 hours. They collected over 249 pounds (115 kg) of rocks and other material. They were the 11th and 12th astronauts to walk on the Moon, and Ron Evans, who manned the Command Module, became the 24th man to reach the Moon. Epilogue: Artemis I and Artemis II Artemis II crew members Members of the Artemis II crew, (from left) Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Pilot Victor Glover, and Commander Reid Wiseman, pausing for a group photo inside the Orion spacecraft on their way home from the Moon, 2026. In 2017, close to 50 years after the last Apollo mission, NASA initiated the Artemis spaceflight program with the goal of returning astronauts to the surface of the Moon in the 2020s. Artemis I launched in 2022 and tested the safety and performance in deep space of the uncrewed Orion spacecraft. It orbited the Moon about 44,000 miles (70,000 kilometers) from its surface on a 25.5-day flight. In 2026 Artemis II launched a crew of four astronauts around the far side of the Moon and back to Earth. Commander Reid Wiseman , pilot Victor Glover , and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen became the 25th, 26th, 27th, and 28th people to reach the Moon. Glover is the first Black man to fly to the Moon, Koch the first woman, and Hansen the first non-American (he is Canadian). The whole crew set the record for the farthest distance traveled by humans in space, 252,756 miles (406,771 kilometers).
Markdown	[![Encyclopedia Britannica](https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel/eb-logo/MendelNewThistleLogo.png)](https://www.britannica.com/) [![Encyclopedia Britannica](https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel/eb-logo/MendelNewThistleLogo.png)](https://www.britannica.com/) [SUBSCRIBE](https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=global-nav&utm_campaign=blue-evergreen) [SUBSCRIBE](https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=global-nav-mobile&utm_campaign=blue-evergreen) Login https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm\_source=premium\&utm\_medium=nav-login-box\&utm\_campaign=evergreen [SUBSCRIBE](https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=hamburger-menu&utm_campaign=blue) [Ask the Chatbot](https://www.britannica.com/chatbot) [Games & Quizzes](https://www.britannica.com/quiz/browse) [History & Society](https://www.britannica.com/History-Society) [Science & Tech](https://www.britannica.com/Science-Tech) [Biographies](https://www.britannica.com/Biographies) [Animals & Nature](https://www.britannica.com/Animals-Nature) [Geography & Travel](https://www.britannica.com/Geography-Travel) [Arts & Culture](https://www.britannica.com/Arts-Culture) [ProCon](https://www.britannica.com/procon) [Money](https://www.britannica.com/money) [Videos](https://www.britannica.com/videos) [How Many People Have Been to the Moon?](https://www.britannica.com/story/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon) - [Introduction](https://www.britannica.com/story/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon) - [Prelude: Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo 7](https://www.britannica.com/story/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon#ref478477) - [Apollo 8 and Apollo 10](https://www.britannica.com/story/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon#ref478478) - [Apollo 11 and Apollo 12](https://www.britannica.com/story/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon#ref478479) - [Apollo 13](https://www.britannica.com/story/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon#ref478480) - [Apollo 14 and Apollo 15](https://www.britannica.com/story/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon#ref478481) - [Apollo 17](https://www.britannica.com/story/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon#ref478482) - [Epilogue: Artemis I and Artemis II](https://www.britannica.com/story/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon#ref478483) [References & Edit History](https://www.britannica.com/story/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon/additional-info) [Related Topics](https://www.britannica.com/facts/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon) [Images & Videos](https://www.britannica.com/story/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon/images-videos) [![Apollo 11](https://cdn.britannica.com/63/231863-004-6512108E/Apollo-11-astronaut-Buzz-Aldrin-steps-off-lunar-module-onto-Moon.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/63/231863-050-72071FCD/Apollo-11-astronaut-Buzz-Aldrin-steps-off-lunar-module-onto-Moon.jpg) [![Neil Armstrong takes humankind's first steps on the lunar surface during NASA's Apollo 11 mission](https://cdn.britannica.com/83/23183-138-3E257FAE/famous-Neil-Armstrong-space-films-clips-arrival-July-20-1969.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)](https://www.britannica.com/video/famous-Neil-Armstrong-space-films-clips-arrival-July-20-1969/-8519) [![Illustration of a spacecraft above the lunar surface with the text "we're sending astronauts into DEEP SPACE" and a blue arrow pointing toward the spacecraft.](https://cdn.britannica.com/48/284748-138-16DD88FE/what-is-artemis-II.