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Apollo 6 (AS-502) Pacific Recovery

Launch of Saturn V AS-502

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AS-502 Climbs to Orbit

Apollo 6 spacecraft climbing to orbit

Image Credit: NASA

Published: July 9, 2018

Historical Date: April 4, 1968

AS-502 climbs to orbit, as seen from chase-plane.

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Orion, the Apollo 16 lunar module, as captured on April 23, 1972 by astronaut Charlie Duke.

spacecraft in the distance on the gray, sunlit lunar surface

Orion on the Horizon

The huge, 363-feet tall Apollo 14 (Spacecraft 110/Lunar Module 8/Saturn 509) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida at 4:03:02 p.m. (EST), Jan....

Apollo 14 liftoff

Launch - Apollo XIV - Lunar Landing Mission - KSC

This is a close-up view of an astronaut’s foot and footprint in the lunar soil, photographed by a 70 mm lunar surface camera during the Apollo 11 lunar surface extravehicular activity (EVA).

Astronaut's foot and footprint on lunar soil

Saturn Apollo Program

The Moon's Hawke crater, as seen by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

crater on a slope of a larger crater

Astronaut David R. Scott, commander, gives a military salute while standing beside the deployed United States flag during the Apollo 15 lunar surface extravehicular activity (EVA) at the Hadley-Ape...

Astronaut giving salute beside American flag on the moon

Astronaut David Scott Gives Salute Beside U.S. Flag During EVA

Clementine colorized image showing the full Earth over the Moon's north pole.

View of Earth from moon

The Earth Over the Moon’s North Pole

First full-frame image of the Moon taken by the Ranger 8 camera A from a distance of 2,573 km.

Image of the surface of the moon

First Picture of the Moon Taken by Ranger 8

On July 16, 1969, the huge, 363-feet tall Saturn V rocket launches on the Apollo 11 mission from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, at 9:32 a.m. EDT.

Video of Apollo 11 launch

Apollo 11 Launch

Astronaut John Young, who walked on the Moon during Apollo 16 and commanded the first space shuttle mission, has passed away at the age of 87.

Video tribute of Apollo 16 astronaut John Young

Remembering NASA Astronaut John Young, 1930-2018

Apollo 15 commander David R. Scott look at Genesis Rock, an ancient piece of primordial crust he found on the Moon.

Black and white image of man looking into sterile sample containment unit.

Searchlights illuminate this nighttime scene at Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, showing the Apollo 17 (Spacecraft 114/Lunar Module 12/Saturn 512) space vehicle during prela...

Spacecraft on launchpad with full moon in background

Prelaunch – Apollo 17 (Rollout)

Surveys from orbit informed the landing sites of future Apollo missions and deployment of scientific instruments.

Surface of Moon

Engineers prepare NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) spacecraft for acoustic environmental testing.

Engineers prepare NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) spacecraft for acoustic environmental testing.

LADEE in the Clean Room

Close-up view of the plaque which the Apollo 11 astronauts left on the Moon in commemoration of the historic lunar landing mission.

Close-up view of the plaque which the Apollo 11 astronauts left on the Moon.

Apollo 11 Plaque

A photographic record of the moment NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter was struck by a meteoroid.

Wild back-and-forth lines

A Jolt to the Camera

This bootprint marks one of the first steps human beings took on the moon in July 1969.

This bootprint marks one of the first steps human beings took on the moon in July 1969.

Apollo 11 Bootprint

Mrs. Mary Haise receives an explanation of the revised flight plan of the Apollo 13 mission from astronaut Gerald P. Carr in the viewing room of the Mission Control Center (MCC), Building 30, at th...

Man and woman in mission control viewing center

Mrs. Haise in Viewing Room Overlooking FCR

This is a family portrait of astronaut Fred W. Haise Jr. and his family.

Portrait of astronaut and family

Haise, Fred W., Jr. & Family – Portrait

Overall view of the Mission Operations Control Room in the Mission Control Center, Building 30, on the first day of the Apollo 10 lunar orbit mission.

View of mission control center

Overall View of Mission Operations Control in Mission Control Center

A close-up view of the plaque which the Apollo 14 astronauts will leave behind on the moon during their lunar landing mission.

Apollo 14 plaque signed by three astronauts

Plaque the Apollo 14 Crew Will Leave on the Moon

Astronaut Richard F. Gordon Jr., Apollo 12 command module pilot, suits up in the Kennedy Space Center's Manned Spacecraft Operations Building during the Apollo 12 prelaunch countdown.

