Shining the "Moon"light on Lunar Exploration: Where Did It All Begin and Where Are We Now?

Great lunar exploration accomplishments have been achieved over the past half century. Whether taking lunar photographs, walking on the Moon, performing experiments, or gathering samples, progress has been both evolutionary and revolutionary, leading to impactful knowledge about space. Let’s journey back in time to the first trip to the Moon and highlight some of the explorations.

Where did it all begin? The first trip to the Moon takes place in 1959, a year of firsts in the world of lunar exploration and discovery. According to Dr. David R. Williams of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, the Soviet Union launches the Luna 1, and it becomes the first spacecraft to fly by the finish line (the Moon) on January 2, 1959. Then, the United States places our footprint in the field of lunar study. The U.S. Pioneer 4 is launched on March 3, 1959, pioneering its way beyond the gravitational pull of the Earth - a first for U.S. probes. Accomplishments continue to occur as the Soviets supply the first spacecraft (Luna 2) to actually land on the Moon, and the first spacecraft (Luna 3) to return images of the distant side of the Moon.(3)

However, 1959 is only the start of lunar exploration. Fast forward 10 years - the United States penetrates the deep abyss of space - May 18, 1969 Apollo 10 travels toward the Moon. Almost 2 months later on July 13, 1969, the Soviet Union launches Luna 15. Then, only 3 days after that, the United States launches Apollo 11, the first mission where humans set foot on the Moon and return safely to Earth.

In 1970, the Soviets launch Luna 16 in hopes of bringing back pieces of the Moon's surface. Mission accomplished. Luna 24 sends 101 grams of lunar samples back to Earth. In August of 1976, the Soviets launched their last space craft from the Luna series, Luna 24 and returned more lunar samples to earth for analysis.

14 years pass before Japan launches Hiten, bringing a new country into the space race. On January 24, 1990, Hiten is recorded as Japan's first lunar flyby, lunar orbiter, and lunar surface impact.

The next few years bring the U.S. Lunar Prospector (1998), in the attempt to thoroughly detect detailed information on the Moon (e.g., does water exist on the Moon?).(3)

Moving onward to the present - 2010, there is nowhere to go but up. Neil Armstrong states, “I think we're going to the Moon because it's in the nature of the human being to face challenges. It's by the nature of his deep inner soul...we're required to do these things just as salmon swim upstream.”(1)  As evidenced in the timeline events of this article, humans commit to facing "space challenges" by continuing to reach greater depths in lunar exploration.

What new space challenge does the future hold? Man is racing to get back to the Moon, safely land a robot on the surface, have the robot travel 500 meters, and transmit images and data back to the Earth (The Google Lunar X PRIZE Competition). Join the race, or at least don't miss the "Moon"light review. The lunar discoveries will be amazing.

Kristil Battle, Dynetics

Sources:

1. Challenge Quotes. Brainy Quote. Retrieved November 1, 2010, from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/challenges_4.html.
2. Spudis, Paul D. 2004. Moon. World Book Online Reference Center. Retrieved October 29, 2010, from http://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/Article?id=ar370060.
3. Williams, David R. (n.d. - last updated 2010). Lunar Exploration Timeline (and associated Web pages). National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Retrieved October 29, 2010, from http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/lunartimeline.html.

Moon Exploration Timeline

 

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