AS16-118-18964 (16-27 April 1972) --- This lunar farside oblique view from the Apollo 16 spacecraft in lunar orbit shows the Leonov Crater, just to the left and above the principal point of the photograph. Just beyond the horizon lies the Moscow Sea.

S71-56246 (November 1971) --- The Apollo 16 crew patch is dominated by an eagle perched atop a red, white and blue shield a superimposed on a lunar scene, surrounded by a blue circle of 16 stars with the crew's surnames completing the bottom are of the circle. Across the face of the shield is a gold symbol of flight outlined in blue, similar to that on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) agency seal and insignia. The design was created by a NASA artist from ideas submitted by the three crew men: astronauts John W. Young, commander; Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot; and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot. This is the official Apollo 16 emblem, a property of the government of the United States. It has been authorized only for use by the astronauts. Its reproduction in any form other than in news, information and education media is not authorized without approval. Unauthorized use is subject to the provisions of Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 701.

AS16-120-19273 (April 1972) --- King Crater as photographed from the Apollo 16 spacecraft in lunar orbit.

AS16-114-18421 (16-27 April 1972) --- This picture of the lunar surface was photographed by astronaut John W. Young during Apollo 16's first extravehicular activity (EVA) at EVA Station No 1. The instrument near the small crater's edge (foreground) is a gnomon. While astronauts Young, commander; and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot; descended in the Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

AS16-113-18289 (16-27 April 1972) --- Earth rises over the lunar horizon, with the Apollo 16 Command and Services Modules (CSM) to the left of Earth. This photograph was taken from the Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" before the two Apollo 16 spacecraft re-joined following the CSM's failure to make the circularization burn on April 20, 1972. Astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, was inside the CSM "Casper", while astronauts John W. Young, commander, and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot, were manning the LM. While astronauts Young and Duke descended in the LM to explore the Descartes region of the moon, astronaut Mattingly remained with the CSM in lunar orbit. Photo credit: NASA

AS16-118-18947 (16-27 April 1972) --- A 250mm view looking north by westward across lunar farside highland terrain, as photographed from the Apollo 16 spacecraft in lunar orbit. The frame is centered at approximately 158 degrees east longitude and 17 degrees north latitude. Van Gent Crater is the lower of two large craters at extreme lower right corner. The top of the two craters is unnamed. The west part of Konstantinov Crater is at extreme right center. Nagaoka Crater is just below the horizon at upper left.

AS16-120-19242 (16-27 April 1972) --- This 70mm handheld camera's view of the moon, photographed during the Apollo 16 mission's lunar orbit, features Crater Bullialdus, located at approximately 20 degrees south latitude and 20.8 west longitude.

AS16-120-19228 (16-27 April 1972) --- Strongly textured terrain north of the lunar farside King Crater which is centered near 120.5 degrees east longitude and 5.5 degrees north latitude. This near vertical oblique view eastward was photographed from the Apollo 16 spacecraft in lunar orbit with a Hasselblad camera equipped with a 250mm telephoto lens. Several irregular areas characterized by conspicuously smooth surfaces interrupt the rough texture in this view of the eastern quarter of the large, unnamed crater between King and Guyot. Similar "ponds" occur at varied levels in the rim deposits of the nearside craters Copernicus and Tycho. Hold picture with the smooth area at the top.

AS16-121-19438 (April 1972) --- An oblique view of a portion of the lunar nearside as photographed from the Apollo 16 spacecraft in lunar orbit, looking across the Sea of Crises southwesterly into the Sea of Tranquility. The conspicuous, bright-rayed crater is Proclus. The crater Taruntius in the northeasterly portion of the Sea of Fertility is near the left center edge. A portion of the Sea of Serenity is visible on the horizon at upper right.

AS16-122-19580 (16-27 April 1972) --- This vertical view shows the King Crater on the lunar surface. It was exposed with color positive film in a hand-held 70mm camera onboard the Command and Service Modules during the Apollo 16 mission's 98th orbit of the moon. Center point coordinates are located at 5.4 degrees north latitude and 120.8 degrees east longitude.

Apollo 16, Footsteps Under High Sun

AS16-122-19527 (23 April 1972) --- The Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) ascent stage, with astronauts John W. Young and Charles M. Duke Jr. aboard, returns from the lunar surface to rejoin the Command and Service Modules (CSM) in lunar orbit. Astronaut Thomas K. (Ken) Mattingly II took this photograph from the Command Module (CM). The LM is above the Crater Schubert B. The lunar surface area visible in this picture is located at the western edge of Smyth's Sea.

After decades of uncertainty, the Apollo 16 S-IVB impact site on the lunar surface has been identified. S-IVBs were portions of the Saturn V rockets that brought astronauts to the moon. The site was identified in imagery from the high-resolution LROC Narrow Angle Camera aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Beginning with Apollo 13, the S-IVB rocket stages were deliberately impacted on the lunar surface after they were used. Seismometers placed on the moon by earlier Apollo astronauts measured the energy of these impacts to shed light on the internal lunar structure. Locations of the craters that the boosters left behind were estimated from tracking data collected just prior to the impacts. Earlier in the LRO mission, the Apollo 13, 14, 15 and 17 impact sites were successfully identified, but Apollo 16's remained elusive. In the case of Apollo 16, radio contact with the booster was lost before the impact, so the location was only poorly known. Positive identification of the Apollo 16 S-IVB site took more time than the other four impact craters because the location ended up differing by about 30 km (about 19 miles) from the Apollo-era tracking estimate. (For comparison, the other four S-IVB craters were all within 7 km -- about four miles -- of their estimated locations.) Apollo 16's S-IVB stage is on Mare Insularum, about 160 miles southwest of Copernicus Crater (more precisely: 1.921 degrees north, 335.377 degrees east, minus 1,104 meters elevation). Credit: NASA/Goddard/Arizona State University <b><a href="http://www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelines.html" rel="nofollow">NASA image use policy.</a></b> <b><a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/home/index.html" rel="nofollow">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a></b> enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. <b>Follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/NASAGoddardPix" rel="nofollow">Twitter</a></b> <b>Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greenbelt-MD/NASA-Goddard/395013845897?ref=tsd" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a></b> <b>Find us on <a href="http://instagrid.me/nasagoddard/?vm=grid" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a></b>

AS16-121-19449 (16-27 April 1972) --- This 70mm handheld camera's view of the moon, photographed during the Apollo 16 mission's trans-Earth coast, features Mare Fecunditatis (Sea of Fertility) in the foreground with the twin craters Messier at the lower right. Nearer the horizon is Mare Nectaris (Sea of Nectar) with craters Goclenius and Gutenberg in between. Goclenius is located at approximately 10 degrees south latitude and 45 degrees east longitude.