Astronaut putting on his helmet

Astronaut Richard F. Gordon Suits Up During Apollo 12 Prelaunch Countdown

A natural color composite mosaic of the Moon.

flat projection map of full lunar surface

Lunar Surface in Color

This oblique photograph was taken looking south across Mare Imbrium by the Apollo 17 crew in 1972.

The crater Copernicus, 93 kilometers in diameter, is seen in the distance.

Copernicus Crater

NASA successfully launched Apollo 6 (AS-502) from KSC's Complex 39A at 7:00 am (EST) on a mission to qualify the Saturn V launch vehicle for manned space flights.

Apollo 6 spacecraft launch

Launch of Saturn V AS-502

Animation of before-and-after images of a new 39-foot (12-meter) impact crater on the Moon, obtained by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

alternating images showing lunar plain before and after the appearance of a small impact crater

Records the accomplishment of the basic mission of Apollo 10 - to uncover and solve the few remaining problems before lunar landing.

Documentary about Apollo 10

Apollo 10: To Sort Out the Unknowns

The near side of Earth's Moon, as seen based on data from cameras aboard NASA's robotic Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft.

Near side of Earth's Moon

Lunar Near Side

The Moon is seen as is rises, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017 in Washington—the first of three consecutive supermoons.

Full moon rises behind crane.

Supermoon: Crane

This photograph of the eclipse of the sun was taken with a 16mm motion picture camera from the Apollo 12 spacecraft during its trans-Earth journey home from the moon.

Sun eclipsed by the Earth

Eclipse - Apollo 12

Apollo 6 (AS-502) Pacific Recovery

Apollo 6 module floating in ocean

Apollo 6 (AS-502) Pacific Recovery

Carrying astronauts Neil A. Armstrong and Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., the Lunar Module (LM) “Eagle” was the first crewed vehicle to land on the Moon.

Astronaut on the moon

Saturn Apollo Program

The first image taken by the Ranger 8 camera B on 20 February 1965 shows the 164 km diameter Ptolemaeus crater, top center, and below it Alphonsus crater (diameter 108 km).

View of two large craters on the moon

Ptolemaeus and Alphonsus Craters on the Moon

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured this oblique view of the area surrounding Hadley Base, the landing site of Apollo 15.

hills and valleys on the lunar surface

Soaring Over Lunar Mt. Hadley

Mountainous central peaks above the shadowed floor of Plaskett crater

shadowy mountains on the Moon

Shadowy Mountains on the Moon

The South Pole-Aitken Basin on the lunar far side is one of the largest and oldest impact features in the solar system.

Color enhanced image showing massive impact region on the Moon.

South Pole-Aitken Basin

The Moon's Montes Carpatus region, seen here by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, contains numerous examples of volcanic materials.

mountainous moonscape

Montes Carpatus

A ‘Harvest Moon’ rising over the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains as seen from Pasadena, CA in September 2016. A ‘Harvest Moon’ is the full moon nearest the star...

moon rising over mountains

Apollo 16 was the fifth moon landing of Project Apollo, and the 10th manned mission in the Apollo program. It was the second mission to utilize a Lunar Rover (Lunar Roving Vehicle, LRV) during luna...

Documentary on Apollo 16

Apollo 16: "Nothing So Hidden"

Last image taken by Ranger 8 camera-A from a distance of 4.2 km, 2 seconds before impact on 20 February 1965.

Image of the surface of the moon

Ranger 8 Image Taken 2 Seconds Before Impact

Astronaut David R. Scott, commander, is seated in the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) during the first Apollo 15 lunar surface extravehicular activity (EVA) at the Hadley-Apennine landing site.

Astronaut driving rover on the moon

Apollo 15 Mission Image - View of the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP)

A close-up view of two components of the Apollo lunar surface experiments package (ALSEP) which the Apollo 14 astronauts deployed on the moon during their first extravehicular activity (EVA).

Lunar surface experiments package deployed on moon

Apollo 14 Mission Image - View of the ALSEP Station

In December of 1968, the crew of Apollo 8 became the first people to leave our home planet and travel to another body in space.

Video commemorating the 45th anniversary of Apollo 8

Earthrise: The 45th Anniversary

Lunar Orbiter 1 view of the Korolev basin on the far side of the Moon.

Photo of basin on the moon

Korolev Basin on the Far Side of the Moon

Close up image of the Oceanus Procellarum region of the Moon from the Soviet Luna 9 lander in February 1966.

Grainy black and white photo of the moon.

First Photo from the Surface of the Moon

Apollo 14 Mission Commander, Alan B. Shepard, Jr., waves to well-wishers as he and astronauts Stuart A. Roosa, Command Module pilot; and Edgar D. Mitchell, Lunar Module pilot, walk to the transfer ...

