TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Over the historic window between 1969 and 1972, a total of 12 astronauts walked on the Moon. While hundreds have ventured beyond Earth, only a select few—all men—took part in NASA’s pioneering Apollo program. In total, 24 American astronauts journeyed from Earth to the Moon, including three who made the voyage twice: James Lovell, John Young, and Gene Cernan.
List of Astronauts Who Walked on the Moon
Here is the story of the 12 astronauts who walked on the moon, as recorded by NASA and other sources.
1. Neil Armstrong (1969) – Apollo 11
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong etched his name into history as the first human to set foot on the Moon during the landmark Apollo 11 mission. Long before that defining moment, Armstrong had built an extensive career in aviation and research. He served as a naval aviator from 1949 to 1952 before joining the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics at the Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory in 1955.
2. Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin (1969) – Apollo 11
Before becoming one of the first humans to walk on the Moon, Buzz Aldrin built his career as an engineer and a fighter pilot during the Korean War. Selected for NASA’s third astronaut group, he made his first trip to space on Gemini XII. Not long after, he took on the role of lunar module pilot for Apollo 11, joining Neil Armstrong in the historic landing of July 20, 1969.
3. Charles “Pete” Conrad (1969) – Apollo 12
Selected in 1962 as part of NASA’s second astronaut class, Pete Conrad flew four missions across the Gemini, Skylab, and Apollo programs, spending over 1,200 hours in space. Upon becoming the third human to walk on the Moon during Apollo 12, he could not resist leaving his mark as he shouted, “Whoopee! Man, that may have been a small one for Neil, but that’s a long one for me!”
4. Alan Bean (1969) – Apollo 12
Alan Bean spent a total of 1,671 hours and 45 minutes in space, including 10 hours and 26 minutes outside the spacecraft during EVAs on the Moon and in Earth orbit. After serving in backup roles for Gemini 10 and Apollo 9 missions, he was chosen as the lunar module pilot for Apollo 12, the second mission to land on the Moon. Bean later wrote that he felt fortunate to be “the first artist at the center of the action,” capturing what he saw and felt and bringing it back to Earth to share with future generations.
5. Alan B. Shepard Jr. (1971) – Apollo 14
Alan Shepard made his second spaceflight as commander of Apollo 14 from January 31 to February 9, 1971, accompanied by Edgar Mitchell. The crew landed their lunar module, Antares, in the hilly Fra Mauro region of the Moon. Shepard and Mitchell conducted experiments, deployed scientific equipment, and collected nearly 100 pounds of lunar samples for analysis back on Earth.
6. Edgar D. Mitchell (1971) – Apollo 14
On January 31, 1971, Edgar Mitchell, serving as lunar module pilot, began a 500,000-mile journey into space. Nine days later, he became the sixth astronaut to walk on the Moon, returning safely on February 9. The Apollo 14 mission set records for lunar stay and moonwalk duration, introduced color TV on the Moon, and included a major orbital science program.
7. David R. Scott (1971) – Apollo 15
David Scott flew on Gemini 8 and Apollo 9 before commanding Apollo 15, logging 546 hours in space, including over 20 hours on extravehicular activities. His 1971 mission marked the first extended scientific exploration of the Moon, doubling previous lunar stay times and using the first Lunar Roving Vehicle to explore the Hadley Rille and Apennine Mountains. Scott’s achievements earned him numerous honors, including two NASA Distinguished Service Medals, the Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Robert J. Collier Trophy.
8. James B. Irwin (1971) – Apollo 15
James Irwin undertook his role as lunar module pilot on Apollo 15 from July 26 to August 7, 1971. This mission represented the fourth manned landing on the Moon and inaugurated detailed exploration of the Hadley Rille and Apennine Mountains along the southeastern rim of the Mare Imbrium. During his inaugural spaceflight, Irwin accumulated 295 hours in orbit, including nearly 20 hours of extravehicular activity.
9. John W. Young – Apollo 10 & Apollo 16
John Young was a legendary U.S. astronaut whose career spanned the Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle programs, earning him a place among the most accomplished explorers in space history. He became the first astronaut to complete five spaceflights and later set another milestone as the first to fly six.
10. Charles M. Duke (1972) – Apollo 16
Charles Duke logged 4,147 hours in the air, including 3,632 in jets. He supported Apollo 10, served as CAPCOM for Apollo 11, and was the backup lunar module pilot for Apollo 13. During the Apollo 16 mission on April 16–27, 1972, Duke piloted the lunar module Orion to a landing on the rugged Cayley Plains.
11. Eugene Cernan – Apollo 10 & Apollo 17
Eugene Cernan, a U.S. Navy Captain, made history across three spaceflights, including two trips to the Moon. He was the second American to walk in space and famously became the last person to leave footprints on the lunar surface as commander of Apollo 17.
12. Harrison H. Schmitt (1972) – Apollo 17
Harrison Schmitt holds the distinction of being the first scientist and final astronaut to walk on the Moon. A geologist by training, Schmitt joined NASA’s first scientist-astronaut class in June 1965. He served on the backup crew for Apollo 15 before being assigned as the lunar module pilot for the last Apollo mission.
These twelve astronauts who walked on the Moon ventured farther than any humans had gone before, conducting experiments, collecting lunar samples, and pushing the limits of technology and human endurance.
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