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)](https://www.britannica.com/video/what-is-artemis-II/-359246) [![The Artemis II crew-Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover, and Reid Wiseman-smile and give thumbs up for a group photo inside the Orion spacecraft with U.S. and Canadian flags visible.](https://cdn.britannica.com/61/287061-120-123D366A/Artemis-II-crew-gives-thumbs-up-on-return-trip-to-Earth-April-2026.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/61/287061-050-123D366A/Artemis-II-crew-gives-thumbs-up-on-return-trip-to-Earth-April-2026.jpg) [![Explore the timeline of the Apollo missions that led the United States to land the first humans on the Moon.](https://cdn.britannica.com/57/206457-004-8641EF6E/Apollo-space-program-United-States-NASA-moon-landing.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/57/206457-050-8641EF6E/Apollo-space-program-United-States-NASA-moon-landing.jpg) ![Britannica AI Icon](https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-179/images/chatbot/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9) Contents Ask Anything [Science](https://www.britannica.com/browse/Science) [Astronomy](https://www.britannica.com/browse/Astronomy) CITE Share Feedback External Websites [![Apollo 11](https://cdn.britannica.com/63/231863-050-72071FCD/Apollo-11-astronaut-Buzz-Aldrin-steps-off-lunar-module-onto-Moon.jpg?w=400&h=300&c=crop)](https://cdn.britannica.com/63/231863-050-72071FCD/Apollo-11-astronaut-Buzz-Aldrin-steps-off-lunar-module-onto-Moon.jpg) [Apollo 11](https://cdn.britannica.com/63/231863-050-72071FCD/Apollo-11-astronaut-Buzz-Aldrin-steps-off-lunar-module-onto-Moon.jpg) U.S. astronaut Buzz Aldrin (Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr.) stepping off the ladder of Apollo 11's lunar module Eagle to take his first steps on the Moon, July 20, 1969. (more) # How Many People Have Been to the Moon? The answer is 28, though only 12 astronauts have walked on the Moon. Homework Help Written by [Alicja Zelazko Alicja Zelazko is Associate Editor, Arts and Humanities, covering topics in the visual arts, architecture, music, and performance. Before joining Encyclopædia Britannica in 2017, she worked at the Art...](https://www.britannica.com/editor/Alicja-Zelazko/9823860) Alicja Zelazko Fact-checked by [Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....](https://www.britannica.com/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419) Britannica Editors Last updated Apr. 13, 2026 •[History](https://www.britannica.com/story/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon/additional-info#history) ![Britannica AI Icon](https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-179/images/chatbot/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9) Britannica AI Ask Anything Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask Anything Even if you weren’t alive for the first [Moon landing](https://www.britannica.com/science/Moon-exploration) on July 20, 1969, you’ve probably seen footage of it, when [astronaut](https://www.britannica.com/topic/astronaut) [Neil Armstrong](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Neil-Armstrong) famously declared, “That’s one small step for \[a\] man, one giant leap for mankind,” and [Buzz Aldrin](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Buzz-Aldrin) helped him plant an [American flag](https://www.britannica.com/topic/flag-of-the-United-States-of-America) on the lunar surface. And didn’t they also ride around in a golf cart? Or did they hit a few golf balls? Actually, that was [Alan Shepard](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alan-B-Shepard-Jr) with a golf club during the Apollo 14 mission. And that wasn’t a golf cart. It was a lunar rover, and it also came later: [David Scott](https://www.britannica.com/biography/David-Scott) and [James Irwin](https://www.britannica.com/biography/James-B-Irwin) used one for the first time during the Apollo 15 mission. Considering that Americans lost interest in Moon landings by the last Apollo mission in 1972, you can be forgiven for not keeping all the details straight. You might be wondering just how many missions and how many people have been to the Moon. In fact, during nine [Apollo](https://www.britannica.com/science/Apollo-space-program) missions, 24 astronauts (all Americans) went to the Moon, and 12 of them walked on it. What follows is a quick history. ## Prelude: Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo 7 In 1961, after the [Soviet Union](https://www.britannica.com/place/Soviet-Union) sent the first man, [Yuri Gagarin](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Yuri-Gagarin), into space to orbit Earth, [Pres. John F. Kennedy](https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-F-Kennedy) announced that the [United States](https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States) would send the first man to the Moon by the end of the