Why We Stopped Walking on the Moon: A Story of Politics, Money, and Risk

Between 1969 and 1972, 12 humans walked on the Moon. Then, abruptly, the missions stopped. For more than half a century, no astronaut has returned to the lunar surface—a gap that has fueled skepticism, conspiracy theories, and a persistent question:If we did it once, why didn’t we do it again? The short answer is not mystery or deception, but politics, money, priorities, and risk. The long answer explains not only why the Apollo era ended, but also why NASA’s Artemis program is now trying to restart lunar exploration, very differently this time. Between Apollo 11 and Apollo 17, NASA landed six missions on the lunar surface. Each carried two astronauts who walked on the Moon, conducted experiments, and collected samples. In total: No human has left low-Earth orbit since. The Apollo program was never just about exploration. It was a Cold War strategy.