Artificial objects on the Moon that are currently in use are retroreflectors (Lunar Laser Ranging Experiment).
The following table is a partial list of artificial objects on the surface of the Moon. They have been abandoned after having served their purpose. The list does not include smaller objects such as the retroreflectors.
Five third stages of rockets of the Apollo program form the heaviest pieces.
Notes
- Spacecraft was in lunar orbit but is assumed to have decayed from orbit and crashed into the moon, location unknown.
- The ascent stage of Apollo 10 was commanded to fire its engine, left lunar orbit and entered solar orbit. The ascent stage of Apollo 11 was left in orbit. Its orbit decayed and it crashed onto the moon, location unknown. The Apollo 16 ascent stage failed to crash into moon when commanded. It decayed from orbit at a later date and also crashed at an unknown location. The ascent stages of the remaining sucessful missions were each crashed onto the moon deliberately (Apollo 12, 14, 15, 17). Apollo 13's complete Apollo Lunar Module burned up in Earth's atmosphere having served as a lifeboat during the aborted mission.
- Luna program sample return mission; mass listed is for both ascent and descent stages, though only the descent stage was left on the moon
- Lander and rover weighed 1814 kg; the rest assumed to have decayed in orbit and impacted the moon
- Was ejected into lunar orbit in 1990, assumed to have decayed from orbit.
See also