decade. [NASA](https://www.britannica.com/topic/NASA) subsequently began a series of test missions, starting with [Mercury](https://www.britannica.com/science/Mercury-space-project) (six one-man spaceflights, 1961–63) to get a sense of how humans function in space, then [Gemini](https://www.britannica.com/science/Gemini-spacecraft-and-space-program) (two uncrewed and 10 two-man spaceflights, 1964–66), which helped develop techniques for later lunar landings, and [culminating](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/culminating) with the Apollo program (1966–72). Apollo began with a series of uncrewed flights orbiting Earth. In 1968 Apollo 7 was the first crewed [spaceflight](https://www.britannica.com/science/spaceflight) of the program, orbiting Earth 163 times to test the equipment. ## Apollo 8 and Apollo 10 Apollo 8 (December 21–27, 1968) was the first crewed mission to complete lunar orbit and return safely to Earth. Its three-man crew of [William Anders](https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-A-Anders), [Frank Borman](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Frank-Borman), and [Jim Lovell](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jim-Lovell) were the first three people to go to the Moon, although they did not land. They were followed by the three members of Apollo 10 (May 18–26, 1969): [Thomas Stafford](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Stafford), [John W. Young](https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-W-Young), and [Eugene Cernan](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Eugene-Andrew-Cernan), whose mission was regarded as a dress rehearsal for the lunar landing. Cernan and Stafford piloted the Lunar Module near the Moon’s surface, while Young remained on the Command Module, orbiting the Moon and setting up the routine most [subsequent](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/subsequent) Apollo missions would follow. ## Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 [![Neil Armstrong takes humankind's first steps on the lunar surface during NASA's Apollo 11 mission](https://cdn.britannica.com/83/23183-138-3E257FAE/famous-Neil-Armstrong-space-films-clips-arrival-July-20-1969.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop)](https://www.britannica.com/video/famous-Neil-Armstrong-space-films-clips-arrival-July-20-1969/-8519) Neil Armstrong takes humankind's first steps on the lunar surface during NASA's Apollo 11 missionPerhaps the most famous of all space films, these clips document the arrival of the first human beings on the Moon on July 20, 1969. (more) [See all videos for this article](https://www.britannica.com/story/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon/images-videos) Finally came [Apollo 11](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Apollo-11) with the first lunar landing, wherein Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the Moon. He was followed quickly by the second person to walk on the Moon, Buzz Aldrin, while [Michael Collins](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Michael-Collins-American-astronaut) remained on the Command Module orbiting the Moon. Collins was the ninth person to reach Earth’s closest neighbor. Apollo 12 (November 14–24, 1969) came soon after, with [Pete Conrad](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pete-Conrad) and [Alan Bean](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alan-Bean) spending almost 32 hours on the Moon’s surface while [Richard F. Gordon](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-F-Gordon-Jr) manned the Command Module in lunar orbit. ## Apollo 13 [Apollo 13](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Apollo-13-mission) (April 11–17, 1970) was meant to be a routine mission to the Moon, but an oxygen tank exploded two days after launch, and plans to land were quickly aborted. To return to Earth, however, the [spacecraft](https://www.britannica.com/technology/spacecraft) needed to orbit the Moon. The three crew members—Jim Lovell, [Fred Haise](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Fred-Haise), and [Jack Swigert](https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-L-Swigert-Jr)—shut down the Command Module to conserve energy and moved to the Lunar Module as a makeshift lifeboat. They spent nearly four days in lunar orbit with high levels of [carbon dioxide](https://www.britannica.com/science/carbon-dioxide), little heat, and insufficient food and water supplies. Although the three men did not have the chance to walk on the Moon, Haise and Swigert became the 13th and 14th men to reach it (Lovell had been to the Moon on Apollo 8). After a harrowing journey, the crew returned safely to Earth. The voyage was later recognized in a [Ron Howard](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ron-Howard) movie starring [Tom Hanks](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Tom-Hanks). ## Apollo 14 and Apollo 15 [![Illustration of a spacecraft above the lunar surface with the text "we're sending astronauts into DEEP SPACE" and a blue arrow pointing toward the spacecraft.](https://cdn.britannica.com/48/284748-138-16DD88FE/what-is-artemis-II.