The Last Moon Men: Stories of NASA's Surviving Apollo Astronauts
Of the 24 astronauts who journeyed to the Moon during NASA's Apollo program, only five remain. Here are their extraordinary stories.
The Final Survivors of History's Greatest Space Adventure
Twenty-four human beings have traveled to the Moon. Of that remarkable group of pioneers — the men who rode rockets beyond Earth's orbit during NASA's Apollo missions of the 1960s and 1970s — only five are still alive today.
The recent passing of Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell, the man who famously guided a critically damaged spacecraft safely back to Earth in 1970, has further reduced this already small circle of living legends. His death serves as a poignant reminder that time is running out to hear these stories firsthand.
A New Space Race Reignites Old Ambitions
More than half a century has passed since a human being last left footprints on the lunar surface, yet the ambition to return has never been stronger. NASA's Artemis program is actively working toward establishing a sustained human presence on the Moon within this decade.
Originally, the Artemis II mission — which would represent the first crewed lunar expedition since Apollo 17 in 1972 — was scheduled for launch in 2025. That timeline has since shifted to 2026. Meanwhile, China has set its sights on landing astronauts on the Moon by 2030, building on the success of its probe landing on the far side of the lunar surface in June 2024.
Private space companies are also entering the arena, though progress has been uneven. Boeing's Starliner spacecraft made international headlines when two astronauts were left stranded aboard the International Space Station due to technical failures. SpaceX's Starship rocket, meanwhile, has become notorious for its dramatic — and expensive — mid-flight explosions, events that the space community has wryly dubbed "rapid unscheduled disassemblies."
These ongoing challenges make the dwindling number of living Apollo veterans feel all the more significant.
Jim Lovell: The Commander Who Never Walked on the Moon
Alongside Frank Borman and Bill Anders, Jim Lovell helped make history as part of the Apollo 8 crew — the first human mission to orbit the Moon. The spacecraft completed ten lunar orbits, testing the Command and Service Module and its life-support systems ahead of the eventual Apollo 11 landing.
Lovell was later assigned to command Apollo 13, a mission that would have made him the fifth person to walk on the Moon. Instead, a catastrophic onboard explosion turned the mission into a life-or-death survival story that captivated the world. His calm leadership under pressure brought the crew home safely and became the subject of the acclaimed 1995 film Apollo 13, in which actor Tom Hanks portrayed him.
After retiring from NASA in 1973, Lovell transitioned into the telecommunications industry. His wife Marilyn, who became a central figure in media coverage during the Apollo 13 crisis, passed away in August 2023.
The Five Remaining Apollo Astronauts
Buzz Aldrin: The Second Man on the Moon
On July 21, 1969, former fighter pilot Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin descended from the lunar lander and became the second human being to stand on the Moon's surface — just twenty minutes after his commander, Neil Armstrong, had claimed the historic first step.
His immediate reaction upon looking out at the alien landscape was simple but profound: "Beautiful view."
"Isn't that something?" Armstrong responded.
"Magnificent desolation," Aldrin replied.
By his crewmate Michael Collins' account, Aldrin quietly struggled with being second rather than first — a distinction that reportedly never fully sat well with him. Yet his pride in the achievement was undeniable. When confronted at the age of 72 by a conspiracy theorist insisting the Moon landing was staged, Aldrin responded decisively — with a punch to the jaw.
Following Neil Armstrong's death in 2012, Aldrin offered a heartfelt tribute: "I know I am joined by millions around the world in mourning the passing of a true American hero and the best pilot I ever knew."
In his later years, Aldrin's appetite for exploration never faded. He joined expeditions to both the North and South Poles, visiting Antarctica at the remarkable age of 86. He has remained a passionate advocate for space exploration, particularly championing a crewed mission to Mars.
"I don't think we should just go there and come back — we did that with Apollo," he has said.
Aldrin's cultural legacy has also taken on new dimensions. His name served as the inspiration for the beloved animated character Buzz Lightyear from the Toy Story film franchise, introducing him to entirely new generations. In January 2023, at the age of 93, he married for the fourth time.
Charlie Duke: The Youngest Person to Walk on the Moon
Among the four people still alive today who have set foot on the Moon, Charlie Duke holds a unique distinction — he was only 36 years old when he walked on the lunar surface during the Apollo 16 mission, making him the youngest person ever to do so.
In a later interview, Duke recalled the overwhelming beauty of the experience:
"The sharp contrast between the blackness of space and the horizon of the Moon... I'll never forget it. It was so dramatic."
But Duke's connection to the Moon program runs even deeper than his own moonwalk. During the Apollo 11 mission in 1969, he was stationed in mission control as the Capsule Communicator — known as Capcom — the single voice linking Earth to the astronauts on the spacecraft.
It was Duke who was on the radio when Neil Armstrong delivered one of the most iconic messages in human history: "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed."
With his unmistakable Southern accent, Duke replied: "Roger, Tranquility. We copy you on the ground — you've got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We're breathing again."
It was the sound of collective human relief, broadcast across the world.
A Legacy Written in Lunar Dust
As the Apollo generation ages, each passing year brings a sharper awareness of just how extraordinary their achievements were — and how few remain to tell those stories personally. With new lunar missions on the horizon and a fresh generation of astronauts preparing to follow in their footsteps, the legacy of those original Moon men has never felt more relevant.
