How many countries landed on moon?

A total of three countries have successfully conducted crewed moon landings: the United States, the Soviet Union (now Russia), and China. These landings mark significant milestones in human space exploration and have contributed to our understanding of the Moon’s geology, surface conditions, and potential for future exploration.

The United States is the first country to achieve a crewed moon landing. The Apollo 11 mission, launched by NASA on July 16, 1969, saw astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin become the first humans to set foot on the lunar surface on July 20, 1969. Armstrong’s famous words, “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind,” captured the historic nature of the event.

The Soviet Union conducted the first soft landing on the Moon with its Luna 2 probe on September 14, 1959. However, the Soviet Union did not achieve a crewed moon landing. The Luna 24 mission, launched in 1972, was an automated sample return mission that successfully brought lunar soil back to Earth.

More recently, China achieved a crewed moon landing with its Chang’e 4 mission. On January 3, 2019, the Chang’e 4 lander and its rover, Yutu-2, successfully touched down on the far side of the Moon, becoming the first spacecraft to do so. This mission marked a significant advancement in lunar exploration and expanded our knowledge of the Moon’s geology and surface features.

While only three countries have conducted crewed moon landings, various other nations have sent robotic missions to the Moon for exploration, research, and scientific purposes. Space agencies and private companies continue to show interest in lunar exploration, with plans for future missions aiming to further our understanding of Earth’s closest celestial neighbor. Please note that developments beyond September 2021 are not covered in this response, so I recommend checking more recent sources for the latest information.