Chandrayaan-2 and the other moon missions the world has been on, here's a recap

New Delhi: All was going well with Chandrayaan-2's Vikram Lander that began its descent at about 1.38 am on Saturday. When it was just 2.1 km away from the moon surface, the communication from the Lander to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) control room was lost.

After monitoring the situation, ISRO chief K Sivan announced that the communication has been lost. 

"This is Mission Control Centre. Vikram lander descent was as planned and normal performance was observed up to an altitude of 2.1 km. Subsequently, communication from Lander to the ground stations was lost. Data is being analysed," ISRO said in a statement. 

The Rs 978 crore Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft was launched into space by heavy-lift rocket Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-Mark III (GSLV Mk III) on July 22 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. 

It was comprised of three segments - the Orbiter (weighing 2,379 kg, eight payloads), Vikram Lander (1,471 kg, four payloads) and Pragyan Rover (27 kg, two payloads).

After revolving around the earth's orbit for nearly 23 days, Chandrayaan-2 began its journey to the moon on August 14. On September 2, Vikram separated from the Orbiter. 

Chandrayaan-2 was India's first attempt at landing a spacecraft on the moon. So far, only the US, Russia and China have managed to place a spacecraft on the moon. But, no country has ever made a successful landing on the south polar region of the moon, where Vikram was to land.

Now, let us get some insight into the previous moon missions that the world has seen in the last five decades. The lists have been compiled by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

1950s

Name	Nation	Launch	Arrival	Type	Results
Pioneer 0	USA	Aug. 17, 1958	N/A	Orbiter	Unsuccessful
Unnamed Luna	USSR	Sept. 23, 1958	N/A	Impact	Unsuccessful
Pioneer 1	USA	Oct. 11, 1958	N/A	Orbiter	Unsuccessful
Unnamed Luna	USSR	Oct. 11, 1958	N/A	Impact	Unsuccessful
Pioneer 2	USA	Nov. 8, 1958	N/A	Orbiter	Unsuccessful
Unnamed Luna	USSR	Dec. 4, 1958	N/A	Impact	Unsuccessful
Pioneer 3	USA	Dec. 7, 1958	N/A	Flyby	Unsuccessful
Luna 1	USSR	Jan. 2, 1959	Jan. 4, 1959	Impact	Partial Success; first Moon flyby
Pioneer 4	USA	March 3, 1959	Mar. 4., 1959	Flyby	Partial Sucess
Unnamed Luna	USSR	June 18, 1959	N/A	Impact	Unsuccessful
Luna 2	USSR	Sept. 12, 1959	Sept. 13, 1959	Impact	Successful; first spacecraft to impact the Moon's surface
Pioneer P-1	USA	Sept. 24, 1959	N/A	Orbiter	Unsuccessful
Luna 3	USSR	Oct. 4, 1959	Oct. 6, 1959	Flyby	Successful; first pictures of the lunar farside.
Pioneer P-3	USA	Nov. 26, 1959	N/A	Orbiter	Unsuccessful

