International Moon Day | 22 Jul 2025

Source: TH 

20^th July is observed annually as International Moon Day to mark the historic first human landing on the Moon by the Apollo 11 mission in 1969.  

• The United Nations General Assembly officially recognised this observance in 2021, following a recommendation by the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), to promote global cooperation in space exploration. 

Apollo 11 Mission 

• Apollo 11, launched by NASA on 16th July 1969, was the first successful crewed mission to land on the Moon and return safely to Earth. 
• On 20th July 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the lunar surface, while Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit aboard the Command Module.  
  • In total, there were six successful lunar landings under the Apollo program: Apollo 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, and 17. 

India’s Lunar Mission 

• India’s Moon missions began with Chandrayaan-1 (2008), which discovered water on the Moon, followed by Chandrayaan-2 (2019), whose orbiter remains active despite a failed landing.  
• Chandrayaan-3 (2023) achieved a historic soft landing at the South Pole, making India the first to do so (fourth nation to land on the Moon). 
• Upcoming missions include Chandrayaan-4 (2027) for sample return, and Chandrayaan-5 (LUPEX), a joint mission with Japan (JAXA) to explore lunar water and ice, planned for 2027–28.