Chang'e 3, Chinese spacecraft, lands on the moon 2013

Chang'e 3, the Chinese lunar explorer, landed on the moon, December 14, 2013. The lander is equipped with a radioisotope heater unit, a telescope to observe galaxies and other celestial bodies, an extreme ultraviolet camera, and soil probe.

Unfortunately, the rover Yutu experienced a "mechanical control abnormality" before it could leave the lander.  Although it could transmit data, it ceased to transmit in March 2015.

China's Chang'e 4 probe lands on the dark side of the moon!

Early this morning, China's Chang'e 4 landed on the far side of the moon, becoming the first spacecraft to touch down on the 'dark side'.  The lander and rover were launched last month, a follow-up to Chang'e 3, China's very first lunar lander in 2013.

Chang'e 4 landed in the Aitken Basin, created by an ancient collision.  The rover will measure the lunar surface temperature, measure chemical compositions of rocks and soils and study cosmic rays.

Luna 24, last return mission from the moon, launched 1976

Luna 24, launched August 9, 1976, is the last lunar mission that returned to Earth.  It was the last lunar launch of the Soviet Lunar program.  After take-off, Luna 24 reached the moon 3 days later, and after changes to its orbit, it touched down August 18.  It took a sample of the lunar soil and took off from the moon August 19.

Luna 24 entered Earth's atmosphere and landed August 22.  It was the last soft-landing on the moon for 37 years until the Chinese probe Chang'e 3 in December 2013.

China's Chang'e-3 Lunar Probe launched 2013

China launched their lunar lander/rover Chang'e 3, December 2 (local time), 2013 and it became the first soft landing on the moon since the Soviet Union's Lunar 24 in 1976.  Chang'e is the Chinese goddess of the moon and the rover is named Yutu, which is Chang'e's pet rabbit.

Yutu stopped sending signals in March 2015, but as of that time, the Chinese stated that the lander still had working instruments.