AS16-116-18599 (21 April 1972) --- A close-up view of Buster Crater, which was visited by the two moon-exploring crew men of the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission, during the first extravehicular activity (EVA), April 21, 1972. Astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr. said the crater appeared to be larger than 50 meters, and he called it a very spectacular crater. This was the second stop for astronauts John W. Young and Duke on the mission's first EVA. Young exposed this view with his 70mm Hasselblad camera. While astronauts Young, commander; and Duke, lunar module pilot; descended in the Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

AS16-107-17573 (22 April 1972) --- A close-up view of a block (about 1/2 meter long) found by the two moon-exploring crewmembers of the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission. The block had been rolled over only moments earlier during this Apollo 16 second extravehicular activity (EVA) near South Ray Crater. Astronaut John W. Young, commander, said at the post-mission press conference, "The block has been sitting there evidently since South Ray Crater was formed." While astronauts Young and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot; descended in the Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

AS16-121-19407 (April 1972) --- An oblique view of a rim of Guyot Crater on the lunar farside, as photographed from the Apollo 16 spacecraft in lunar orbit. The coordinates of the center of Guyot Crater are 116.5 degrees east longitude and 10.5 degrees north latitude. Note the black coloration which appears to be lava flow down the side of the crater rim. While astronauts John W. Young, commander; and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot; descended in the Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

S71-44150 (February 1971) --- A vertical view of the Apollo 16 landing site located in the Descartes area on the lunar nearside. The overlay indicates the location of the proposed touchdown point for the Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM). Descartes is located west of the Sea of Nectar and southwest of the Sea of Tranquility. This photograph was taken with a 500mm lens camera from lunar orbit by the Apollo 16 crew. Astronauts John W. Young, commander; and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot; descended in the Apollo 16 LM "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon. Astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

A closeup view or "mug shot" of Apollo 16 lunar sample no. 68815, a dislodged fragment from a parent boulder roughly four feet high and five feet long encountered at Station 8. The crew tried in vain to overturn the parent boulder. A fillet-soil sample was taken close to the boulder, allowing for study of the type and rate of erosion acting on lunar rocks. The fragment itself is very hard, has many veticles and a variety of inclusions. In addition, numerous metallic particles were observed in the black matrix.

AS16-120-19187 (19 April 1972) --- Apollo 16 astronauts captured this Earth rise scene with a handheld Hasselblad camera during the second revolution of the moon. Identifiable craters seen on the moon include Saha, Wyld, and Saenger. Much of the terrain seen here is never visible from Earth, as the Command Module (CM) was just passing onto what is known as the dark side or far side of the moon. Crewmen aboard the CM at the time the photo was made were astronauts John W. Young, Thomas K. Mattingly II and Charles M. Duke Jr. Mattingly remained later with the CM in lunar orbit while Young and Duke descended in the lunar module (LM) to explore the surface of the moon.

AS16-107-17561 (16-27 April 1972) --- One of the Apollo 16 astronauts scoops up lunar soil at the base of a small boulder at Station No. 9 during the second Apollo 16 extravehicular activity (EVA) at the Descartes landing site. Depressions to the right of the scoop were made when a surface sample was taken. This photograph was taken just before the boulder was rolled over. While astronauts John W. Young, commander; and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot; descended in the Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

THE APOLLO 16 CAPSULE SITS ON DISPLAY IN THE FOREGROUND OF AN EVENT AT THE DAVIDSON CENTER.

AS16-113-18334 (21 April 1972) --- View of the Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" parked on the lunar surface. During their post mission press conference, the Apollo 16 crewmembers called attention to the steerable S-band antenna, which was "frozen" in a yaw axis during much of the flight. This view of the LM was photographed by astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., the lunar module pilot, during the mission's first extravehicular activity (EVA). Astronauts John W. Young, commander, and Duke had earlier descended in the LM to explore the Descartes region of the moon, while astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

This is the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission crew portrait. Pictured from left to right are: Thomas K. Mattingly II, Command Module pilot; John W. Young, Mission Commander; and Charles M. Duke Jr., Lunar Module pilot. Launched from the Kennedy Space Center on April 16, 1972, Apollo 16 spent three days on Earth's Moon. The first study of the highlands area, the landing site for Apollo 16 was the Descartes Highlands. The fifth lunar landing mission out of six, Apollo 16 was famous for deploying and using an ultraviolet telescope as the first lunar observatory. The telescope photographed ultraviolet light emitted by Earth and other celestial objects. The Lunar Roving Vehicle, developed by the Marshall Space Flight Center, was also used for collecting rocks and data on the mysterious lunar highlands. In this photo, astronaut John W. Young photographs Charles M. Duke, Jr. collecting rock samples at the Descartes landing site. Duke stands by Plum Crater while the Lunar Roving Vehicle waits parked in the background. High above, Thomas K. Mattingly orbits in the Command Module. The mission ended April 27, 1972 as the crew splashed down into the Pacific Ocean.

A line drawing illustrating the layout of the Scietific Instrument Module (SIM) of the Apollo 16 Service Module. Shown here is the location in the SIM bay of the equipment for each orbital experiment. Arrows point to various components of the SIM bay. The sensors for the gamma ray spectrometer and the mas spectrometer both extend outward on a boom about 25 feet when the instruments are in use. The subsatellite is launched while the Service Module is in orbit around the moon. The film cassettes must be retrieved prior to Command Module/Service Module separation.