Astronaut waving while walking toward van

Saturn Apollo Program

The far side of Earth's Moon.

Far side of Earth's Moon

An annular solar eclipse photographed on May 20, 2012.

orange ring of Sun, mostly blocked by black moon

Annular Eclipse

A spectacular high-Sun view of a pit crater on the Moon's Mare Tranquillitatis.

a collapse pit in an otherwise smooth gray surface

These three astronauts are the prime crew of the Apollo 10 lunar orbit mission.

3 astronauts standing in front of rocket

Portrait - Apollo 10 - MSC

This black-and-white image of the Earth-Moon system was captured on Sept. 25, 2017 by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft.

Black and white image of Earth and the moon.

OSIRIS-REx Pictures of Earth and the Moon

Surveyor 5 image of the footpad resting in the lunar soil.

Footpad of Surveyor 5 spacecraft on lunar soil

Close Up View of the Footpad of Surveyor 5 on the Lunar Surface

The second human lunar landing mission, Apollo 12, launched from launch pad 39-A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on November 14, 1969 via a Saturn Five launch vehicle.

Astronaut collecting rock samples on the moon

The ascent stage of the Apollo 10 Lunar Module (LM) is photographed from the Command Module prior to docking in lunar orbit.

Lunar module in orbit

Ascent Stage of Apollo 10 Lunar Module Seen From Command Module

During its flight to Jupiter, NASA’s Galileo spacecraft returned images of the Earth and Moon.

large Earth with moon in the background

Earth and Moon from Galileo

The moon, or supermoon, is seen as it sets over the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on Monday, Nov. 14, 2016 in Washington.

Color image of full moon behind giant Martin Luther King Jr. statue.

The Moon is seen as is rises, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017 in Washington.—the first of three consecutive supermoons.

Full moon rising near the Capitol building in Washington, DC.

Supermoon: Capitol

Mosaic of images taken by the robotic lunar lander Surveyor 7

hand-assembled grid of photo frames with annotations

Lunar Surface Mosaic from Surveyor 7

A full Moon rises behind the Washington Monument.

orange moon above tip of momument

Full Moon Over Washington

Astronaut Alfred M. Worden, command module pilot of the Apollo 15 lunar landing mission, floats in space outside the spacecraft during his trans-Earth extravehicular activity (EVA).

Astronaut floating in space outside spacecraft

Astronaut Alfred Worden Floats in Space Outside Spacecraft During EVA

The Apollo 7/Saturn IB space vehicle is launched from the Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 34 at 11:03 a.m. (EDT), Oct. 11, 1968.

Launch of Apollo 7 space vehicle

Apollo VII – Crew – Launch – KSC

A bird's-eye view of Apollo 6 and its gantry leaving the Vehicle Assembly Building on the transporter heading to the launch site on Pad 39-A at Kennedy Space Center.

View from above of Apollo 6 on its transporter

Saturn Apollo Program

Interior wall of Clerke crater.

Interior wall of Clerke crater.

Clerke Crater Interior

This photograph is a view of a display, control console, and hand controller for the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) No. 2.

Display, control console, and hand controller for the Lunar Roving Vehicle

Saturn Apollo Program

Dunned in his space suit, Command Module (CM) pilot Michael Collins does a final check of his communications system before the boarding of the Apollo 11 mission.

Command Module pilot Michael Collins in his space suit

Saturn Apollo Program

A floor fracture and central peak structure on the floor of the Moon's Humboldt Crater--128 miles (207 kilometers) in diameter-- that formed directly after impact. Intr...

Red-blue 3D anaglyph of rough lunar terrain seen from above

Anaglyph: Humboldt Crater Floor

An excellent view of the unmanned Surveyor 3 spacecraft which was photographed during the Apollo 12 second extravehicular activity (EVA) on the surface of the moon.

Surveyor 3 on the moon

View of Surveyor III in Its Crater

Ranger 8 image of the Mare Tranquillitatis (Sea of Tranquillity) area of the Moon taken from 511 km about 4 minutes before surface impact.

Image of the moon's surface

Sabine Crater in Mare Tranquillitatis on the Moon

Apollo 12 Experiments in Progress

an antenna deployed on the Moon's surface and an astronaut's shadow

Apollo 12 Experiments in Progress

Oblique view of Copernicus crater from Lunar Orbiter

large, rugged impact crater seen nearly edge-on on the lunar horizon

Copernicus from Lunar Orbiter

A recording of the Apollo 8 astronauts reading from the book of Genesis.

