Apollo 16 was NASA’s tenth crewed lunar landing mission and the fifth to land on the Moon. Launched on April 16, 1972, it touched down in the Descartes Highlands on April 21, carrying astronauts John Young and Charles Duke, with Ken Mattingly orbiting above. The mission’s objectives included geological fieldwork using the Lunar Roving Vehicle, deployment of surface experiments (ALSEP), and the return of nearly 96 kg of lunar samples. The mission concluded with a safe Earth splashdown on April 27, 1972.
Source: nasa.gov
21/04/2022

Fifty years ago, April 20, 1972, Apollo 16's lunar module Orion touched down on the Moon's near side in the south-central Descartes Highlands. While astronaut Ken Mattingly orbited overhead in Casper the friendly command and service module the Orion brought John Young and Charles Duke to the lunar surface. The pair would spend nearly three days on the Moon. Constructed from images (AS16-117-18814 to AS16-117-18820) taken near the end of their third and final surface excursion this panoramic view puts the lunar module in the distance toward the left. Their electric lunar roving vehicle in the foreground, Duke is operating the camera while Young aims the high gain communications antenna skyward, toward planet Earth. Celebrate: Earth Day