AS16-120-19237 (April 1972) --- An oblique view of a portion of the lunar nearside as photographed from the Apollo 16 spacecraft in lunar orbit. The small, bright crater is Lassell D at the northeastern edge of Mare Nubium (Sea of Clouds). The area seen in this picture is immediately west of Lassell C Crater, southwest of Guoricke Crater, and southwest of Davy Crater.

The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) was designed to transport astronauts and materials on the Moon. An LRV was used on each of the last three Apollo missions; Apollo 15, Apollo 16, and Apollo 17, in 1971 and 1972, to permit the crew to travel several miles from the lunar landing site. This photograph was taken during the Apollo 16 mission.

This view of the back side of the Moon was captured by the Apollo 16 mission crew. The sixth manned lunar landing mission, the Apollo 16 (SA-511), carrying three astronauts: Mission Commander John W. Young, Command Module pilot Thomas K. Mattingly II, and Lunar Module pilot Charles M. Duke, lifted off on April 16, 1972. The Apollo 16 continued the broad-scale geological, geochemical, and geophysical mapping of the Moon’s crust, begun by the Apollo 15, from lunar orbit. This mission marked the first use of the Moon as an astronomical observatory by using the ultraviolet camera/spectrograph which photographed ultraviolet light emitted by Earth and other celestial objects. The Lunar Roving Vehicle, developed by the Marshall Space Flight Center, was also used. The mission ended on April 27, 1972.

AS16-115-18549 (22 April 1972) --- The Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" is photographed from a distance by astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot, aboard the moving Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV). Astronauts Duke and John W. Young, commander, were returning from their excursion to Stone Mountain during the second Apollo 16 extravehicular activity (EVA). The RCA color television camera mounted on the LRV is in the foreground. A portion of the LRV's high-gain antenna is at top left. Smoky Mountain rises behind the LM in this north-looking view at the Descartes landing site. While astronauts Young and Duke descended in the "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

AS16-116-18678 (23 April 1972) --- A view from the moving Apollo 16 Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) as the crew men headed "home" at the end of the mission's third and final extravehicular activity (EVA). Astronaut John W. Young called attention to the series of block fields between the Lunar Module (LM) and LRV. Young also noted that, "The LM was obviously sitting in the only flat place around." Stone Mountain stretches about half way across the background. The high gain antenna and the RCA television camera on the LRV are in the foreground. While astronauts Young, commander; and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot; descended in the Apollo 16 LM "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

AS16-114-18422 (21 April 1972) --- A view of Plum Crater, which was visited by the two moon-exploring crewmen of the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission, on their first extravehicular activity (EVA) traverse, April 21, 1972. The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) is parked on the far side of the crater, which measures approximately 40 meters in diameter. While astronauts John W. Young, commander; and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot; descended in the Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

Huntsville’s Jack Giles, Alabama State Senator (left), and Dr. Rocco Petrone, Marshall Space Flight Center Director (Middle), speak with Astronaut Owen Garriott who is inside the Apollo 16 Command Module on display at the Alabama Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The successful Apollo 16 manned lunar landing mission took place April 16, 1972 through April 27, 1972. (Photograph courtesy of Huntsville/Madison County Public Library)

MSFC DIRECTOR ROBERT LIGHTFOOT SPEAKS WITH THE APOLLO 16 CAPSULE AS A BACKDROP AT THE U.S. SPACE AND ROCKET CENTER.

MSFC DIRECTOR ROBERT LIGHTFOOT SPEAKS AFTER THE DEDICATION OF THE APOLLO 16 CAPSULE ON DISPLAY AT THE U.S. SPACE AND ROCKET CENTER.

AS16-119-19161 (16-27 April 1972) --- The prominent rille feature running through the area is Herigonius I. The coordinates for the center of the area pictured are 14.7 degrees south latitude and 36.4 degrees west longitude. The photo was taken by the Apollo 16 astronauts from the Command and Service Modules (CSM) in lunar orbit. While astronauts John W. Young and Charles M. Duke Jr. descended in the Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands region of the moon, astronaut Thomas K. (Ken) Mattingly II, remained with the CSM "Casper" in lunar orbit.

S71-58148 (1 Dec. 1971) --- Astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot of the planned Apollo 16 lunar landing mission, participates in extravehicular activity (EVA) simulations in the water facility tank in Building 5 at the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC), Houston, Texas, during training preparations for the forthcoming mission. Mattingly is scheduled to perform EVA during the trans-Earth journey of the Apollo 16 mission.

The Apollo 16 crew patch is dominated by an eagle perched atop a red, white, and blue shield superimposed on a lunar surface scene. Similar to that on the NASA agency shield and insignia, there is a gold symbol of flight outlined in blue across the face of the shield. The border surrounding the shield is a circle of 16 stars completed by the the crew’s surnames at the bottom. The patch was designed from ideas submitted by the Apollo 16 3-man crew: John W. Young, Mission Commander: Thomas K. Mattingly, Command Module pilot; and Charles M. Duke, Lunar Module pilot. (Note: This is the official Apollo 16 emblem, a property of the United States government. Its reproduction in any form other than in news, information, and education media is not authorized without approval. Unauthorized use is subject to the provisions of Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 701.)

The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) was designed by Marshall Space Flight Center to transport astronauts and materials on the Moon. An LRV was used on each of the last three Apollo missions; Apollo 15, Apollo 16, and Apollo 17, in 1971 and 1972, to permit the crew to travel several miles from the lunar landing site. This photograph was taken during the Apollo 16 mission in 1972.

Dr. Lee Silver (pointing foregroung), California Institute of Technology, calls a geological feature near Taos, New Mexico, to the attention of Apollo 16 prime and backup crewmen during a geological field trip. The crewmen, from left to right, are Astronauts Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot; Fred W. Haise Jr., backup commander; Edgar D. Mitchell, backup Lunar Module pilot; and John W. Young, commander.