A video of the Genesis reading during the Apollo 8 mission

Apollo 8 Genesis Reading

Astronaut Richard F. Gordon, Apollo 12 command module pilot, participates in simulation training at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC).

Astronaut in spacecraft simulator.

Apollo 12: Richard Gordon

A documentary view of the Apollo 17 journey to Taurus-Littrow, the final lunar landing mission in the Apollo Program.

Documentary on Apollo 17

Apollo 17: On The Shoulders of Giants

Apollo 8 Launch

Saturn V rocket launches with great flames, with the Moon in the sky in the background

Astronaut Walter Cunningham, Apollo 7 lunar module pilot, is photographed during the Apollo 7 mission.

Man inside spacecraft, looking up

Apollo 7 Mission, Lunar Module Pilot, R. Walter Cunningham

The Apollo 13 spacecraft heads toward a splashdown in the South Pacific Ocean.

Parachute silhouetted against clouds

Apollo XIII Spacecraft - Splashdown - South Pacific Ocean

This view from the Apollo 11 spacecraft shows the Earth rising above the moon's horizon.

Earth above the Moon's horizon

Apollo 11 Mission Image - View of Moon Limb, with Earth on the Horizon

A spectacular oblique view of the rim of Shackleton crater near the south pole of the Moon.

bright, curving crater rim amid darkness

Six photos from Ranger 9 as it approached the lunar surface.

six frames, each showing the Moon's cratered surface more closely

Ranger 9 Approaches the Moon

Lunar orbiter from Langley Research Lunar Orbiter Program.

Image of Lunar Orbiter 1 spacecraft

Lunar Orbiter 1

The International Space Station, with a crew of six onboard, is seen in silhouette as it transits the Moon at roughly five miles per second.

Space Station silhouette in front of Moon.

International Space Station Lunar Transit

Astronaut John W. Young, commander of Apollo 16, leaps from the lunar surface as he salutes the United States flag.

astronaut jumps and salutes near flag and lunar moduel

Wargo Crater is an 8.6-mile (13.8 km) diameter impact crater sitting on the northwest edge of Joule T crater, on the far side of the Moon.

Double impact crater on the Moon.

Astronaut David R. Scott, Apollo 15 commander.

astronaut on lunar slope carrying a camera, with other hills and a rover in the background

Astronaut David Scott During Apollo 15

Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot, prepares to deploy the Early Apollo Scientific Experiments Package (EASEP) during the Apollo 11 lunar surface extravehicular activity (EVA).

Lunar module on surface of moon

View Apollo 11 Lunar Module As It Rested on Lunar Surface

It's not just a time-lapse composite image of our Moon as it arcs across the sky, it's a "super blue blood Moon" eclipse!

Sequence showing the Moon descending into eclipse above a NASA building.

As the Moon Arcs Across the Sky ...

A scanning electron microscope photograph of iron crystals which grow in a small vug or cavity in a recrystallized breccia (fragmented rock) from the Apollo 15 Hadley-Apennino lunar landing site.

Magnified view of iron crystals

Scanning Electron Microscope View of Iron Crystal

Lunar Orbiter 4 image of the Moon centered on the Mare Orientale Basin. The outermost circle of the "bull's eye" is the Cordillera Mountain scarp, almost 900 kilometers in diameter.

Image of moon with large basin in center

Lunar Orbiter 4 Image of the Moon

The scenes in the video are so dramatic that you may find yourself reaching out to pick up a rock and becoming restless to walk among the lunar peaks.

Video about the lunar surface and its exploration

From the Earth to the Moon

Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr., prime crew commander of the Apollo 14 mission, uses a trenching tool during a simulation of a traverse on the lunar surface.

Astronaut digs during traverse simulation

Apollo XIV – Geology Training – Hawaii

From lunar orbit, astronauts pointed cameras out the window of their spacecraft to capture photos of the moon's surface.

Surface of the Moon

The Moon's Surface

A lunar eclipse photographed on Oct. 8, 2014.

The 363-feet tall Apollo (Spacecraft 112/Lunar Module 10/Saturn 510) space vehicle which leaves the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC).

View of Apollo 15 space vehicle

View of Apollo 15 Space Vehicle Leaving VAB to Pad A, Launch Complex 39

The lunar terminator—the divide between sunlight and darkness on the Moon—is sharp in this amateur photo of the Moon.

Image of the Moon divided by stark shadow.

Moon Terminator

Apollo 8 Astronaut James Lovell, Command Module (CM) pilot of the first manned Saturn V space flight into Lunar orbit, accepted a phone call from the U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson prior to launc...