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop)](https://www.britannica.com/video/what-is-artemis-II/-359246) Why Artemis II Is Taking Us Back to the MoonNASA's Artemis program is looking to the Moon—and beyond. (more) [See all videos for this article](https://www.britannica.com/story/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon/images-videos) Apollo 14 was a little less hair-raising. [Alan Shepard](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alan-B-Shepard-Jr), who had been the first U.S. astronaut to travel in space aboard Freedom 7 in 1961, became the fifth person to walk on the Moon and, as an [avid](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/avid) golfer, swung at a couple of golf balls. [Edgar Mitchell](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Edgar-D-Mitchell) joined him as the sixth person to walk on the Moon, while [Stuart A. Roosa](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Stuart-A-Roosa) orbited in the Command Module, becoming the 17th man to reach the Moon. During Apollo 15 (July 26–August 7, 1971), astronauts [David Scott](https://www.britannica.com/biography/David-Scott) and [James B. Irwin](https://www.britannica.com/biography/James-B-Irwin) spent almost three days on the Moon and were the first to use the lunar rover, an electrically powered wheeled vehicle, while [Alfred Worden](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alfred-Worden) orbited the Moon on the Command Module. Explore Britannica Premium\! The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners. [SUBSCRIBE](https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=redesign-2026) ![Penguin, ship, mountain, atlas](https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/inline-left.webp) ![shohei ohtani, plants, andy wharhol art](https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/inline-right.webp) ![Mobile](https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/inline-mobile.webp?w=400) ## Apollo 17 [John W. Young](https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-W-Young), who had previously been to the Moon on Apollo 10, had the opportunity to walk on it, along with Charles M. Duke, Jr., during Apollo 16 (April 16–27, 1972). The two were the ninth and tenth astronauts to walk on the lunar surface. Thomas K. Mattingly, who had been removed from Apollo 13 because of exposure to measles, manned the Command Module and became the 21st person to reach the Moon. [Apollo 17](https://www.britannica.com/event/Apollo-17) (December 7–19, 1972) was the last crewed mission to the Moon. [Harrison Schmitt](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Harrison-Schmitt), the first professional geologist on the Moon, and Eugene Cernan, who had been to the Moon with Apollo 10, walked on the lunar surface for more than 22 hours. They collected over 249 pounds (115 kg) of rocks and other material. They were the 11th and 12th astronauts to walk on the Moon, and Ron Evans, who manned the Command Module, became the 24th man to reach the Moon. Related Topics: [Moon exploration](https://www.britannica.com/science/Moon-exploration) (Show more) [See all related content](https://www.britannica.com/facts/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon) ## Epilogue: Artemis I and Artemis II Fun Fact [Artemis](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Artemis-program) is named after the [Greek goddess of the Moon](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Artemis-Greek-goddess), the twin sister of the god [Apollo](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Apollo-Greek-mythology), for whom the previous American crewed lunar spaceflight program was named. [![The Artemis II crew-Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover, and Reid Wiseman-smile and give thumbs up for a group photo inside the Orion spacecraft with U.S. and Canadian flags visible.](https://cdn.britannica.com/61/287061-050-123D366A/Artemis-II-crew-gives-thumbs-up-on-return-trip-to-Earth-April-2026.jpg?w=300)](https://cdn.britannica.com/61/287061-050-123D366A/Artemis-II-crew-gives-thumbs-up-on-return-trip-to-Earth-April-2026.jpg) [Artemis II crew members](https://cdn.britannica.com/61/287061-050-123D366A/Artemis-II-crew-gives-thumbs-up-on-return-trip-to-Earth-April-2026.jpg)Members of the Artemis II crew, (from left) Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Pilot Victor Glover, and Commander Reid Wiseman, pausing for a group photo inside the Orion spacecraft on their way home from the Moon, 2026. (more) In 2017, close to 50 years after the last Apollo mission, NASA initiated the [Artemis spaceflight program](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Artemis-program) with the goal of returning astronauts to the surface of the Moon in the 2020s. Artemis I launched in 2022 and tested the safety and performance in deep space of the uncrewed Orion spacecraft. It orbited the Moon about 44,000 miles (70,000 kilometers) from