S72-35970 (21 April 1972) --- A 360-degree field of view of the Apollo 16 Descartes landing site area composed of individual scenes taken from color transmission made by the color RCA TV camera mounted on the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV). This panorama was made while the LRV was parked at the rim of Flag Crater (Station 1) during the first Apollo 16 lunar surface extravehicular activity (EVA) by astronauts John W. Young and Charles M. Duke Jr. The overlay identifies the directions and the key lunar terrain features. The camera panned across the rear portion of the LRV in its 360-degree sweep. Astronauts Young, commander; and Duke, lunar module pilot; descended in the Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon. Astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

S72-35347 (16 April 1972) --- The huge, 363-feet tall Apollo 16 (Spacecraft 113/Lunar Module 11/ Saturn 511) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida, at 12:54:00.569 p.m. (EST), April 16, 1972, on a lunar landing mission. Aboard the Apollo 16 spacecraft were astronauts John W. Young, commander; Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot; and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot. While astronauts Young and Duke descended in the Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands region of the moon, astronaut Mattingly remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

The Apollo 16 Command Module splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on April 27, 1972 after an 11-day moon exploration mission. The sixth manned lunar landing mission, the Apollo 16 (SA-511), carrying three astronauts: Mission Commander John W. Young, Command Module pilot Thomas K. Mattingly II, and Lunar Module pilot Charles M. Duke, lifted off on April 16, 1972. The Apollo 16 continued the broad-scale geological, geochemical, and geophysical mapping of the Moon’s crust, begun by the Apollo 15, from lunar orbit. This mission marked the first use of the Moon as an astronomical observatory by using the ultraviolet camera/spectrograph which photographed ultraviolet light emitted by Earth and other celestial objects. The Lunar Roving Vehicle, developed by the Marshall Space Flight Center, was also used.

The Apollo 16 Command Module splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on April 27, 1972 after an 11-day moon exploration mission. The 3-man crew is shown here aboard the rescue ship, USS Horton. From left to right are: Mission Commander John W. Young, Lunar Module pilot Charles M. Duke, and Command Module pilot Thomas K. Mattingly II. The sixth manned lunar landing mission, the Apollo 16 (SA-511) lifted off on April 16, 1972. The Apollo 16 mission continued the broad-scale geological, geochemical, and geophysical mapping of the Moon’s crust, begun by the Apollo 15, from lunar orbit. This mission marked the first use of the Moon as an astronomical observatory by using the ultraviolet camera/spectrograph which photographed ultraviolet light emitted by Earth and other celestial objects. The Lunar Roving Vehicle, developed by the Marshall Space Flight Center, was also used.

The sixth marned lunar landing mission, the Apollo 16 (SA-511), carrying three astronauts: Mission commander John W. Young, Command Module pilot Thomas K. Mattingly II, and Lunar Module pilot Charles M. Duke, lifted off on April 16, 1972. The Apollo 16 continued the broad-scale geological, geochemical, and geophysical mapping of the Moon's crust, begun by the Apollo 15, from lunar orbit. This mission marked the first use of the Moon as an astronomical observatory by using the ultraviolet camera/spectrograph. It photographed ultraviolet light emitted by Earth and other celestial objects. The Lunar Roving Vehicle was also used. The mission ended on April 27, 1972.

S71-36874 (10 June 1971) --- University of Texas geologist/professor William R. Muelhberger (left) talks with astronaut John W. Young, Apollo 16 commander, during an Apollo 16 geology field trip to Mono Crater, Calif. Astronaut Charles Duke, lunar module pilot, is seen at frame center, talking to geologist David Wones (second left). Astronaut Anthony England, Apollo 16 spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM), is at right. Photo credit: NASA

AS16-116-18649 (23 April 1972) --- Astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot of the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission, examines closely the surface of a large boulder at North Ray Crater during the third Apollo 16 extravehicular activity (EVA) at the Descartes landing site. This picture was taken by astronaut John W. Young, commander. Note the chest-mounted 70mm Hasselblad camera. While astronauts Young and Duke descended in the Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

S72-35188 (16 April 1972) --- Flight director Eugene F. Kranz is seated at his console in the mission operations control room in the Manned Spacecraft Center's Mission Control Center on the morning of the launch of the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission. Partially visible in the background is flight director Gerald D. Griffin. Photo credit: NASA

Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the Moon, seated left, responds to a question during a live television interview on Monday, July 20, 2009, at NASA Headquarters in Washington as Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean and Apollo 16 astronaut Charles Duke, right look on. The three sat in for interviews with morning talks shows covering the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing on the Moon. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

The sixth manned lunar landing mission, the Apollo 16 (SA-511), carrying three astronauts: Mission Commander John W. Young, Command Module pilot Thomas K. Mattingly II, and Lunar Module pilot Charles M. Duke, lifted off on April 16, 1972. The Apollo 16 mission continued the broad-scale geological, geochemical, and geophysical mapping of the Moon’s crust, begun by the Apollo 15, from lunar orbit. This mission marked the first use of the Moon as an astronomical observatory by using the ultraviolet camera/spectrograph which photographed ultraviolet light emitted by Earth and other celestial objects. The Lunar Roving Vehicle, developed by the Marshall Space Flight Center, was also used. The mission ended on April 27, 1972.

S72-35613 (22 April 1972) --- The Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" in early lunar liftoff phase is featured in this lunar scene at the Descartes landing site. The still picture is a reproduction taken from a color television transmission made by a TV camera mounted on the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV). While astronauts John W. Young, commander; and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot; descended in the Apollo 16 LM to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

Veteran journalist Nick Clooney, seated left back to camera, moderated a panel discussion with Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, far right, Charlie Duke of Apollo 16, John Grunsfeld, of the recent Hubble mission, not seen, and Goddard Space Flight Center deputy director Laurie Leshin, second from left, Monday, July 20, 2009, at the Newseum in Washington as part of the commemoration of the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Veteran journalist Nick Clooney, seated left back to camera, moderated a panel discussion with Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, far right, Charlie Duke of Apollo 16, John Grunsfeld, of the recent Hubble mission, not seen and Goddard Space Flight Center deputy director Laurie Leshin, second from left, Monday, July 20, 2009, at the Newseum in Washington as part of the commemoration of the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

S72-31047 (March 1972) --- Astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II (right foreground), command module pilot of the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission, participates in extravehicular activity (EVA) training in Building 5 at the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC). Mattingly is scheduled to perform EVA during the Apollo 16 journey home from the moon. Astronaut John W. Young, commander, can be seen in the left background. In the right background is astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot. They are inside the Apollo Command Module Mission Simulator. While Mattingly remains with the Apollo 16 Command and Service Modules (CSM) in lunar orbit, Young and Duke will descend in the Lunar Module (LM) to the moon's Descartes landing site.

Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke, the 10th person to walk on the moon who spent 71 hours on the lunar surface, talks during a panel discussion, Monday, July 20, 2009, hosted by Nick Clooney at the Newseum in Washington as part of the commemoration of the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke, the 10th person to walk on the moon who spent 71 hours on the lunar surface, talks during a panel discussion, Monday, July 20, 2009, hosted by Nick Clooney at the Newseum in Washington as part of the commemoration of the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

AS16-115-18559 (23 April 1972) --- Astronaut John W. Young, commander of the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission, drives the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) to its final parking place near the end of the third Apollo 16 extravehicular activity (EVA) at the Descartes landing site. Astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot, took this photograph looking southward. The flank of Stone Mountain can be seen on the horizon at left. The shadow of the Lunar Module (LM) occupies much of the picture. While astronauts Young and Duke descended in the Apollo 16 LM "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

Apollo 16 astronaut Charles Duke responds to a question during a live television interview on Monday, July 20, 2009, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

AS16-118-18873 (16 April 1972) --- A good view of Earth photographed shortly after trans-lunar injection of April 16, 1972. Although there is much cloud cover (over Canada and the oceans), the United States in large part, most of Mexico and some parts of Central America are clearly visible. Note Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, also note the Bahama Banks at upper right part of the sphere. A large part of the Rocky Mountain Range is also visible. Just beginning man's fifth lunar landing mission were astronauts John W. Young, commander; Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot; and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot. While astronauts Young and Duke descended in the Lunar Module (LM) to explore the moon, astronaut Mattingly remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) in lunar orbit.

AS16-118-18885 (16 April 1972) --- A good view of Earth photographed about one and one-half hours after trans-lunar injection on April 16, 1972. Although there is much cloud cover, the United States in large part, most of Mexico and some parts of Central America are clearly visible. Note Lake Michigan and Lake Superior and the Bahama Banks (see different shade of blue below Florida). Just beginning man's fifth lunar landing mission were astronauts John W. Young, commander; Thomas K. Mattingly, II, command module pilot and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot. While astronauts Young and Duke descended in the Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands region of the moon, astronaut Mattingly remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

AS16-118-18880 (16 April 1972) --- A good view of Earth photographed about one hour after trans-lunar injection on April 16, 1972. Although there is much cloud cover, the United States in large part, most of Mexico and some of Central America are clearly visible. Note the Great Lakes (Michigan and Superior) and the Bahama Banks (note different shade of blue below Florida). While astronauts John W. Young, commander, and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot, descended in the Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands region of the moon, astronaut Thomas K. (Ken) Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

AS16-106-17413 (23 April 1972) --- Astronaut John W. Young, commander of the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission, looks over a large boulder at Station No.13 during the third Apollo 16 extravehicular activity (EVA) at the Descartes landing site. This was the site of the permanently shadowed soil sample which was taken from a hole extending under overhanging rock. Astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot, took this photograph. Concerning Young's reaching under the big rock, Duke remarked: "You do that in west Texas and you get a rattlesnake!"

AS16-117-18826 (23 April 1972) --- Astronaut John W. Young collects samples at the North Ray Crater geological site during the mission's third and final Apollo 16 extravehicular activity (EVA). He has a rake in his hand, and the gnomon is near his foot. Note how soiled Young's Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) is. While astronauts Young, commander; and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot; descended in the Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

Apollo astronauts from left, Walt Cunningham (Apollo 17), James Lovell (Apollo 8 Apollo 13), David Scott (Apollo 9 Apollo 15), Buzz Aldrin (Apollo 11), Charles Duke (Apollo 16), Thomas Stafford (Apollo 10) and Eugene Cernan (Apollo 17) are seen during the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission and the walk on the moon press conference, Monday, July 20, 2009, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

Apollo astronauts from left, Walt Cunningham (Apollo 17), James Lovell (Apollo 8 Apollo 13), David Scott (Apollo 9 Apollo 15), Buzz Aldrin (Apollo 11), Charles Duke (Apollo 16), Thomas Stafford (Apollo 10) and Eugene Cernan (Apollo 17) are seen during the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission and the walk on the moon press conference, Monday, July 20, 2009, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

Apollo astronauts from left, Walt Cunningham (Apollo 17), James Lovell (Apollo 8 Apollo 13), David Scott (Apollo 9 Apollo 15), Buzz Aldrin (Apollo 11), Charles Duke (Apollo 16), Thomas Stafford (Apollo 10) and Eugene Cernan (Apollo 17) are seen during the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission and the walk on the moon press conference, Monday, July 20, 2009, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

AS16-113-18347 (21 April 1972) --- A partial view of the Apollo 16 Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP) in deployed configuration on the lunar surface as photographed during the mission's first extravehicular activity (EVA), on April 21, 1972. The Passive Seismic Experiment (PSE) is in the foreground center; Central Station (C/S) is in center background, with the Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG) to the left. One of the anchor flags for the Active Seismic Experiment (ASE) is at right. While astronauts John W. Young, commander; and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot; descended in the Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

AS16-114-18388 (21 April 1972) --- Astronaut John W. Young, commander of the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission, stands at the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP) deployment site during the first Apollo 16 extravehicular activity (EVA) at the Descartes landing site. The components of the ALSEP are in the background. The lunar surface drill is just behind and to the right of astronaut Young. The drill's rack and bore stems are to the left. The three-sensor Lunar Surface Magnetometer is beyond the rack. The dark object in the right background is the Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG). Between the RTG and the drill is the Heat Flow Experiment. A part of the Central Station is at the right center edge of the picture. This photograph was taken by astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot.

