NASA Apollo missions tell the stories of the last Moon men.

The article notes that 24 NASA astronauts flew to the Moon during Apollo and that Jim Lovell's death leaves five surviving astronauts who traveled beyond Earth orbit; it also reports that NASA's Artemis programme aims to return people to the Moon this decade and that Artemis II was delayed into 2026.

NASA's Apollo missions sent 24 astronauts to the Moon in the 1960s and 1970s. The recent death of Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell leaves five astronauts who once traveled beyond Earth orbit. More than 50 years have passed since a human last walked on the Moon, and NASA's Artemis programme aims to return people to the lunar surface this decade. The article profiles the five living Apollo lunar travelers and notes international and commercial efforts to reach the Moon. Key points: - 24 NASA astronauts flew to the Moon in the Apollo era; Jim Lovell's death leaves five who journeyed beyond Earth orbit. - NASA's Artemis programme aims for a human return to the Moon; Artemis II moved from a planned 2025 launch into 2026. - China has a stated goal of landing people on the Moon by 2030 and landed a probe on the Moon's far side in June 2024. - Private companies have attempted lunar missions with more failures than successes, and the article mentions recent issues at Boeing and SpaceX. - The five surviving Apollo lunar travelers named in the article are Buzz Aldrin, Charles "Charlie" Duke, Fred Haise, Harrison Schmitt, and David Scott. Summary: The profiles underline that the cohort of Apollo-era lunar explorers is shrinking while plans to return to the Moon are taking shape. NASA's Artemis II is scheduled for 2026 and China has set a goal around 2030, while private firms continue lunar attempts with mixed results. The timing and outcomes of future crewed lunar work remain tied to how those programmes and missions proceed.