It is noteworthy that as of August 2023, only four nations have accomplished successful lunar missions, which is an indication of remarkable advancements in the field of space technology and exploration.
Through its NASA Apollo program, the United States achieved successful moon landings with astronauts on multiple occasions between 1969 and 1972, including the iconic Apollo 11 mission that marked the first human footsteps on the lunar surface.
The Soviet Luna program achieved lunar milestones with impactors and soft landers. Luna 2 impacted the Moon in 1959, while Luna 9 made history with the first soft landing and transmitted photos in 1966.
China's Chang'e program achieved robotic lunar success with Chang'e 3 (2013) and Chang'e 4 (2018), featuring significant soft landings. Notably, Chang'e 4 marked history by landing on the Moon's far side.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission has successfully achieved a soft landing on the Moon's southern polar region in 2023. This accomplishment marked India as the fourth nation to achieve a successful soft landing on the Moon.