A Brief History Of Famous Moon Landings -- And Failures

US Astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin is shown walking near the Lunar Module on July 20, 1969, during the Apollo 11 space mission (Credit: AFP)

A spaceship built by a company in Texas is poised for lunar touchdown on Thursday, returning America to the Moon after more than five decades in what promises to be a historic first for the private sector.

Here's a look back at notable attempts -- both successful and unsuccessful -- at landing on Earth's cosmic companion.