4 Moon Walkers Still Alive as New Space Race Heats Up

After half a century of silence, the Moon is about to get crowded again. Three nations are racing to land humans on the lunar surface by decade's end, reigniting the wonder that captivated the world in the 1960s and 70s.

Only four of the original 12 Moon walkers remain alive to see this new chapter unfold. At 94, Buzz Aldrin recently married for the fourth time and continues pushing for Mars exploration with the same fire that made him the second human to touch lunar soil in 1969.

Charlie Duke, now 89, walked on the Moon at just 36 years old in 1972. He recently told the BBC he's excited about NASA's Artemis missions targeting the South Pole, though he warns the rough terrain will challenge the new generation of astronauts.

Fred Haise, 91, never got his Moon walk after the famous Apollo 13 explosion forced his crew to abort their mission 200,000 miles from Earth. The world watched nervously as NASA brought them home safely in one of history's greatest rescues.

Harrison Schmitt, the first scientist to visit the Moon as a geologist on Apollo 17, rounds out the surviving quartet. These men represent humanity's first bold leap beyond our planet.

The Ripple Effect

The new space race looks nothing like the old one. China successfully landed a probe on the Moon's far side in 2024 and plans crewed missions by 2030. India harbors similar ambitions after recent successes.

NASA's Artemis program aims for a crewed landing by May 2028 at the earliest. Unlike Apollo's brief visits, these missions plan to establish lasting presence, searching for water ice that could support future lunar bases.

The pioneers who first left footprints in Moon dust decades ago won't be around forever. But they're living long enough to see their wildest dreams become reality again as a new generation prepares to push even further into the cosmos.