Apollo program landing sites

Apollo program landing sites
Name	Apollo program landing sites
Caption	The Apollo 11 Lunar Module ascent stage, photographed from the Command Module after leaving the Sea of Tranquility.
Location	Moon
Program	Apollo program
Organization	NASA
Purpose	Crewed scientific exploration
Status	Historic sites

Apollo program landing sites are the six locations on the Moon where crews from the United States successfully landed and conducted surface operations between 1969 and 1972. These missions, executed by NASA as part of the broader Apollo program, represent the only instances of humans walking on another celestial body. Each site was selected for its unique scientific value and operational safety, contributing to a diverse geological understanding of the lunar maria and highlands.

Overview of Apollo lunar landings

The selection of each landing site was a complex process involving scientists from the United States Geological Survey and engineers from the Manned Spacecraft Center. Primary objectives evolved from demonstrating landing capability with Apollo 11 to sophisticated geological fieldwork and deployment of the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package. All landings occurred on the lunar near side, with missions after Apollo 13 targeting more geologically varied and challenging terrain. The final mission, Apollo 17, included the first professional scientist-astronaut, Harrison Schmitt, a geologist.

Apollo 11: Sea of Tranquility

Apollo 11 landed in the southwestern region of Mare Tranquillitatis on July 20, 1969, achieving the primary goal set by President John F. Kennedy. The site, designated Statio Tranquillitatis, was a relatively smooth area chosen to facilitate the first landing. Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin collected the first samples of lunar soil and rock, including the iconic basalt sample known as the Genesis Rock. They also deployed early scientific instruments, such as a Passive Seismic Experiment and a Laser Ranging Retroreflector.

Apollo 12: Ocean of Storms

Apollo 12 made a precision landing on November 19, 1969, in the Oceanus Procellarum, just meters from the derelict Surveyor 3 spacecraft. This demonstrated the NASA navigation system's capability for targeted landings. The crew, Commander Charles Conrad and Lunar Module Pilot Alan Bean, conducted two moonwalks, retrieving parts from Surveyor 3 for analysis and deploying the first full Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package. The site's geology provided samples of KREEP-rich materials, offering clues about the Moon's volcanic history.

Apollo 14: Fra Mauro formation

The Fra Mauro formation, the intended target of the aborted Apollo 13 mission, was successfully explored by Apollo 14 in February 1971. Commander Alan Shepard and Lunar Module Pilot Edgar Mitchell landed near Cone crater, a key objective believed to expose deep lunar material ejected by the Imbrium Basin impact. They used a modular equipment transporter for the first time and collected samples that included the famous Big Bertha rock, later determined to contain a fragment of Earth.

Apollo 15: Hadley–Apennine

Apollo 15, the first of the "J-missions," landed in July 1971 at the Hadley–Apennine site, a dramatic valley near the Montes Apenninus mountains. Commander David Scott and Lunar Module Pilot James Irwin utilized the Lunar Roving Vehicle to greatly extend their range. Key accomplishments included discovering the Genesis Rock, an ancient anorthosite, and investigating the Hadley Rille, a sinuous volcanic channel. The mission also deployed an advanced scientific station and launched the Particles and Fields Subsatellite from the Command Module.

Apollo 16: Descartes Highlands

In April 1972, Apollo 16 targeted the Cayley Plains of the Descartes Highlands, an area thought to be of volcanic origin. Commander John Young and Lunar Module Pilot Charles Duke conducted three extensive moonwalks using the Lunar Roving Vehicle. Contrary to expectations, the samples they collected, such as breccia and anorthosite, were primarily impact-derived, revolutionizing the understanding of highland geology. The mission also featured observations from lunar orbit by Command Module Pilot Ken Mattingly.

Apollo 17: Taurus–Littrow

The final mission, Apollo 17, landed in the Taurus–Littrow valley in December 1972, a site chosen for its combination of dark mantling deposits, massifs, and a possible volcanic vent. Commander Eugene Cernan and Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt explored the base of the North Massif and South Massif, discovering iconic samples like Troctolite 76535 and the orange volcanic glass soil at Shorty crater. Their work, supported by the Lunar Roving Vehicle, capped the program with the longest lunar surface stay and the most extensive sample return.

Category:Apollo program Category:Exploration of the Moon Category:NASA programs