Lunar Exploration Legacy

The Apollo missions brought back 382 kilograms of lunar samples between 1969 and 1972. These rocks revealed that the Moon formed from the same material as Earth, supporting the Giant Impact Hypothesis. They also showed that the Moon was once volcanically active, with ancient lava flows creating the dark maria visible from Earth.

Modern missions continue the exploration. China's Chang'e program has landed rovers on both the near and far sides. India's Chandrayaan missions found signs of water ice in shadowed craters. NASA's Artemis program plans to land astronauts near the south pole, where permanently shadowed craters may hold water ice.