Man smiling and holding phone up to ear

Saturn Apollo Program

Apollo 12 astronaut Alan L. Bean examines the robotic Surveyor 3 spacecraft on the Moon.

Black and white image of astronaut standing next to robotic lander on the surface of the Moon.

Man and Machine

A front view of the Apollo 14 Lunar Module (LM), which reflects a circular flare caused by the brilliant sun, as seen by the two moon-exploring crew men of the Apollo 14 lunar landing mission durin...

Lunar module on the moon

View of Apollo 14 Lunar Module on the Moon

The Bailey's Beads effect is seen as the Moon makes its final move over the Sun during the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017.

bright glowing "beads" at the edge of the Moon as the Moon nearly completely covers the Sun

Not everyone gets to become a part of history, but mathematician Billie Robertson is one of the lucky ones.

Woman sitting at desk holding telephone and pencil

Running a Real-Time Simulation of Go-No-Go for Apollo 17

At the end of the last Apollo 15 moon walk, Commander David Scott (pictured above) performed a live demonstration for the television cameras.

Video of astronaut on moon demonstrating hammer and feather falling at same rate

The Apollo 15 Hammer-Feather Drop

Earth's Moon as seen from the Cassini spacecraft on its way to Saturn.

close view of the Moon's rugged surface

The Moon as Seen from Cassini

In 1994, during its flight, the Clementine spacecraft returned images of the Moon.

In this picture the Moon is seen illuminated solely by light reflected from the Earth

Clementine Observes the Moon, Solar Corona, and Venus

Featured are the standup EVA, the three traverses of the lunar surface, film taken from the Lunar Rover, hammer and feather test of Galileo's theory on falling objects in gravity fields, Worden...

Documentary on Apollo 15

Apollo 15: In the Mountains of the Moon

This photograph of a nearly full moon was taken from the Apollo 8 spacecraft on Dec. 22, 1968.

nearly full moon, with some far side features visible

Nearly Full Moon from Apollo 8

The Command and Service Module (CSM) for Apollo 11 move from 134 work stand and final mate to service-module-to-launch-module adapter (SLA).

Apollo 11 Command and Service Module

A view from Apollo 13 of the lunar farside showing the crater Tsiolkovsky.

large lunar crater filled with dark, solidified lava

Crater Tsiolkovsky from Apollo 13

A view of the Apollo 9 Lunar Module (LM), "Spider", in a lunar landing configuration, as photographed from the Command and Service Modules (CSM) on the fifth day of the Apollo 9 Earth-orb...

Apollo 9 Lunar Module in space with Earth in the background

Apollo 9 Lunar Module in Lunar Landing Configuration

Astronaut David R. Scott, right, commander of the Apollo 15 mission, gets a close look at the sample referred to as "Genesis rock."

Astronaut David R. Scott, right, commander of the Apollo 15 mission, gets a close look at the sample referred to as "Genesis rock."

This view of the rising Earth greeted the Apollo 8 astronauts as they came from behind the moon after the lunar orbit insertion burn.

This view of the rising Earth greeted the Apollo 8 astronauts as they came from behind the moon after the lunar orbit insertion burn.

A view of the Apollo 11 lunar module "Eagle" as it returned from the surface of the Moon to dock with the command module "Columbia".

A view of the Apollo 11 lunar module "Eagle" as it returned from the surface of the moon to dock with the command module "Columbia".

The three crew members of Apollo 8 were the first humans to leave Earth orbit and the first to travel around the Moon.

Trio of men in spacesuits walking down a hall.

Apollo 8: First Humans to Leave Earth Orbit

High Oblique photograph (taken over New Mexico) of the Apollo 9 Command/Service Modules taken from the Lunar Module,"Spider",on the fifth day of the Apollo 9 earth-orbital mission.

Apollo 9 command module in space with Earth in background

Apollo 9 Mission Image - Command Module

The Apollo 14 Command Module (CM) splashes down and two of its three main parachutes can be seen collapsing, as the 10-day mission comes to a safe and successful end.

Apollo 14 command module lands in the ocean

Apollo 14 Command Module Approaches Touchdown in South Pacific Ocean

A view of the severely damaged Apollo 13 Service Module.

spacecraft with visible damage to its structure

The Apollo 11 Command and Service Modules are photographed from the Lunar Module.

reflective metal spacecraft above the cratered lunar surface

Apollo 11 Command and Service Modules

Astronauts: James A. McDivitt, David R. Scott, and Russell L. Schweickart Stresses the testing of the Lunar Module, the spacecraft that will land men on the Moon. Featured are sequences of launch, ...

