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# How many times have people visited the moon?
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/the_moon_2007100904/
- Published: 2010-07-20T22:04:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:11:30.000Z
- Description: NASA's Apollo program flew 17 manned missions from 1968 to 1972, the first 10 testing elements of a lunar landing. Apollo 11 put Armstrong and Aldrin on the surface for just over 21 hours in July 1969, and six more missions followed, all but Apollo 13 landing.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Miscellaneous, Health News, #vivvo-import

On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced the goal of sending astronauts to the moon before the end of the decade. That challenge was met in 1969 when the [National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)](http://answers.usa.gov/cgi-bin/gsa%5Fict.cfg/php/enduser/std%5Fadp.php?p%5Ffaqid=4758&p%5Fsid=pZGwmq5k&p%5Flva=8584&ref=foodconsumer.org) landed the first manned spacecraft on the moon.

NASA's [Apollo Program](http://www.nasa.gov/mission%5Fpages/apollo/?ref=foodconsumer.org), which ran from 1968 to 1972, consisted of a series of 17 manned flights with the goal of landing on the moon. The first 10 missions were used to test various elements of what a lunar landing mission was expected to be like. Launched on July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 and its crew of [three astronauts](http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/ap11ann/astrobios.htm?ref=foodconsumer.org) traveled to the moon. On July 20, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin boarded a landing craft and descended to the surface. Armstrong and Aldrin remained on the moon for just over 21 hours, of which two and a half were spent outside the spacecraft. During this time they set up several experiments and collected samples for later study. After reuniting with their fellow astronaut, Michael Collins, in orbit, the three returned to Earth, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean on July 24.

The Apollo Program continued with an additional six missions (Apollo 12-17). Except for Apollo 13, which suffered a [mechanical failure](http://history.nasa.gov/Timeline/apollo13chron.html?ref=foodconsumer.org)that forced its return, each mission remained on the moon for consecutively longer periods of time.

**Additional Resources:**

- [Apollo Program: 40th Anniversary](http://www.nasa.gov/mission%5Fpages/apollo/40th/?ref=foodconsumer.org)
- [Restored Videos from Apollo 11 Moonwalk](http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/hd/apollo11.html?ref=foodconsumer.org)
- [Images of Apollo Landing Sites](http://www.nasa.gov/mission%5Fpages/LRO/multimedia/lroimages/apollosites.html?ref=foodconsumer.org)
- [Kennedy Space Center Apollo Program Overview](http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/history/apollo/apollo.htm?ref=foodconsumer.org)
- [We Choose the Moon: Apollo 11 Mission Replay](http://www.wechoosethemoon.org/?ref=foodconsumer.org)
- [NASA: History](http://answers.usa.gov/cgi-bin/gsa%5Fict.cfg/php/enduser/std%5Fadp.php?p%5Ffaqid=7653&p%5Fsid=pZGwmq5k&p%5Flva=8584&ref=foodconsumer.org)
- [NASA: Lunar Exploration Missions](http://answers.usa.gov/cgi-bin/gsa%5Fict.cfg/php/enduser/std%5Fadp.php?p%5Ffaqid=8580&p%5Fsid=pZGwmq5k&p%5Flva=8584&ref=foodconsumer.org)

By usa.gov team