Explore the past and future of lunar and Mars exploration in this 55-minute plenary talk from the AGU Fall Meeting 2019. Review the groundbreaking results of the Apollo program and discover why NASA is planning to return to the Moon with the Artemis program. Delve into fascinating topics such as lunar sample analysis, solar system formation theories, and the bombardment history of the Moon. Learn about the Artemis Phase 1 mission, aiming to land humans on the lunar surface by 2024, and get insights into future Moon exploration plans. The talk also covers the Mars 2020 Rover mission and its quest to seek signs of life on the Red Planet, as well as potential exploration zones for future missions.