This montage depicts the flight crew patches for the manned Apollo 7 thru Apollo 17 missions. The Apollo 7 through 10 missions were basically manned test flights that paved the way for lunar landing missions. Primary objectives met included the demonstration of the Command Service Module (CSM) crew performance; crew/space vehicle/mission support facilities performance and testing during a manned CSM mission; CSM rendezvous capability; translunar injection demonstration; the first manned Apollo docking, the first Apollo Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA), performance of the first manned flight of the lunar module (LM); the CSM-LM docking in translunar trajectory, LM undocking in lunar orbit, LM staging in lunar orbit, and manned LM-CSM docking in lunar orbit. Apollo 11 through 17 were lunar landing missions with the exception of Apollo 13 which was forced to circle the moon without landing due to an onboard explosion. The craft was,however, able to return to Earth safely. Apollo 11 was the first manned lunar landing mission and performed the first lunar surface EVA. Landing site was the Sea of Tranquility. A message for mankind was delivered, the U.S. flag was planted, experiments were set up and 47 pounds of lunar surface material was collected for analysis back on Earth. Apollo 12, the 2nd manned lunar landing mission landed in the Ocean of Storms and retrieved parts of the unmanned Surveyor 3, which had landed on the Moon in April 1967. The Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP) was deployed, and 75 pounds of lunar material was gathered. Apollo 14, the 3rd lunar landing mission landed in Fra Mauro. ALSEP and other instruments were deployed, and 94 pounds of lunar materials were gathered, using a hand cart for first time to transport rocks. Apollo 15, the 4th lunar landing mission landed in the Hadley-Apennine region. With the first use of the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV), the crew was bale to gather 169 pounds of lunar material. Apollo 16, the 5th lunar landing mission, landed in the Descartes Highlands for the first study of highlands area. Selected surface experiments were deployed, the ultraviolet camera/spectrograph was used for first time on the Moon, and the LRV was used for second time for a collection of 213 pounds of lunar material. The Apollo program came to a close with Apollo 17, the 6th and final manned lunar landing mission that landed in the Taurus-Littrow highlands and valley area. This mission hosted the first scientist-astronaut, Schmitt, to land on the Moon. The 6th automated research station was set up, and 243 ponds of lunar material was gathered using the LRV.

S72-34473 (29 March 1972) --- A ground-level view of Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), showing the 363-feet tall Apollo 16 (Spacecraft 113/Lunar Module 11/Saturn 511) space vehicle during a Countdown Demonstration Test (CDDT). The CDDT was part of the preflight preparations for the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission. The crew of Apollo 16, scheduled for launch on April 16, 1972, are astronauts John W. Young, commander; Thomas K. (Ken) Mattingly II, command module pilot; and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot.

AS16-117-18825 (23 April 1972) --- Astronaut John W. Young, Apollo 16 commander, with a sample bag in his left hand, moves toward the bottom part of the gnomon (center) while collecting samples at the North Ray Crater geological site. Note how soiled Young's Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) is during this the third and final Apollo 16 extravehicular activity (EVA). The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) is parked at upper left.

S72-37001 (25 April 1972) --- Astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, performs an extravehicular activity (EVA) during the Apollo 16 trans-Earth coast. Mattingly is assisted by astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot. Mattingly inspected the SIM Bay or Service Module (SM), and retrieved film from the Mapping and Panoramic Cameras. Mattingly is wearing the helmet of astronaut John W. Young, commander. The helmet's lunar EVA visor assembly helped protect Mattingly's eyes from the bright sun. This view is a frame from motion picture film exposed by a 16mm Maurer camera.

AS16-114-18433 (22 April 1972) --- View of the Lunar Portable Magnetometer mounted on the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) which was parked at Station No. 2 on the Descartes lunar landing site. The Apollo 16 crew photographed it during their second extravehicular activity (EVA). Note the shadow of the astronaut taking the photograph in the left foreground.

Veteran journalist Nick Clooney, seated left, moderated a panel discussion with Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, far right, Charlie Duke of Apollo 16, John Grunsfeld, of the recent Hubble mission, and Goddard Space Flight Center deputy director Laurie Leshin, Monday, July 20, 2009, at the Newseum in Washington as part of the commemoration of the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Veteran journalist Nick Clooney, seated left, moderated a panel discussion with Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, far right, Charlie Duke of Apollo 16, John Grunsfeld, of the recent Hubble mission, and Goddard Space Flight Center deputy director Laurie Leshin, Monday, July 20, 2009, at the Newseum in Washington as part of the commemoration of the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Veteran journalist Nick Clooney, seated left, moderated a panel discussion with Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, far right, Charlie Duke of Apollo 16, John Grunsfeld, of the recent Hubble mission, and Goddard Space Flight Center deputy director Laurie Leshin, Monday, July 20, 2009, at the Newseum in Washington as part of the commemoration of the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

AS14-69-9560 (February 1971) --- This 500mm vertical frame taken from the Apollo 14 spacecraft is of the Apollo 16 proposed landing site "Descartes". The actual location of the target area is near the upper left. This photograph was taken with a 56 degree sun angle. The large bright crater is approximately one kilometer in diameter and has a distinctive ray pattern which serves as an excellent landmark.

S72-00147 (January 1972) --- An almost vertical view of the Apollo 16 Descartes landing area, as photographed from the Apollo 14 spacecraft. Overlays are provided to point out extravehicular activity (EVA) Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) traverse routes and the nicknames of features. Hold picture with South Ray Crater in lower left corner. North will then be at the top. The Roman numerals indicate EVA numbers and the Arabic numbers point out stations or traverse stops.

AS16-106-17340 (23 April 1972) --- Astronaut John W. Young, commander of the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission, is photographed collecting lunar samples near North Ray Crater during the third Apollo 16 extravehicular activity (EVA) at the Descartes landing site. This picture was taken by astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot. Young is using the lunar surface rake and a set of tongs. The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) is parked in the field of large boulders in the background. While astronauts Young and Duke descended in the Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) in lunar orbit.