Documentary about Apollo 9

Apollo 9 - Three To Make Ready (1969)

The Moon's Hell Q crater, as imaged by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) camera aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft, which is now studying the Moon.

sharply defined crater

These four images were the first taken by the Ranger 8 P-series cameras.

Four images of the moon's surface

Four Images of Davy Crater Chain and Ptolemaeus Crater From 1300 Km

Astronauts James A. Lovell Jr. (left) commander, and Fred W. Haise Jr., lunar module pilot, carry out a simulation of a lunar traverse at Kilauea, Hawaii, site.

Two men performing simulation of lunar traverse

Astronauts Lovell and Haise During Simulation of Lunar Traverse at Hawaii

The Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission ended on 17 December 2012 when the two spacecraft GRAIL A (Ebb) and GRAIL B (Flow) impacted the Moon.

Collection of images showing impact marks of two spacecraft that impacted the moon.

GRAIL Impact Sites

Footage of the recovery of the Apollo 8 crew

Video of Apollo 8 crew recovery

Apollo 8 Recovery

Hardware and trails created by astronaut footsteps at the Apollo 11 landing site in Mare Tranquillitatis, as seen by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Black and white image of the moon from orbit with small lines showing path walked by Apollo 11 astronauts.

Apollo 11 Landing Site

A view of the Apollo 15 Command and Service Modules (CSM) in lunar orbit as photographed from the Lunar Module (LM) just after rendezvous.

Apollo 15 in lunar orbit

View of the Apollo 15 Command/Service Module in Lunar Orbit

The Apollo 12 Lunar Module (LM), in a lunar landing configuration, is photographed in lunar orbit from the Command and Service Modules (CSM).

The Apollo 12 Lunar Module in lunar orbit

Apollo 12 Lunar Module, in Landing Configuration, Photographed in Lunar Orbit

The Apollo 10 astronauts Thomas P. Stafford (center), John W. Young (left) and Eugene A. Cernan (waving) are greeted by Donald E. Stullken (lower left) of the Manned Space Center's (MSC) recove...

3 astronauts standing outside helicopter

Recovery - Apollo 10

A distorted view of a full Moon intersecting Earth's horizon, as seen from the International Space Station.

moon at horizon seen through blue hazy atmosphere

Moon as Seen from ISS

Ranger 8 camera B image of the Moon about 5 seconds before impact.

Image of the Sea of Tranquillity on the moon

Sea of Tranquillity on the Moon From 11 Km, 5 Seconds Before Impact

A lunar boulder studied by Apollo 14 astronauts.

large, white, broken boulder with geologist hammer

Replicas of Snoopy and Charlie Brown, the two characters from Charles Schulz's syndicated comic strip, "Peanuts," decorate the top of a console in the Mission Operations Control Room ...

Replicas of Snoopy and Charlie Brown on mission control console

Replicas of Snoopy and Charlie Brown Decorate Top of Console in MCC

Lunar Orbiter 1 new of the Moon and crescent Earth. This is the first good image of the Earth taken from the vicinity of the Moon, 380,000 km away.

View of Earth from the moon

First View of Earth From the Moon and Oblique View of the Lunar Surface

Lunar Orbiter 1 image of Taruntius crater on the Moon.

Photo of crater on the moon

Taruntius Crater on the Moon

Framed by palm trees in the foreground, the Apollo 9 (Spacecraft 104/Lunar Module 3/ Saturn 504) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC) at 11 a.m. (EST)...

Launch of Apollo 9, framed by palm trees

Launch – Apollo 9 – Cape

The moon’s famous Tycho crater, as seen at a low angle by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Tycho is about 53 miles (85 kilometers) in diameter, and its central peak rises more than 6562 feet...

Black and white image of mountains in a crater on the Moon.

Tycho Crater Oblique View

Astronaut David R. Scott, commander, standing on the slope of Hadley Delta, uses a 70mm camera during Apollo 15 extravehicular activity (EVA) on the lunar surface.

Astronaut photographing the lunar surface

Astronaut David Scott on Slope of Hadley Delta During Apollo 15 EVA

Includes the early problem of docking the Command and Lunar Modules, landing on the Moon, experiments package, climb up Cone Crater, onboard experiments, scenes in the NASA JSC's Lunar Receivin...

Documentary on Apollo 14

Apollo 14: Mission to Fra Mauro

The Apollo 14 crew men show off some of the largest of the lunar rocks which they brought back from the moon during a through-the-glass meeting with news men in the Crew Reception Area of the Lunar...

