Moon
Photo: Neil A. Armstrong, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
The Moon is the Earth's solitary natural satellite, roughly 384,000 km away. It has roughly of surface area, and is not believed to harbor any life. The Moon is the only natural object in space outside the Earth that humans have landed on, but manned lunar landings ended in 1972. However, the United States's Artemis program is working toward new landings in the late 2020s.
UnderstandThat's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.
Get inOnly the United States has successfully sent humans to the Moon as of 2026. The other countries to have successfully landed objects on the moon are the Soviet Union, China, India, and Japan.
Fees and permitsThe Outer Space Treaty, which more than 100 countries have signed, states that "the activities of non-governmental entities in outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, shall require authorization and…
Get aroundNASA's Moon Trek mapping application has extensive information, images, and tools to help you plan a mission or just learn about the Moon.
See
Do
BuyThere are no shops of any sort on the Moon, so all supplies must be brought.
EatWhile ancient legends on Earth report the reflection of the Moon to appear as a wheel of green cheese, its soil is not edible.
DrinkThere is some amount of water across much of the surface of the Moon in the form of ice, but it is unclear how easy it is to access.
SleepThe next phases of Artemis lunar exploration will probably involve the construction of permanent manned bases in the Moon's polar regions. In the meantime, accommodation is limited to what you bring.
Stay safeThe Moon is subject to international law under the Outer Space Treaty and the Moon Treaty (although none of the major spacefaring nations have ratified the latter, so its applicability is questionable).
Stay healthySpace is generally inhospitable and this will become all too apparent once you leave the comforts of Earth.
ConnectCommunications back to Earth, as deployed for the Apollo missions, are primitive but usable. Slow-scan television (SSTV) lunar transmissions must share communication bandwidth with telemetry data.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Moon" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Neil A. Armstrong, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons