Curiosmos
  • Home
  • Unsolved Mysteries
  • Ancient Civilizations
  • Cosmic Phenomena
  • Alien Theories
  • Curious Lists
No Result
View All Result
Like us on Facebook
Curiosmos
  • Home
  • Unsolved Mysteries
  • Ancient Civilizations
  • Cosmic Phenomena
  • Alien Theories
  • Curious Lists
No Result
View All Result
Curiosmos
No Result
View All Result

NASA HD Footage of What Apollo 16 Astronauts Saw on the Moon

Ivan PetricevicbyIvan Petricevic
April 20, 2022 - Updated on January 21, 2024
in Editor's Picks
Apollo 16 Panorama of the Moon. LPI - NASA.

Apollo 16 Panorama of the Moon. LPI - NASA.

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

NASA has created another stunning video of the Apollo missions. This time, using high-definition imagery, experts have managed to reconstruct on video what the Apollo 16 astronauts saw during the approach to their landing point on the Moon in April 1972.

This photograph shows the lift-off of Apollo 16 on April 16, 1972. The crew was launched into space atop a Saturn V rocket, designated as AS-511. NASA.
This photograph shows the lift-off of Apollo 16 on April 16, 1972. The crew was launched into space atop a Saturn V rocket, designated as AS-511. NASA.

Thanks to the data provided by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), we can visualize the mission’s landing site in the highlands of Descartes on the near side of the Moon. Descartes’s landing site is located in the moon’s southeast quadrant, a region of highlands that consists of hilly, ridged, and furrowed terrain. In particular, the Cayley formation and the Kant Plateau of the highlands were selected for sampling. ALSEP, which stands for Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package, was the fourth “station” to be operational after Apollo 12, 14, and 15.

The mission was crewed by Commander John Young, Lunar Module Pilot Charles Duke, and Command Module Pilot Thomas K. Mattingly. This video contains audio feeds of portions of the mission between the astronauts and CapCom James Irwin in Houston and a view of the three EVA routes (extravehicular activity ) that the astronauts took over the course of three days, including their visit to North Ray Crater.

Apollo 16 photograph showing the Base of House Rock. NASA.
Apollo 16 photograph showing the Base of House Rock. NASA.

The missions consisted of several objectives: assessing, collecting, and analyzing materials and features at a designated landing site in the Descartes region, activating surface experiments, and conducting in-flight experiments and photographic tasks. Performing experiments in zero gravity and engineering evaluations of spacecraft and equipment were among the other objectives.

Related Posts

How Did Life Begin on Earth

How Did Life Begin on Earth?

September 17, 2024
Columns of an Ancient Egyptian Temple. Shutterstock.

3 Compelling Reasons Why Ancient Egypt’s Lost Labyrinth is Real

June 25, 2019 - Updated on April 16, 2022

The Apollo 16 lifted off at 12:54 p.m. eastern time from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39 on April 16, 1972.

Due to two major problems in the command and service modules – one on the way to the moon and one in lunar orbit – the landing was delayed, and the mission was terminated one day early.

A photograph of Commander John Young inside the rover, next to the so-called "shadow rock." NASA.
A photograph of Commander John Young inside the rover, next to the so-called “shadow rock.” NASA.

An erroneous signal indicating guidance system lock was neutralized during translunar coast by reprogramming the spacecraft’s computer in real-time to ignore input. In the aftermath of Casper and Orion’s undocking, the circularization burn of the CSM was delayed due to yaw oscillations of the service propulsion system. Engineering teams held off on landing Orion until they determined oscillations would not severely affect CSM steering.

A photograph of the Apollo 16 Lunar Surface Magnetometer. Image Credit: NASA.
A photograph of the Apollo 16 Lunar Surface Magnetometer. Image Credit: NASA.

As revealed by NASA, the total mission time of Apollo 16 was 265 hours, 51 minutes, and five seconds. Astronauts Young and Duke collected 209 pounds of samples and drove the rover 16.6 miles on the lunar surface. The astronauts returned safely to Earth eleven days after lifting off on April 27, 1972, despite various glitches and problems during the mission.


Join the discussion and participate in awesome giveaways in our mobile Telegram group. Join Curiosmos on Telegram Today. t.me/Curiosmos

Share157Tweet98Share27ShareSend
Ivan Petricevic

Ivan Petricevic

I've been writing passionately about ancient civilizations, history, alien life, and various other subjects for more than eight years. You may have seen me appear on Discovery Channel's What On Earth series, History Channel's Ancient Aliens, and Gaia's Ancient Civilizations among others.

Related Posts

The Al Naslaa rock formation stands as one of Earth’s most extraordinary geological marvels
Editor's Picks

The Al Naslaa rock formation stands as one of Earth’s most extraordinary geological marvels

August 31, 2024
A Village and the pyramids during the flood-time, circa 1890 (Public Domain).
Editor's Picks

25 Rare Images of The Ancient Egypt’s Pyramids and Sphinx

May 20, 2020 - Updated on January 21, 2024
oldest-structures-on-earth-baalbek-temple-ruins
Editor's Picks

The oldest structures on Earth were built before history began — And they don’t match the history books

April 23, 2025 - Updated on April 28, 2025
The Global Serpent: Why Snake Symbolism Appears in Every Ancient Culture
Editor's Picks

The Global Serpent: Why Snake Symbolism Appears in Every Ancient Culture

June 6, 2025
A photograph of the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex. Image Credit: Ivan Petricevic.
Editor's Picks

Here Are 15 of the Brightest Stars in the Night Sky

January 8, 2019 - Updated on October 13, 2022
An illustration of the lost desert city of Loulan.
Editor's Picks

The lost desert city of Loulan once thrived on the Silk Road before vanishing into sand

May 15, 2025
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Fair Use Notice
  • DMCA / Removal
  • Impressum
  • Contact
  • Fact-Checking Policy
  • Ethics Policy
  • Ownership and Funding Information
  • Impressum
CURIOSMOS.COM

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Unsolved Mysteries
  • Ancient Civilizations
  • Cosmic Phenomena
  • Alien Theories
  • Curious Lists