GCAT: General Catalog of Artificial Space Objects

GCAT Release 1.7.1 (2025 Mar 30) | Data Update 2025 Apr 2

Lander Catalog Column Descriptions

The Lander Catalog gives a chronological list of landings, impacts and atmospheric entries on the Moon and planets.

At the end of the list I tabulate missions that failed to reach their targets.

• JCAT - General Catalog identifier, see object catalog description.
• Piece - Piece identifier, e.g. COSPAR designation. See object catalog descriptio
• Name - Spacecraft or object name.
• Owner - Org code for object owner/operator. See object catalog desciption and Or
• State - Org code for country associated with owner.
• World - Target body for lander.
• Lon - Location where object landed or crashed, east longitude on target body i
• Lat - Location where object landed or crashed, north latitude on target body i
• LType - Type of lander.

  Lander type code	Description
  AC	Atmospheric craft, with multiple takeoffs and landings
  AV	Ascent vehicle, delivered to surface aboard lander
  AX	Atmospheric craft, not designed for landing
  C	Secondary component of mission
  H	Spacesuit containing human
  I	Impactor, intentionally destroyed
  L	Lander with thruster controlled landing
  LA	Lander, airbag impact landing
  LI	Lander, designed to survive low velocity impact
  LO	Orbiter, landing attempted although not designed to do so
  LP	Lander, parachute assisted landing
  LR	Rover landed independently, impact landing
  O	Orbiter, not designed for landing
  P	Entry probe, not designed to survive to surface (if any)
  R	Launch vehicle rocket stage
  RO	Rover, delivered to surface aboard lander

• Status - code describing type of landing or impact achieved. The first letter describes the type of landing. If present, 'C' as the second letter indicates the object is cargo, attached to the main lander or other parent object. (e.g. IC implies cargo attached to an impacting object). For example, the Apollo LM descent stage is considered a lander, and the LM ascent stage is considered attached cargo (at the time of landing).

  Landing type code	Description of byte 1:
  F	Failed to reach vicinity of target body
  I	Targeted impact, object destroyed
  L	Landing, continued to operate after touchdown
  O	Flew past target body but failed to impact or land
  R	Impact or atmospheric entry following orbital decay
  *	Still en route

• LaunchDate - launch date, from object and launch catalogs
• LandDate - UTC date the object contacted the target body's surface
• OffDate - UTC date the object stopped transmitting from the target body's surface, either because it stopped working or because it was launched back into space.
• Dur (days) - time operating on surface. Difference between OffDate and LandDate, sometimes rounded to accuracy of OffDate.
• LSite - name of landing site, if any.
• Comment - description of object and mission.