More than 50 years after humans first reached the Moon, that small circle of space explorers is finally beginning to expand again.
From the historic mission of the Apollo to another successful mission under Artemis II crew, only 28 people have ever made the journey beyond Earth to lunar space.
This list includes names from many generations. They include trailblazers like Neil Armstrong, who set foot on the moon for the first time, and contemporary astronauts like Christina Koch, who are continuing that tradition. Twelve of these explorers set foot on the moon, while others orbited above it; that is they did not set their feet on it.
Apollo Moonwalkers (12 who walked on the moon)These astronauts physically set foot on the lunar surface:Neil Armstrong — 1969Buzz Aldrin — 1969Charles ‘Pete’ Conrad — 1969Alan L. Bean — 1969Alan Shepard — 1971Edgar Mitchell — 1971David Scott — 1971James Irwin — 1971John Young — 1972Charles Duke — 1972Eugene Cernan — 1972Harrison Schmitt — 1972
Moon Orbiters (Flew to the moon but did not land)Michael Collins — 1969Richard F. Gordon Jr. — 1969Stuart Roosa — 1971Alfred Worden — 1971Thomas K. Mattingly — 1972Ronald Evans — 1972
Apollo 8 & Apollo 10 (Lunar flyby missions)Michael Collins — 1969Richard F. Gordon Jr. — 1969Stuart Roosa — 1971Alfred Worden — 1971Thomas K. Mattingly — 1972Ronald Evans — 1972
Artemis II Crew (Lunar flyby and systems testing)Reid Wiseman — 2026Victor Glover — 2026Christina Koch — 2026Jeremy Hansen — 2026