AS16-116-18578 (21 April 1972) --- Astronaut John W. Young, commander of the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission, works at the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) just prior to deployment of the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP) during the first extravehicular activity (EVA) on April 21, 1972. Note the Ultraviolet (UV) Camera/Spectrometer to the right of the Lunar Module (LM) ladder. Also, note the pile of protective/thermal foil under the U.S. flag on the LM which the astronauts pulled away to get to the Modular Equipment Storage Assembly (MESA) bay. While astronauts Young and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot; descended in the Apollo 16 LM "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

AS16-108-17622 (22 April 1972) --- Astronaut John W. Young, commander of the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission, reaches for tools in the Apollo Lunar Hand Tool Carrier at the aft end of the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) during the second Apollo 16 extravehicular activity (EVA) at the Descartes landing site. This photograph was taken by astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot. This view is looking south from the base of Stone Mountain. While astronauts Young and Duke descended in the Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands region of the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

AS16-107-17442 (22 April 1972) --- A close-up view of the Apollo 16 Cosmic Ray Detector (CRD) experiment deployed at the +Y strut of the Lunar Module (LM). The crewmembers moved it to this position from near the deployment site of the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP) because, in the words of astronaut John W. Young, commander, "The panels were getting a little warm." Note that the LM did not skid upon landing, as evidenced by the landing contact probe's folded back (neatly) position and the lack of skid marks. While astronauts Young, and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot; descended in the Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

AS16-110-17960 (22 April 1972) --- Astronaut John W. Young, commander, replaces tools in the Apollo Lunar Hand Tool (ALHT) carrier at the aft end of the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) during the second Apollo 16 extravehicular activity (EVA) on the high side of Stone Mountain at the Descartes landing site. Astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot, took this photograph near the conclusion of Station 4 activities. Smoky Mountain, with the large Ravine Crater on its flank, is in the left background. This view is looking northeast. While astronauts Young and Duke descended in the Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

AS16-113-18282 (23 April 1972) --- The Apollo Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" approaches the Lunar Module (LM) "Orion", from which this photograph was made. The two spacecraft are about to make their final rendezvous of the mission, on April 23, 1972. Astronauts John W. Young, commander, and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot, aboard the LM, were returning to the CSM, in lunar orbit, after three successful days on the lunar surface. Astronaut Thomas K. (Ken) Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the CSM in lunar orbit, while Young and Duke descended in the LM to explore the Descartes region of the moon.

S72-40821 (21 April 1972) --- An artificially reproduced color enhancement of a ten-minute far-ultraviolet exposure of Earth, taken with a filter which blocks the glow caused by atomic hydrogen but which transmits the glow caused by atomic oxygen and molecular nitrogen. Note that airglow emission bands are visible on the night side of Earth, one roughly centered between the two polar auroral zones and one at an angle to this extending northward toward the sunlit side of Earth. The UV camera was operated by astronaut John W. Young on the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission. It was designed and built at the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. EDITOR'S NOTE: The photographic number of the original black & white UV camera photograph, from which this artificially reproduced version was made, is AS16-123-19657.

AS16-112-18234 (22 April 1972) --- This view of South Ray Crater was taken during the second Apollo 16 extravehicular activity (EVA) from Station No. 4 -- highest point on the traverse up Stone Mountain -- using a 500mm lens. South Ray Crater is a "fresh" source of angular ejecta in the LM-ALSEP area and samples at Station No. 8.

S72-37010 (20 April 1972) --- NASA officials gather around a console in the Mission Operations Control Room (MOCR) in the Mission Control Center (MCC) prior to the making of a decision whether to land Apollo 16 on the moon or to abort the landing. Seated, left to right, are Dr. Christopher C. Kraft Jr., Director of the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC), and Brig. Gen. James A. McDivitt (USAF), Manager, Apollo Spacecraft Program Office, MSC; and standing, left to right, are Dr. Rocco A. Petrone, Apollo Program Director, Office Manned Space Flight (OMSF), NASA HQ.; Capt. John K. Holcomb (U.S. Navy, Ret.), Director of Apollo Operations, OMSF; Sigurd A. Sjoberg, Deputy Director, MSC; Capt. Chester M. Lee (U.S. Navy, Ret.), Apollo Mission Director, OMSF; Dale D. Myers, NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight; and Dr. George M. Low, NASA Deputy Administrator. Photo credit: NASA

AS16-116-18653 (23 April 1972) --- Astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., Apollo 16 lunar module pilot, stands at a big rock adjacent (south) to the huge "House Rock" (barely out of view at right edge). Note shadow at extreme right center where the two moon-exploring crew members of the mission sampled what they referred to as the "east-by-west split of House Rock" or the open space between this rock and "House Rock". At their post-mission press conference, the crewmen expressed the opinion that this rock was once a part of "House Rock" which had broken away. The two sampled the big boulder seen here also. Duke has a sample bag in his hand, and a lunar surface rake leans against the large boulder. Astronaut John W. Young, commander, exposed this view with a color magazine in his 70mm Hasselblad camera. While astronauts Young and Duke descended in the Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems’ Program Manager Shawn Quinn captured this image of the Hadley–Apennine region of the moon including the Apollo 15 landing site (very near the edge of the shadow of one of the lunar mountains in the area). Image is a crop of a full frame image. Apollo 11, 16 and 17 landing sites are also visible in this image. Hadley–Apennine is a region on the near side of Earth's Moon that served as the landing site for the American Apollo 15 mission, the fourth crewed landing on the Moon and the first of the "J-missions", in July 1971. The site is located on the eastern edge of Mare Imbrium on a lava plain known as Palus Putredinis. Hadley–Apennine is bordered by the Montes Apenninus (often referred to as "Apennine Front"), a mountain range, and Hadley Rille, a meandering channel, on the east and west, respectively.