Group of men examining moon rocks

Apollo 14 Crewmen Show Off Lunar Rocks During Meeting With Newsmen

Four views of the Moon constructed from images taken by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

four full-disc views of the moon

Four Sides of the Moon

Pictured from left to right, the Apollo 9 astronauts, James A. McDivitt, David R. Scott, and Russell L. Schweickart, pause in front of the Apollo/Saturn V space vehicle that would launch the Apollo...

Three astronauts, one holding American flag, with Apollo 9 spacecraft in background

Saturn Apollo Program

Astronaut Alan L. Bean, lunar module pilot for the Apollo 12 mission, starts down the ladder of the Lunar Module (LM) to join astronaut Charles Conrad Jr., mission commander, in extravehicular acti...

Astronaut climbing down ladder from lunar module on the moon

Apollo 12 Mission Image – Dark View of Astronaut Alan L. Bean Climbing Down the Ladder of the Lunar Module (LM)

Three images of Tycho crater and its central peak, located at 43 S, 11 W, on the Moon.

Three images of a crater

UV/Visible Composite Images of Tycho Crater on the Moon

Image of Surveyor 1's shadow against the lunar surface in the late lunar afternoon.

Black and white image of shadow of spacecraft on the surface of the Moon.

Surveyor 1 Shadow

Topography of Earth's moon generated from data collected by the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter, aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, with the gravity anomalies bordering the Procellar...

Image showing topography of the moon

Gravity Gradients Frame Oceanus Procellarum

Apollo 17's Gene Cernan drives the lunar roving vehicle during the early part of the first moonwalk at the Taurus-Littrow landing site. The Lunar Module is in the background.

Man in moon buggy on the Moon.

Apollo 17: Gene Cernan in Lunar Roving Vehicle

Moonrise over Washington, D.C.

The moon is seen as it rises over Washington, D.C.

Moonrise over Washington, D.C.

The Moon's Giordano Bruno crater, as seen by Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

deep crater on the Moon

Giordano Bruno Crater

A mosaic of images from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter centered on the Moon's Orientale basin.

A mosaic of images from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter centered on the Moon's Orientale basin.

Orientale Basin

This view of Earth was photographed by the Apollo 15 crewmen as they sped toward the fourth lunar landing.

Image of Earth from Apollo 15

View of Earth Photographed by Apollo 15 on Voyage to the Moon

In this image by Lunar Orbiter 1, we view the Moon with the Earth rising to the right.

In this image by Lunar Orbiter 1, we view the Moon with the Earth rising to the right.

Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr., commander of the Apollo 14 lunar landing mission, stands near a Lunar Landing Training Vehicle (LLTV) prior to a test flight at Ellington Air Force Base, Houston, on ...

Astronaut standing next to training vehicle

Astronaut Alan Shepard Near Lunar Landing Training Vehicle Prior to Test

A young moon (early in the lunar phase cycle) photographed on Jan. 3, 2014.

thin crescent moon in dark blue sky and clouds

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured a dramatic view of Jackson crater on the Moon's farside.

Rocky terrain of Jackson Crater

Central Peak of Jackson Crater

The huge, 363-feet tall Apollo 17 (Spacecraft 114/Lunar Module 12/Saturn 512) space vehicle is launched from Pad A., Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida, at 12:33 a.m. (EST), Dec...

Apollo 17 launch illuminates nighttime scene

Apollo 17 Launch

Apollo 17 astronaut Eugene Cernan standing near the lunar rover.

astronaut standing on the lunar surface by flag and rover

Gene Cernan on the Moon

This small, unnamed crater displays a beautiful ejecta pattern resembling a starburst. Looking at this image you can almost imagine the shower of ejecta falling to the ground. The pattern formed ou...

Black and white image showing a spray of impact debris from a moon crater.

Astronaut John Young, who walked on the Moon during Apollo 16 and commanded the first space shuttle mission, has passed away at the age of 87.

Memorial video about astronaut John Young

NASA Remembers Astronaut John Young, Moonwalker and First Shuttle Commander

Searchlights penetrate the darkness surrounding Apollo 8 on Pad 39-A at Kennedy Space Center.

Searchlights illuminate the Apollo 8 spacecraft at night

Saturn Apollo Program

This NASA video details the first journey of men around the moon.

Documentary about Apollo 8

The Flight of Apollo 8

Relief Map of the Moon's South Pole–Aitken basin

color-coded map of heavily-cratered terrain

Color Shaded Relief Map of the Moon's South Polar Region

Apollo 7 lifts off from Cape Kennedy Launch Complex 34 at 11:03 A.M., EDT.