its surface on a 25.5-day flight. In 2026 [Artemis II](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Artemis-II) launched a crew of four astronauts around the far side of the Moon and back to Earth. Commander [Reid Wiseman](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Reid-Wiseman), pilot [Victor Glover](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Victor-Glover-Jr), and mission specialists [Christina Koch](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Christina-Koch) and [Jeremy Hansen](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jeremy-Hansen) became the 25th, 26th, 27th, and 28th people to reach the Moon. Glover is the first Black man to fly to the Moon, Koch the first woman, and Hansen the first non-American (he is Canadian). The whole crew set the record for the farthest distance traveled by humans in space, 252,756 miles (406,771 kilometers). [![Explore the timeline of the Apollo missions that led the United States to land the first humans on the Moon.](https://cdn.britannica.com/57/206457-050-8641EF6E/Apollo-space-program-United-States-NASA-moon-landing.jpg?w=1000)](https://cdn.britannica.com/57/206457-050-8641EF6E/Apollo-space-program-United-States-NASA-moon-landing.jpg) [Explore the timeline of the Apollo missions that led the United States to land the first humans on the Moon.](https://cdn.britannica.com/57/206457-050-8641EF6E/Apollo-space-program-United-States-NASA-moon-landing.jpg) Timeline and infographic of the Apollo space missions. (more) [Alicja Zelazko](https://www.britannica.com/editor/Alicja-Zelazko/9823860) ![Britannica AI Icon](https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-179/images/chatbot/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9)Britannica AI chevron\_right How Many People Have Been to the Moon? close [AI-generated answers](https://www.britannica.com/about-britannica-ai) from Britannica articles. AI makes mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. [How Long Does It Take to Get to the Moon?](https://www.britannica.com/science/How-Long-Does-It-Take-to-Get-to-the-Moon) [Introduction](https://www.britannica.com/science/How-Long-Does-It-Take-to-Get-to-the-Moon) [References & Edit History](https://www.britannica.com/science/How-Long-Does-It-Take-to-Get-to-the-Moon/additional-info) [Related Topics](https://www.britannica.com/facts/How-Long-Does-It-Take-to-Get-to-the-Moon) [Images](https://www.britannica.com/science/How-Long-Does-It-Take-to-Get-to-the-Moon/images-videos) [![Moon: seen from Apollo 11](https://cdn.britannica.com/89/145489-004-D942D25C/moon-return-journey-Apollo-11-July-21-1969.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/89/145489-050-4E9609BA/moon-return-journey-Apollo-11-July-21-1969.jpg) [![Illustration of Artemis II flight path from Earth to Moon with text: "Artemis II is taking astronauts back toward the Moon. A day-to-day guide of NASA's 10-day mission."](https://cdn.britannica.com/18/286718-049-3A9F3D1B/artemis-ii-flight-path-NASA-space-flight-mission-around-moon.jpg)](https://www.britannica.com/story/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon) ![Britannica AI Icon](https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-179/images/chatbot/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9) Contents Ask Anything [Science](https://www.britannica.com/browse/Science) [Astronomy](https://www.britannica.com/browse/Astronomy) CITE Share Feedback External Websites [![Moon: seen from Apollo 11](https://cdn.britannica.com/89/145489-050-4E9609BA/moon-return-journey-Apollo-11-July-21-1969.jpg?w=400&h=300&c=crop)](https://cdn.britannica.com/89/145489-050-4E9609BA/moon-return-journey-Apollo-11-July-21-1969.jpg) [Moon: seen from Apollo 11](https://cdn.britannica.com/89/145489-050-4E9609BA/moon-return-journey-Apollo-11-July-21-1969.jpg) Full moon seen from Apollo 11 on its return journey, July 21, 1969. (more) # How Long Does It Take to Get to the Moon? Homework Help Written and fact-checked by [Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....](https://www.britannica.com/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419) Britannica Editors Last updated Apr. 8, 2026 •[History](https://www.britannica.com/science/How-Long-Does-It-Take-to-Get-to-the-Moon/additional-info#history) ![Britannica AI Icon](https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-179/images/chatbot/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9) Britannica AI Ask Anything Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask Anything ## News • [NASA already has next Artemis flight in its sights following astronauts' triumphant moon flyby](https://www.britannica.com/news/2272967/74008cb58e79ed525ae5e1fe08a04ad9) • Apr. 12, 2026, 5:23 PM ET (AP) ...