1960s

Name	Nation	Launch	Arrival	Type	Results
Unnamed Luna	USSR	April 15, 1960	N/A	Flyby	Unsuccessful
Unnamed Luna	USSR	April 16, 1960	N/A	Flyby	Unsuccessful
Pioneer P-30	USA	Sep. 25, 1960	N/A	Orbiter	Unsuccessful
Pioneer P-31	USA	Dec. 15. 1960	N/A	Orbiter	Unsuccessful
Ranger 3	USA	Jan. 26, 1962	N/A	Impact	Unsuccessful
Ranger 4	USA	April 26, 1962	N/A	Impact	Unsuccessful
Ranger 5	USA	Oct. 21, 1962	N/A	Impact	Unsuccessful
Unnamed Luna	USSR	Jan. 4, 1963	N/A	Lander	Unsuccessful
Unnamed Luna	USSR	Feb. 3, 1963	N/A	Lander	Unsuccessful
Luna 4	USSR	April 2, 1963	April 6, 1963	Lander	Unsuccessful; flew past Moon.
Ranger 6	USA	Jan. 30, 1964	Feb. 2, 1965	Impact	Unsuccessful
Unnamed Luna	USSR	March 21, 1964	N/A	Lander	Unsuccessful
Unnamed Luna	USSR	April 20, 1964	N/A	Lander	Unsuccessful
Ranger 7	USA	July 28, 1964	July 31, 1964	Impact	Successful; first U.S. close-up pictures of the Moon
Ranger 8	USA	Feb. 17, 1965	Feb. 20, 1965	Impact	Successful
Kosmos 60	USSR	March 12, 1965	N/A	Lander	Unsuccessful
Ranger 9	USA	March 21, 1965	March 24, 1965	Impact	Successful
Unnamed Luna	USSR	April 10, 1965	N/A	Lander	Unsuccessful
Luna 5	USSR	May 9, 1965	May 12, 1965	Lander	Unsuccessful; impacted Moon
Luna 6	USSR	June 8, 1965	June 11, 1965	Lander	Unsuccessful; flyby
Zond 3	USSR	July 18, 1965	July 20, 1965	Flyby	Successful
Luna 7	USSR	Oct. 4, 1965	Oct. 7, 1965	Lander	Unsuccessful; impacted Moon
Luna 8	USSR	Dec. 3, 1965	Dec. 6, 1965	Lander	Unsuccessful; impacted Moon
Luna 9	USSR	Jan. 31, 1966	Feb. 3, 1966	Lander	Successful; first lunar soft landing and first picture from the lunar surface
Kosmos 111	USSR	March 1, 1966	N/A	Orbiter	Unsuccessful
Luna 10	USSR	March 31, 1966	April 3, 1966	Orbiter	Successful; first lunar orbiter
Surveyor 1	USA	May 30, 1966	June 2, 1966	Lander	Successful; first U.S. Moon landing and first U.S. photo from the lunar surface.
Lunar Orbiter 1	USA	Aug. 10, 1966	Aug. 14, 1966	Orbiter	Successful
Luna 11	USSR	Aug. 24, 1966	Aug. 27, 1966	Orbiter	Successful
Surveyor 2	USA	Sept. 20, 1966	Sept. 23, 1966	Lander	Unsuccessful; impacted Moon
Luna 12	USSR	Oct. 22, 1966	Oct. 25, 1966	Orbiter	Successful
Lunar Orbiter 2	USA	Nov. 6, 1966	Nov. 10, 1966	Orbiter	Successful
Luna 13	USSR	Dec. 21, 1966	Dec. 24, 1966	Lander	Successful
Lunar Orbiter 3	USA	Feb. 5, 1967	Feb. 8, 1967	Orbiter	Partial success; camera failure
Surveyor 3	USA	April 17, 1967	April 20, 1967	Lander	Successful; visited on the Moon by Apollo 12 crew.
Lunar Orbiter 4	USA	May 4, 1967	May 8, 1967	Orbiter	Partial success; camera failure
Surveyor 4	USA	July 14, 1967	July 17, 1967	Lander	Unsuccessful
Lunar Orbiter 5	USA	Aug. 1, 1967	Aug. 5, 1967	Orbiter	Successful
Surveyor 5	USA	Sept. 8, 1967	Sept. 11, 1967	Lander	Successful
Surveyor 6	USA	Nov. 7, 1967	Nov. 10, 1967	Lander	Successful
Surveyor 7	USA	Jan. 7, 1968	Jan. 10, 1968	Lander	Successful
Unnamed Luna	USSR	Feb. 7, 1968	N/A	Lander	Unsuccessful
Luna 14	USSR	April 7, 1968	April 10, 1968	Orbiter	Successful
Zond 5	USSR	Sept. 15, 1968	Sept. 18, 1968	Flyby	Successful; first living creatures to fly past the Moon
Zond 6	USSR	Nov. 10, 1968	Nov. 14, 1968	Flyby	Partial success; animal cargo lost on landing.
Apollo 8	USA	Dec. 21, 1968	Dec. 24, 1968	Orbiter	Success; first humans to orbit the Moon
Unnamed Luna	USSR	Feb. 19, 1969	N/A	Rover	Unsuccessful; first attempted Moon rover
Apollo 10	USA	May 18, 1969	May 21, 1969	Orbiter	Successful; lander test in lunar orbit
Unnamed Luna	USSR	June 14, 1969	N/A	Sample Return	Unsuccessful
Luna 15	USSR	July 13, 1960	July 18, 1969	Orbiter/Sample Return	Partial success; orbiter successful, sample return crashed on the Moon
Apollo 11	USA	July 16, 1969	July 20, 1969	Orbiter/Sample Return	Successful; first humans to land on the Moon
Zond 7	USSR	Aug. 7, 1969	Aug. 11, 1969	Flyby	Successful
Kosmos 300	USSR	Sept. 23, 1969	N/A	Sample Return	Unsuccessful
Kosmos 305	USSR	Oct. 22, 1969	N/A	Sample Return	Unsuccessful
Apollo 12	USA	Nov. 14, 1969	Nov. 17, 1969	Orbiter/Sample Return	Successful; rendezvous with Surveyor 3 on the surface of the moon.

