The Curious Fates of Apollo’s Lunar Modules: Where Are They Now?
(And Why One Might Still Be Orbiting the Moon)
When Neil Armstrong radioed, “The Eagle has landed,” humanity held its breath. But what happened to the Eagle—and the other lunar modules (LMs) that made the Apollo program possible—after their missions ended? From fiery re-entries to eternal lunar rests, here’s the untold story of these iconic spacecraft.
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The Lunar Module: A Quick Primer
The Apollo Lunar Module (LM) was a two-part spacecraft:
- Descent Stage: The landing gear and engine that touched down on the Moon.
- Ascent Stage: The crew cabin that lifted astronauts back to lunar orbit.
Designed by Grumman Aerospace, these ungainly-looking machines were marvels of engineering. They operated solely in space, never meant to fly through Earth’s atmosphere. Ten LMs were launched, six landed on the Moon, and only one—Apollo 10’s Snoopy—still drifts in space today. (When I write only one Lunar Module, “drifts in space today,” I mean intact modules, but space debris might still be quietly orbiting.) Let’s break down their fates.
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The Test Missions: Apollo 5, 9, and 10
These early missions proved the LM’s capabilities but never landed on the Moon.
Apollo 5 (LM-1)
- Mission: Uncrewed test in low Earth orbit.
- Fate: Both stages burned up in Earth’s atmosphere16.
- Legacy: Validated the LM’s engines after years of development delays.
Apollo 9 (LM-3 “Spider”)
- Mission: First crewed test in Earth orbit. Astronauts practiced docking and LM systems.
- Fate: Both stages re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and disintegrated16.
Apollo 10 (LM-4 “Snoopy”)
- Mission: A “dress rehearsal” for Apollo 11. Descended to 9 miles above the Moon’s surface.
- Fate:
- Descent Stage: Crashed into the Moon.
- Ascent Stage: Sent into solar orbit after a fuel burn. Nicknamed Snoopy, it’s the only flown LM ascent stage still intact in space413.
- Mystery: Despite searches using its 1969 trajectory, Snoopy’s location remains unknown. Amateur astronomers speculate it could return near Earth in 202813.
The Moon Landers: Apollo 11–17
Six LMs touched down on the Moon. Their descent stages remain as historical markers, while their ascent stages met deliberate or mysterious ends.
Apollo 11 (LM-5 “Eagle”)
- Landing Site: Sea of Tranquility (0.674°N, 23.473°E)7.
- Fate:
- Descent Stage: Still sits on the Moon, visible in LRO images511.
- Ascent Stage: Jettisoned into lunar orbit. Its crash site is unknown, though a 2021 study suggests it might still orbit the Moon11.
Apollo 12 (LM-6 “Intrepid”)
- Landing Site: Ocean of Storms (-3.012°S, -23.421°W)7.
- Fate:
- Ascent Stage: Crashed on November 20, 1969, at 3.94°S, 21.20°W3.
- Cool Fact: Landed just 520 feet from Surveyor 3, a robotic probe. Astronauts retrieved its camera14.
Apollo 13 (LM-7 “Aquarius”)
- Mission: Aborted lunar landing after an oxygen tank explosion.
- Role: Served as a lifeboat, supporting the crew for 90 hours (vs. its 45-hour design)16.
- Fate: Burned up in Earth’s atmosphere on April 17, 19703.
Apollo 14 (LM-8 “Antares”)
- Landing Site: Fra Mauro (-3.645°S, -17.471°W)7.
- Fate:
- Ascent Stage: Crashed on February 7, 1971, at 3.42°S, 19.67°W3.
Apollo 15 (LM-10 “Falcon”)
- Landing Site: Hadley-Apennine (26.132°N, 3.633°E)7.
- Fate:
- Ascent Stage: Crashed on August 3, 1971, at 26.36°N, 0.25°E3.
Apollo 16 (LM-11 “Orion”)
- Landing Site: Descartes Highlands (-8.973°N, 15.501°E)7.
- Fate:
- Ascent Stage: Lost control post-docking. Crashed at an unknown location311.
Apollo 17 (LM-12 “Challenger”)
- Landing Site: Taurus-Littrow (20.191°N, 30.772°E)7.
- Fate:
- Ascent Stage: Deliberately crashed on December 15, 1972, at 19.96°N, 30.50°E3.
Why Crash the Ascent Stages?
NASA intentionally crashed most ascent stages to:
- Create Moonquakes: Seismic data helped scientists study the Moon’s interior111.
- Avoid Clutter: Preventing abandoned modules from cluttering lunar orbit.
The Only Survivor: Apollo 10’s “Snoopy”
Snoopy’s ascent stage is unique—it’s the sole LM still floating in space. After its 1969 mission, NASA fired its engine to send it into solar orbit. Calculations suggest it follows a 342-day orbit around the Sun, occasionally passing Earth13. In 2018, astronomers spotted a mysterious object that might be Snoopy, but confirmation awaits its 2028 flyby13.
A Modern-Day Moon Detective: NASA’s LRO
Launched in 2009, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has snapped ultra-high-resolution images of Apollo sites. These photos confirm:
- Descent Stages: Still intact at all six landing sites.
- Footprints & Rover Tracks: Preserved in the Moon’s airless environment514.
The Legacy of the Lunar Modules
| Mission | LM Name | Descent Stage Fate | Ascent Stage Fate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apollo 5 | — | Burned up | Burned up |
| Apollo 9 | Spider | Burned up | Burned up |
| Apollo 10 | Snoopy | Crashed on Moon | In solar orbit |
| Apollo 11 | Eagle | On Moon | Unknown crash site |
| Apollo 12 | Intrepid | On Moon | Crashed (3.94°S, 21.20°W) |
| Apollo 13 | Aquarius | Burned up | Burned up |
| Apollo 14 | Antares | On Moon | Crashed (3.42°S, 19.67°W) |
| Apollo 15 | Falcon | On Moon | Crashed (26.36°N, 0.25°E) |
| Apollo 16 | Orion | On Moon | Lost, crashed (unknown) |
| Apollo 17 | Challenger | On Moon | Crashed (19.96°N, 30.50°E) |
Final Thoughts: Moon Relics and Future Explorers
The Apollo LMs are more than discarded hardware—they’re monuments to human ingenuity. While most ascent stages are dust on the Moon or ashes in Earth’s atmosphere, Snoopy and Eagle’s ascent stage keep their secrets. Future missions might one day recover these artifacts, but for now, they remind us of an era when humanity reached for the stars… and left a few footprints (and crash sites) along the way.
Want to explore more? Check out NASA’s LRO images or dive into the Apollo 13 mission report for deeper insights!