(Show more) [Artemis II toilet acts up again as astronauts speed toward the moon to break Apollo 13's record](https://www.britannica.com/news/2272967/85bd7e2d77284c3d53ca2a38cf7dee13) • Apr. 4, 2026, 8:15 PM ET (AP) [Meet the Artemis crew in NASA's first astronaut mission to the moon in more than a half-century](https://www.britannica.com/news/2272967/3a47786c3757f7d79154d96933aa5bd9) • Mar. 28, 2026, 8:01 AM ET (AP) Show less The [time](https://www.britannica.com/science/Moon-exploration) taken to reach the [Moon](https://www.britannica.com/place/Moon) varies depending on propulsion technology, a [spacecraft’s](https://www.britannica.com/technology/spacecraft) [trajectory](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/trajectory), and the distance of the Moon from [Earth](https://www.britannica.com/place/Earth) at a given point in time. With current propulsion technology a crewed mission is estimated to take around 3 days to land on the Moon. The [Apollo](https://www.britannica.com/science/Apollo-space-program) 8 mission, the first crewed spacecraft to exit Earth’s gravitational field and orbit the Moon, took 69 hours and 8 minutes, a little under 3 days, to enter lunar orbit. The [Apollo 11](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Apollo-11) mission, the first successful crewed mission to land [astronauts](https://www.britannica.com/topic/astronaut) on the Moon, took 4 days, 6 hours, and 45 minutes from launch to lunar landing. Related Topics: [space exploration](https://www.britannica.com/science/space-exploration) [Moon exploration](https://www.britannica.com/science/Moon-exploration) (Show more) On the Web: [Space.com - How long does it take to get to the moon?](https://www.space.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-moon) (Apr. 08, 2026) (Show more) [See all related content](https://www.britannica.com/facts/How-Long-Does-It-Take-to-Get-to-the-Moon) Uncrewed flights can reach the Moon in a much shorter time. NASA’s [New Horizons](https://www.britannica.com/topic/New-Horizons) [probe](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/probe) crossed the Moon’s orbit in 8 hours and 35 minutes while traveling to [Pluto](https://www.britannica.com/place/Pluto-dwarf-planet) in 2006. [The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419) ![Britannica AI Icon](https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-179/images/chatbot/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9)Britannica AI chevron\_right How Long Does It Take to Get to the Moon? close [AI-generated answers](https://www.britannica.com/about-britannica-ai) from Britannica articles. AI makes mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. Load Next Page Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. print Print Please select which sections you would like to print: verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style Zelazko, Alicja. "How Many People Have Been to the Moon?". Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Apr. 2026, https://www.britannica.com/story/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon. Accessed 15 April 2026. Copy Citation Share Share to social media [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/BRITANNICA/) [X](https://x.com/britannica) URL <https://www.britannica.com/story/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon> Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style Britannica Editors. "How Long Does It Take to Get to the Moon?". Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Apr. 2026, https://www.britannica.com/science/How-Long-Does-It-Take-to-Get-to-the-Moon. Accessed 15 April 2026. Copy Citation Share Share to social media [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/BRITANNICA/) [X](https://x.com/britannica) URL <https://www.britannica.com/science/How-Long-Does-It-Take-to-Get-to-the-Moon> External Websites - [Space.com - How long does it take to get to the moon?](https://www.space.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-moon)
Readable Markdown	Even if you weren’t alive for the first [Moon landing](https://www.britannica.com/science/Moon-exploration) on July 20, 1969, you’ve probably seen footage of it, when [astronaut](https://www.britannica.com/topic/astronaut) [Neil Armstrong](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Neil-Armstrong) famously declared, “That’s one small step for \[a\] man, one giant leap for mankind,” and [Buzz Aldrin](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Buzz-Aldrin) helped him plant an [American flag](https://www.britannica.com/topic/flag-of-the-United-States-of-America) on the lunar surface. And didn’t they also ride around in a golf cart? Or did they hit a few golf balls? Actually, that was [Alan Shepard](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alan-B-Shepard-Jr) with a golf club during the Apollo 14 mission. And that wasn’t a golf cart. It was a lunar rover, and it also came later: [David Scott](https://www.britannica.com/biography/David-Scott) and [James Irwin](https://www.britannica.com/biography/James-B-Irwin) used one for the first time during the Apollo 15 mission. Considering that Americans lost interest in Moon landings by the last Apollo mission in 1972, you can be forgiven for not keeping all the details straight. You might be wondering just how many missions and how many people have been to the Moon. In fact, during nine [Apollo](https://www.britannica.com/science/Apollo-space-program) missions, 24 astronauts (all Americans) went to the Moon, and 12 of them walked on it. What follows is a quick history. ## Prelude: Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo 7 In 1961, after the [Soviet Union](https://www.britannica.com/place/Soviet-Union) sent the first man, [Yuri Gagarin](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Yuri-Gagarin), into space to orbit Earth, [Pres. John F. Kennedy](https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-F-Kennedy) announced that the [United States](https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States) would send the first man to the Moon by the end of the decade. [NASA](https://www.britannica.com/topic/NASA) subsequently began a series of test missions, starting with [Mercury](https://www.britannica.com/science/Mercury-space-project) (six one-man spaceflights, 1961–63) to get a sense of how humans function in space, then [Gemini](https://www.britannica.com/science/Gemini-spacecraft-and-space-program) (two uncrewed and 10 two-man spaceflights, 1964–66), which helped develop techniques for later lunar landings, and [culminating](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/culminating) with the Apollo program (1966–72). Apollo began with a series of uncrewed flights orbiting Earth. In 1968 Apollo 7 was the first crewed [spaceflight](https://www.britannica.com/science/spaceflight) of the program, orbiting Earth 163 times to test the equipment. ## Apollo 8 and Apollo 10 Apollo 8 (December 21–27, 1968) was the first crewed mission to complete lunar orbit and return safely to Earth. Its three-man crew of [William Anders](https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-A-Anders), [Frank Borman](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Frank-Borman), and [Jim Lovell](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jim-Lovell) were the first three people to go to the Moon, although they did not land. They were followed by the three members of Apollo 10 (May 18–26, 1969): [Thomas Stafford](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Stafford), [John W. Young](https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-W-Young), and [Eugene Cernan](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Eugene-Andrew-Cernan), whose mission was regarded as a dress rehearsal for the lunar landing. Cernan and Stafford piloted the Lunar Module near the Moon’s surface, while Young remained on the Command Module, orbiting the Moon and setting up the routine most [subsequent](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/subsequent) Apollo missions would follow. ## Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 Neil Armstrong takes humankind's first steps on the lunar surface during NASA's Apollo 11 missionPerhaps the most famous of all space films, these clips document the arrival of the first human beings on the Moon on July 20, 1969. [See all videos for this article](https://www.britannica.com/story/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon/images-videos) Finally came [Apollo 11](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Apollo-11) with the first lunar landing, wherein Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the Moon. He was followed quickly by the second person to walk on the Moon, Buzz Aldrin, while [Michael Collins](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Michael-Collins-American-astronaut) remained on the Command Module orbiting the Moon. Collins was the ninth person to reach Earth’s closest neighbor. Apollo 12 (November 14–24, 1969) came soon after, with [Pete Conrad](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pete-Conrad) and [Alan Bean](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alan-Bean) spending almost 32 hours on the Moon’s surface while [Richard F. Gordon](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-F-Gordon-Jr) manned the Command Module in lunar orbit. ## Apollo 13 [Apollo 13](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Apollo-13-mission) (April 11–17, 1970) was meant to be a routine mission to the Moon, but an oxygen tank exploded two days after launch, and plans to land were quickly aborted. To return to Earth, however, the [spacecraft](https://www.britannica.com/technology/spacecraft) needed to orbit the Moon. The three crew members—Jim Lovell, [Fred Haise](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Fred-Haise), and [Jack Swigert](https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-L-Swigert-Jr)—shut down the Command Module to conserve energy and moved to the Lunar Module as a makeshift lifeboat. They spent nearly four days in lunar orbit with high levels of [carbon dioxide](https://www.britannica.com/science/carbon-dioxide), little heat, and insufficient food and water supplies. Although the three men did not have the chance to walk on the Moon, Haise and Swigert became the 13th and 14th men to reach it (Lovell had been to the Moon on Apollo 8). After a harrowing journey, the crew returned safely to Earth. The voyage