S72-40820 (21 April 1972) --- A color enhancement of a photograph taken on ultra-violet light showing the spectrum of the upper atmosphere of Earth and geocorona. The bright horizontal line is far ultra-violet emission (1216 angstrom) of hydrogen extending 10 degrees (40,000 miles) either side of Earth. The knobby vertical line shows several ultra-violet emissions from Earth's sunlit atmosphere, each "lump" being produced by one type gas (oxygen, nitrogen, helium, etc.). The spectral dispersion is about 10 angstrom per millimeter on this enlargement. The UV camera/spectrograph was operated on the lunar surface by astronaut John W. Young, commander of the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission. It was designed and built at the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. While astronauts Young and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot, descended in the Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands region of the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

AS16-122-19592 (16-27 April 1972) --- An oblique view of the Border Sea area on the lunar nearside, as photographed from the Apollo 16 spacecraft in lunar orbit. Mare Marginus is at the left edge of the picture. This view is looking generally west by northwest. Goddard Crater is located at lower left. A portion of the Ibn Yunus Crater can be seen in the lower left corner adjoining the southeastern edge of Goddard. The Al-Biruni Crater is at lower right edge. The Hubble Crater is at right center edge.

S72-36262 (27 April 1972) --- A high-angle view of the Apollo 16 welcoming aboard ceremonies on the deck of the prime recovery ship, USS Ticonderoga. It was soon after the splashdown of the Apollo 16 Command Module (CM) in the central Pacific Ocean approximately 215 miles southeast of Christmas Island. Astronaut John W. Young, commander, is standing at the microphone. Standing behind Young are astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr. (Left), lunar module pilot; and astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot. The splashdown occurred at 290:37:06 ground elapsed time, 1:45:06 p.m. (CST), Thursday, April 27, 1972. The coordinates were 00:43.2 degrees south latitude and 156:11.4 degrees west longitude. The three crew members were picked up by helicopter and flown to the deck of the USS Ticonderoga.

AS16-120-19332 (April 1972) --- This picture of the lunar surface was photographed from lunar orbit during the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission. Mersenius C Crater, dozens of smaller craters and several small rille features can be seen in the frame. Center point coordinates are located at 19.5 degrees south latitude and 45 degrees west longitude. While astronauts John W. Young, commander; and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot; descended in the Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

S72-36602 (27 April 1972) --- The Apollo 16 Command Module bobbles photographed in the waters of the central Pacific Ocean during recovery operations. The prime recovery ship, USS Ticonderoga, is in the background. A recovery helicopter hovers overhead. The Apollo 16 crew, astronauts John W. Young, Thomas K. Mattingly II, and Charles M. Duke Jr., were picked up by helicopter and flown to the deck of the ship. The splashdown occurred at 290:37:06 ground elapsed time, 1:45:06 p.m. (CST), Thursday, April 27, 1972, at coordinates of 00:45.2 degrees south latitude and 156:11.4 degrees west longitude, a point approximately 215 miles southeast of Christmas Island. A team of Earth Landing System swimmers assisted with the recovery operations.

AS16-114-18412 (16-27 April 1972) --- The gnomon and color patch, one of the Apollo Lunar Hand Tools (ALHT), is deployed atop a lunar rock, in this photograph taken by one of the Apollo 16 astronauts during their lunar surface extravehicular activity (EVA) at the Descartes landing site. The gnomon is used as a photographic reference to establish local vertical sun angle, scale, and lunar color. The color patch, mounted on one of the legs of the tripod, provides a larger target for accurately determining colors in color photography. A portion of Flag Crater can be seen in the background. While astronauts John W. Young, commander; and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot; descended in the Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

S72-19794 (13 Dec. 1971) --- A ground-level view showing the tall Apollo 16 (Spacecraft 113/Lunar Module 11/Saturn 511) space vehicle at the Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) Launch Complex 39 being moved from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) toward Pad A. The Saturn V stack and its mobile launch tower are atop a huge crawler-transporter. The prime crew men of the scheduled Apollo 16 lunar landing mission are astronauts John W. Young, Apollo 16 lunar landing mission are astronauts John W. Young, commander; Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot; and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot.

Astronaut John W. Young, Apollo 16 prime crew commander (right), takes a drive in the One-G Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) trainer in the Lunar Topgraphic Simulation area at the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC). He is accompanied by John Omstead, with General Electric, MSC.

AS16-117-18754 (23 April 1972) --- A view of the smooth terrain in the general area of the North Ray Crater geological site, photographed by the Apollo 16 crew from the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) shortly after leaving the immediate area of the geology site. The RCA color television camera is mounted on the front of the LRV and can be seen in the foreground, along with a small part of the high gain antenna, upper left. The tracks were made on the earlier trip to the North Ray Crater site. Astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot, exposed this view with his 70mm Hasselblad camera. Astronaut John W. Young, commander, said that this area was much smoother than the region around South Ray Crater. While astronauts Young and Duke descended in the Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

S72-37009 (20 April 1972) --- NASA officials gather around a console in the Mission Operations Control Room (MOCR) in the Mission Control Center (MCC) prior to the making of a decision whether to land Apollo 16 on the moon or to abort the landing. Seated, left to right, are Dr. Christopher C. Kraft Jr., Director of the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC), and Brig. Gen. James A. McDivitt (USAF), Manager, Apollo Spacecraft Program Office, MSC; and standing, left to right, are Dr. Rocco A. Petrone, Apollo Program Director, Office Manned Space Flight (OMSF), NASA HQ.; Capt. John K. Holcomb (U.S. Navy, Ret.), Director of Apollo Operations, OMSF; Sigurd A. Sjoberg, Deputy Director, MSC; Capt. Chester M. Lee (U.S. Navy, Ret.), Apollo Mission Director, OMSF; Dale D. Myers, NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight; and Dr. George M. Low, NASA Deputy Administrator. Photo credit: NASA

A moon rock collected by astronaut John Young during the Apollo 16 mission is seen before the swearing-in ceremony for former Senator Bill Nelson, as the 14th NASA Administrator, by Vice President Kamala Harris, Monday, May 3, 2021, at the Ceremonial Office in the Old Executive Office Building in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

AS16-116-18671 (23 April 1972) --- Astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot, works at the "Shadow Rock", discovered during the missions third extravehicular activity (EVA) in the area of North Ray Crater (Station 13), April 23, 1972. The scoop, a geological hand tool, leans against the rock. This view was exposed by astronaut John W. Young, commander. The two moon-exploring crew men sampled this rock, which got its name because of a permanently shadowed area it protected. While astronauts Young and Duke descended in the Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.