The Exclusive Dozen: 12 Astronauts Who Walked On The Moon And When They Will Be Joined

Jan 09, 2026 • minute read

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As of today, December 20, 2025, the total number of human beings who have successfully set foot on the surface of the Moon stands at an exclusive and unchanging figure: 12. This remarkable group of men, all American astronauts from NASA's historic Apollo program, achieved what remains one of humanity's greatest feats of exploration, marking a period of intense lunar activity that spanned just over three years, from 1969 to 1972. The fact that this number has not increased in more than five decades fuels both curiosity and anticipation for the next giant leap.

The 12 moonwalkers represent the pinnacle of space exploration from the 20th century. Their footsteps on the desolate, dusty surface of Earth's only natural satellite are a permanent testament to human ingenuity and political will. Understanding who these individuals are, the missions they flew, and the long gap since the last visit provides critical context for the ambitious plans currently underway to return humanity to the Moon via the Artemis program.

The Exclusive List of Lunar Explorers: The 12 Moonwalkers

The twelve astronauts who walked on the Moon were all part of six successful NASA Apollo missions, from Apollo 11 through Apollo 17. No crewed landing took place during Apollo 13, and Apollo 1 was tragically lost during a pre-launch test. The following is the complete, definitive list of the men who walked on the lunar surface, presented in the order they achieved the feat:

1. Neil Armstrong (Apollo 11)
- Mission Date: July 20, 1969
- Biography: Commander of Apollo 11, he was the first human to step onto the Moon, delivering the iconic "one small step" line. He was an engineer and naval aviator.
2. Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin (Apollo 11)
- Mission Date: July 20, 1969
- Biography: Lunar Module Pilot for Apollo 11, the second man to walk on the Moon. He is a former Air Force pilot and holds a Sc.D. in astronautics from MIT.
3. Charles "Pete" Conrad Jr. (Apollo 12)
- Mission Date: November 19, 1969
- Biography: Commander of Apollo 12, known for his jovial nature and for being the third person on the Moon. He was a highly decorated naval aviator.
4. Alan Bean (Apollo 12)
- Mission Date: November 19, 1969
- Biography: Lunar Module Pilot for Apollo 12 and the fourth person to walk on the Moon. After NASA, he became a professional artist, painting scenes from his space experiences.
5. Alan Shepard (Apollo 14)
- Mission Date: February 5, 1971
- Biography: Commander of Apollo 14, and the fifth man on the Moon. He was one of the original Mercury Seven astronauts and famously hit two golf balls on the lunar surface.
6. Edgar Mitchell (Apollo 14)
- Mission Date: February 5, 1971
- Biography: Lunar Module Pilot for Apollo 14, the sixth person on the Moon. He later became known for his interest in paranormal phenomena and founded the Institute of Noetic Sciences.
7. David Scott (Apollo 15)
- Mission Date: July 31, 1971
- Biography: Commander of Apollo 15, the seventh person on the Moon. He was the first to drive the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) and performed a famous demonstration of Galileo's gravity experiment.
8. James Irwin (Apollo 15)
- Mission Date: July 31, 1971
- Biography: Lunar Module Pilot for Apollo 15, the eighth person on the Moon. He was a devout Christian who later founded the High Flight Foundation.
9. John Young (Apollo 16)
- Mission Date: April 21, 1972
- Biography: Commander of Apollo 16, the ninth person on the Moon. He had one of the longest careers in NASA, flying six space missions, including the first Space Shuttle flight.
10. Charles Duke (Apollo 16)
- Mission Date: April 21, 1972
- Biography: Lunar Module Pilot for Apollo 16, the tenth person on the Moon and, at 36, the youngest moonwalker. He left a photograph of his family on the surface.
11. Harrison Schmitt (Apollo 17)
- Mission Date: December 11, 1972
- Biography: Lunar Module Pilot for Apollo 17, the eleventh person on the Moon. He is the only scientist (a geologist) to have walked on the lunar surface.
12. Eugene "Gene" Cernan (Apollo 17)
- Mission Date: December 14, 1972
- Biography: Commander of Apollo 17, the twelfth and, to date, last person to walk on the Moon. He famously etched his daughter's initials, "TDC," into the lunar dust before re-entering the Lunar Module.

The Apollo Era: Six Missions, Twelve Steps

The entire history of human lunar surface exploration is contained within a tiny window of time, from July 1969 to December 1972. This period saw six successful crewed landings, each involving a two-person crew descending to the surface in the Lunar Module (LM).

The first mission, Apollo 11, achieved the primary goal of landing two men, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, on the Moon and returning them safely. This monumental achievement was followed by five more successful landings, each pushing the boundaries of exploration further.

Missions like Apollo 15, 16, and 17 introduced the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV), or "Moon Buggy," which allowed astronauts to travel much greater distances and collect more diverse geological samples. These later missions significantly expanded the scientific return of the Apollo program, with Apollo 17's Harrison Schmitt, a trained geologist, making the most of the opportunity.

It is important to note the difference between people who "walked on the Moon" (12) and those who "traveled to the Moon" (24). In each of the nine crewed Apollo missions that journeyed to the Moon (Apollo 8, 10-17), a three-person crew was involved. One astronaut, the Command Module Pilot, remained in orbit around the Moon while the other two descended to the surface. These 24 individuals are the only humans to have ever traveled beyond Low Earth Orbit.

The Lunar Hiatus and the Dawn of Artemis

The last human footsteps were left by Eugene Cernan on December 14, 1972, during the Apollo 17 mission. Since that day, the Moon has remained an uninhabited, dusty monument to the Cold War space race. The decision to halt the Apollo program was largely driven by shifting political priorities, budget constraints, and the sense that the primary goal—beating the Soviet Union to the Moon—had been achieved. The remaining planned Apollo missions (Apollo 18, 19, and 20) were cancelled.

For over five decades, the number of moonwalkers has been stuck at 12. However, this is set to change dramatically in the coming years with NASA's ambitious Artemis Program. This program is not merely a repeat of Apollo; it is designed to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon, utilizing a new generation of spacecraft and rockets.

Artemis: Preparing for the Next 12

The Artemis program is structured in phases, leading up to the next crewed lunar landing:

Artemis I: An uncrewed flight test of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft around the Moon. This mission successfully demonstrated the capability of the new hardware.
Artemis II: The first crewed flight test of the SLS and Orion, carrying four astronauts on a lunar flyby. This mission is a vital step before a landing.
Artemis III: This is the mission planned to return humans to the lunar surface. It will be the first landing in over 50 years and is historic for another reason: it aims to land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon.

While exact dates are subject to change due to the complexity of human spaceflight, the goal is to have the next humans walk on the Moon in the mid-to-late 2020s. Subsequent Artemis missions are planned to occur approximately every year after the first landing, with the ultimate goal of establishing a permanent lunar base, known as the Artemis Base Camp.

The new era of lunar exploration, driven by the Artemis program, will quickly increase the total number of moonwalkers beyond the exclusive dozen. The new astronauts will explore the Moon's South Pole, an area believed to hold water ice, which is crucial for sustaining a long-term presence and for future missions to Mars. The next steps on the Moon will not just be for a flag and a footprint; they will be the foundation for humanity's permanent off-world home.

The Exclusive Dozen: 12 Astronauts Who Walked on the Moon and When They Will Be Joined

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