was later recognized in a [Ron Howard](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ron-Howard) movie starring [Tom Hanks](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Tom-Hanks). ## Apollo 14 and Apollo 15 Apollo 14 was a little less hair-raising. [Alan Shepard](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alan-B-Shepard-Jr), who had been the first U.S. astronaut to travel in space aboard Freedom 7 in 1961, became the fifth person to walk on the Moon and, as an [avid](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/avid) golfer, swung at a couple of golf balls. [Edgar Mitchell](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Edgar-D-Mitchell) joined him as the sixth person to walk on the Moon, while [Stuart A. Roosa](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Stuart-A-Roosa) orbited in the Command Module, becoming the 17th man to reach the Moon. During Apollo 15 (July 26–August 7, 1971), astronauts [David Scott](https://www.britannica.com/biography/David-Scott) and [James B. Irwin](https://www.britannica.com/biography/James-B-Irwin) spent almost three days on the Moon and were the first to use the lunar rover, an electrically powered wheeled vehicle, while [Alfred Worden](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alfred-Worden) orbited the Moon on the Command Module. The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners. [SUBSCRIBE](https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=redesign-2026) ![Penguin, ship, mountain, atlas](https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/inline-left.webp) ![shohei ohtani, plants, andy wharhol art](https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/inline-right.webp) ![Mobile](https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/inline-mobile.webp?w=400) ## Apollo 17 [John W. Young](https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-W-Young), who had previously been to the Moon on Apollo 10, had the opportunity to walk on it, along with Charles M. Duke, Jr., during Apollo 16 (April 16–27, 1972). The two were the ninth and tenth astronauts to walk on the lunar surface. Thomas K. Mattingly, who had been removed from Apollo 13 because of exposure to measles, manned the Command Module and became the 21st person to reach the Moon. [Apollo 17](https://www.britannica.com/event/Apollo-17) (December 7–19, 1972) was the last crewed mission to the Moon. [Harrison Schmitt](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Harrison-Schmitt), the first professional geologist on the Moon, and Eugene Cernan, who had been to the Moon with Apollo 10, walked on the lunar surface for more than 22 hours. They collected over 249 pounds (115 kg) of rocks and other material. They were the 11th and 12th astronauts to walk on the Moon, and Ron Evans, who manned the Command Module, became the 24th man to reach the Moon. ## Epilogue: Artemis I and Artemis II [Artemis II crew members](https://cdn.britannica.com/61/287061-050-123D366A/Artemis-II-crew-gives-thumbs-up-on-return-trip-to-Earth-April-2026.jpg)Members of the Artemis II crew, (from left) Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Pilot Victor Glover, and Commander Reid Wiseman, pausing for a group photo inside the Orion spacecraft on their way home from the Moon, 2026. In 2017, close to 50 years after the last Apollo mission, NASA initiated the [Artemis spaceflight program](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Artemis-program) with the goal of returning astronauts to the surface of the Moon in the 2020s. Artemis I launched in 2022 and tested the safety and performance in deep space of the uncrewed Orion spacecraft. It orbited the Moon about 44,000 miles (70,000 kilometers) from its surface on a 25.5-day flight. In 2026 [Artemis II](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Artemis-II) launched a crew of four astronauts around the far side of the Moon and back to Earth. Commander [Reid Wiseman](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Reid-Wiseman), pilot [Victor Glover](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Victor-Glover-Jr), and mission specialists [Christina Koch](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Christina-Koch) and [Jeremy Hansen](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jeremy-Hansen) became the 25th, 26th, 27th, and 28th people to reach the Moon. Glover is the first Black man to fly to the Moon, Koch the first woman, and Hansen the first non-American (he is Canadian). The whole crew set the record for the farthest distance traveled by humans in space, 252,756 miles (406,771 kilometers). [![Explore the timeline of the Apollo missions that led the United States to land the first humans on the Moon.](https://cdn.britannica.com/57/206457-050-8641EF6E/Apollo-space-program-United-States-NASA-moon-landing.jpg?w=1000)](https://cdn.britannica.com/57/206457-050-8641EF6E/Apollo-space-program-United-States-NASA-moon-landing.jpg)
Shard	62 (laksa)
Root Hash	5455945239613777662
Unparsed URL	com,britannica!www,/story/how-many-people-have-been-to-the-moon s443