The APOLLO program was a human spaceflight project conducted by the United States from 1961 to 1972. It was the third human spaceflight program to be carried out by the United States, following the Mercury and Gemini programs. The APOLLO program was the first to land humans on the Moon and return them safely to Earth. The APOLLO program achieved its goal of landing the first humans on the Moon in 1969, and six successful Moon landings were made between 1969 and 1972.