1970s

Name	Nation	Launch	Arrival	Type	Results
Unnamed Luna	USSR	April 15, 1960	N/A	Flyby	Unsuccessful
Unnamed Luna	USSR	April 16, 1960	N/A	Flyby	Unsuccessful
Pioneer P-30	USA	Sep. 25, 1960	N/A	Orbiter	Unsuccessful
Pioneer P-31	USA	Dec. 15. 1960	N/A	Orbiter	Unsuccessful
Ranger 3	USA	Jan. 26, 1962	N/A	Impact	Unsuccessful
Ranger 4	USA	April 26, 1962	N/A	Impact	Unsuccessful
Ranger 5	USA	Oct. 21, 1962	N/A	Impact	Unsuccessful
Unnamed Luna	USSR	Jan. 4, 1963	N/A	Lander	Unsuccessful
Unnamed Luna	USSR	Feb. 3, 1963	N/A	Lander	Unsuccessful
Luna 4	USSR	April 2, 1963	April 6, 1963	Lander	Unsuccessful; flew past Moon.
Ranger 6	USA	Jan. 30, 1964	Feb. 2, 1965	Impact	Unsuccessful
Unnamed Luna	USSR	March 21, 1964	N/A	Lander	Unsuccessful
Unnamed Luna	USSR	April 20, 1964	N/A	Lander	Unsuccessful
Ranger 7	USA	July 28, 1964	July 31, 1964	Impact	Successful; first U.S. close-up pictures of the Moon
Ranger 8	USA	Feb. 17, 1965	Feb. 20, 1965	Impact	Successful
Kosmos 60	USSR	March 12, 1965	N/A	Lander	Unsuccessful
Ranger 9	USA	March 21, 1965	March 24, 1965	Impact	Successful
Unnamed Luna	USSR	April 10, 1965	N/A	Lander	Unsuccessful
Luna 5	USSR	May 9, 1965	May 12, 1965	Lander	Unsuccessful; impacted Moon
Luna 6	USSR	June 8, 1965	June 11, 1965	Lander	Unsuccessful; flyby
Zond 3	USSR	July 18, 1965	July 20, 1965	Flyby	Successful
Luna 7	USSR	Oct. 4, 1965	Oct. 7, 1965	Lander	Unsuccessful; impacted Moon
Luna 8	USSR	Dec. 3, 1965	Dec. 6, 1965	Lander	Unsuccessful; impacted Moon
Luna 9	USSR	Jan. 31, 1966	Feb. 3, 1966	Lander	Successful; first lunar soft landing and first picture from the lunar surface
Kosmos 111	USSR	March 1, 1966	N/A	Orbiter	Unsuccessful
Luna 10	USSR	March 31, 1966	April 3, 1966	Orbiter	Successful; first lunar orbiter
Surveyor 1	USA	May 30, 1966	June 2, 1966	Lander	Successful; first U.S. Moon landing and first U.S. photo from the lunar surface.
Lunar Orbiter 1	USA	Aug. 10, 1966	Aug. 14, 1966	Orbiter	Successful
Luna 11	USSR	Aug. 24, 1966	Aug. 27, 1966	Orbiter	Successful
Surveyor 2	USA	Sept. 20, 1966	Sept. 23, 1966	Lander	Unsuccessful; impacted Moon
Luna 12	USSR	Oct. 22, 1966	Oct. 25, 1966	Orbiter	Successful
Lunar Orbiter 2	USA	Nov. 6, 1966	Nov. 10, 1966	Orbiter	Successful
Luna 13	USSR	Dec. 21, 1966	Dec. 24, 1966	Lander	Successful
Lunar Orbiter 3	USA	Feb. 5, 1967	Feb. 8, 1967	Orbiter	Partial success; camera failure
Surveyor 3	USA	April 17, 1967	April 20, 1967	Lander	Successful; visited on the Moon by Apollo 12 crew.
Lunar Orbiter 4	USA	May 4, 1967	May 8, 1967	Orbiter	Partial success; camera failure
Surveyor 4	USA	July 14, 1967	July 17, 1967	Lander	Unsuccessful
Lunar Orbiter 5	USA	Aug. 1, 1967	Aug. 5, 1967	Orbiter	Successful
Surveyor 5	USA	Sept. 8, 1967	Sept. 11, 1967	Lander	Successful
Surveyor 6	USA	Nov. 7, 1967	Nov. 10, 1967	Lander	Successful
Surveyor 7	USA	Jan. 7, 1968	Jan. 10, 1968	Lander	Successful
Unnamed Luna	USSR	Feb. 7, 1968	N/A	Lander	Unsuccessful
Luna 14	USSR	April 7, 1968	April 10, 1968	Orbiter	Successful
Zond 5	USSR	Sept. 15, 1968	Sept. 18, 1968	Flyby	Successful; first living creatures to fly past the Moon
Zond 6	USSR	Nov. 10, 1968	Nov. 14, 1968	Flyby	Partial success; animal cargo lost on landing.
Apollo 8	USA	Dec. 21, 1968	Dec. 24, 1968	Orbiter	Success; first humans to orbit the Moon
Unnamed Luna	USSR	Feb. 19, 1969	N/A	Rover	Unsuccessful; first attempted Moon rover
Apollo 10	USA	May 18, 1969	May 21, 1969	Orbiter	Successful; lander test in lunar orbit
Unnamed Luna	USSR	June 14, 1969	N/A	Sample Return	Unsuccessful
Luna 15	USSR	July 13, 1960	July 18, 1969	Orbiter/Sample Return	Partial success; orbiter successful, sample return crashed on the Moon
Apollo 11	USA	July 16, 1969	July 20, 1969	Orbiter/Sample Return	Successful; first humans to land on the Moon
Zond 7	USSR	Aug. 7, 1969	Aug. 11, 1969	Flyby	Successful
Kosmos 300	USSR	Sept. 23, 1969	N/A	Sample Return	Unsuccessful
Kosmos 305	USSR	Oct. 22, 1969	N/A	Sample Return	Unsuccessful
Apollo 12	USA	Nov. 14, 1969	Nov. 17,1969	Orbiter/Sample Return	Successful; rendezvous with Surveyor 3 on the surface of the moon.

1980s: No lunar missions launced in this decade.

1990s

Name	Nation	Launch	Arrival	Type	Results
SMART-1	Europe	9/27/2003	11/15/2004	Orbiter/Impact	Successful; first European Moon mission
SELENE (Kaguya)	Japan	9/14/2007	10/3/2007	Orbiter/Impact	Successful
Chang'e 1	China	10/24/2007	11/5/2007	Orbiter/impactor	Successful; first Chinese Moon mission
Chandrayaan-1	India	10/22/2008	11/12/2008	Orbiter	Successful
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbter (LRO)	USA	6/18/2009	6/23/2009	Orbiter	(Active Mission) Successful; extended mission in progress
LCROSS	USA	6/18/2009	10/9/2009	Impact	Successful; impact of LRO upper stages

2000s

Name	Nation	Launch	Arrival	Type	Results
SMART-1	Europe	9/27/2003	11/15/2004	Orbiter/Impact	Successful; first European Moon mission
SELENE (Kaguya)	Japan	9/14/2007	10/3/2007	Orbiter/Impact	Successful
Chang'e 1	China	10/24/2007	11/5/2007	Orbiter/impactor	Successful; first Chinese Moon mission
Chandrayaan-1	India	10/22/2008	11/12/2008	Orbiter	Successful
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbter (LRO)	USA	6/18/2009	6/23/2009	Orbiter	(Active Mission) Successful; extended mission in progress
LCROSS	USA	6/18/2009	10/9/2009	Impact	Successful; impact of LRO upper stages

2010s

Name	Nation	Launch	Arrival	Type	Results
Chang'e 2	China	10/1/2010	10/5/2010	Orbiter	Successful
ARTEMIS	USA	2010	2011	Orbiters	(Active Mission) Successful; twin spacecraft on an extended lunar mission after successful Earth observartions
Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL)	USA	9/10/2011	1/1/2012	Orbiters	Successful; twin spacecraft
Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE)	USA	9/7/2013	10/6/2013	Orbiter	Successful
Chang'e 3	China	12/6/2013	12/14/2013	Lander	(Active Mission) Successful; delivered Yutu rover to lunar surface
Yutu	China	12/6/2013	12/14/2013	Rover	Successful; first non-Soviet rover on the Moon
Chang'e 5-Test Vehicle	China	10/23/2014	10/27/2014	Flyby	Successful
Queqiao	China	5/20/2018		Orbiter	Successful; lunar relay satellite
Chang'e 4 and Yutu 2	China	12/7/2018		Lander, Rover	Successful; first lunar farside landing
Beresheet	Israel	2/22/2019	4/11/209	Lander	Unsuccessful; first lunar landing attempt by a private company

(Credit: NASA)

Chandrayaan-2 is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-1, which was launched in 2008. India's second mission to the moon was approved just during Chandrayaan-1 launch. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in Bengaluru to witness the moment live, encouraged the ISRO scientists with his motivating words. "There will be a new dawn and a brighter tomorrow very soon," PM Modi said.

He addressed the scientists at the centre and inspired them to march on by saying, "You came as close as you could. Stay steady and look ahead."

"To our scientists, I want to say 'India is with you'. You are exceptional professionals who have made an incredible contribution to the nation's progress. You have given your best always, and will give us several more opportunities to smile about," the Prime Minister added.

"Our determination to get closer to Moon today has just got stronger," he further said.

Minutes later, the Prime Minister was seen hugging and consoling ISRO chief K Sivan, who burst into tears as PM Modi was about to leave.

(With agency inputs)