Liftoff of Apollo 7

Apollo 7 Launch

The Apollo 9 spacecraft, with astronauts James A. McDivitt, David R. Scott, and Russell L. Schweickart aboard, approaches touchdown in the Atlantic recovery area to conclude a successful 10-day Ear...

Apollo 9 spacecraft approaching splashdown with parachutes deployed

Photo - Apollo/Saturn (A/S)-11 - 500 Ft. Above Water - Chutes Deployed

This photograph was taken from the Apollo 8 spacecraft with long-focal length lens, looking south at the large crater Goclenius, which is in foreground.

Craters on the moon

View of Goclenius and Other Craters

A brilliant full Moon rises over the Launch Complex 39 area at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Full moon against a black sky

Full Moon at Kennedy Space Center

The western rim of Jackson crater floats out of the shadows in this oblique view of the prominent farside crater, as seen by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter on April 28, 2016.

Black and white image of ridge emerging from shadows on the Moon.

Jackson Emerges

Apollo 17 astronaut Jack Schmitt with the U.S. flag and the Earth in the sky.

Apollo 17 astronaut Jack Schmitt with the U.S. flag and the Earth in the sky.

A Flag Points Home

These three astronauts are the prime crew of the Apollo 15 lunar landing mission.

Portrait of three astronauts

Apollo 15 Prime Crew Portrait

A partially illuminated Earth rises above the lunar horizon in this photograph taken from the Apollo 12 spacecraft.

crescent Earth seen in the far distance over the lunar horizon

Earth as Seen by Apollo 12

A shock of color on the Moon! The Lassell Massif (a so-called "red spot") in Mare Nubium appears orange in the center of this color composite image from the Wide Angle Camera aboard NASA&...

lunar surface with craters, seen from above

Color of the Lassell Massif

An amazing spacecraft gently settled to the lunar surface on 17 November 1970. It carried the first successful robotic lunar rover -- Lunokhod 1.

Black and white image of a rover.

Bright Venus seen near the crescent Moon on July 15, 2018.

Bright dot of Venus seen near the crescent Moon in a deep blue sky

Crescent and Venus

The Apollo 13 (Spacecraft 109/Lunar Module 7/Saturn 508) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), at 2:13 p.m. (EST), April 11, 1970.

Launch of Apollo 13

Food Lab - Technician - MSC

Four Ranger 8 Camera P images taken on 20 February 1965 from a distance of 20 km about 9 seconds before impact on the Moon.

Four images of the moon's surface

Mare Tranquillitatis From 20 Km, 9 Seconds Before Impact

The expended Saturn S-IVB stage as photographed from the Apollo 7 spacecraft during transposition and docking maneuvers at an approximate altitude of 125 nautical miles, at ground elapsed time of t...

Saturn S-7B stage in space with Earth in background

Apollo 7/S-IVB Rendezvous in Space

Astronaut John W. Young, Apollo 10 command module pilot, adjusts strap on his communications cap during suiting up operations for the lunar orbit mission.

Astronaut adjusting strap on cap

Astronaut John Young During Final Suiting Operations for Apollo 10 Mission

Wall of unnamed crater located on the far side of the moon.

Wall of unnamed crater located on the far side of the moon.

Crater On the Far Side

During the Apollo 15 launch activities in the launch control center's firing room 1 at Kennedy Space Center, Dr. Wernher von Braun, NASA's Deputy Associate Administrator for planning, takes...

Man looking through binoculars

Wernher von Braun

Young unnamed crater located within Mare Fecunditatis.

Young unnamed crater located within Mare Fecunditatis.

A spectacular high sun view of a pit crater in Mare Tranquillitatis as seen by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, revealing boulders on an otherwise smooth floor. Scientists estimate the depth ...

Black and white image of deep crater on the moon.

The far side of the Moon, illuminated by the Sun, as it crosses between the DISCOVR spacecraft and the Earth.

Moon Crosses in Front of Earth

A full moon rising over Launch Complex 34 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, on September 16th 2016

moon rising over concrete structure

Launch Complex 34

Ranger 7 was the first U.S. mission to successfully impact the moon. This was one of more than 4,300 images sent back during the flyby.

Black and white image of craters on the moon.

Ranger 7: Moon Close Up

A member of the Apollo 10 crew is hoisted up to a helicopter from the prime recovery ship, USS Princeton. Splashdown occurred at 11:53 a.m., May 26, 1969, about 400 miles east of American Samoa.

Helicopter lifting astronaut from recovery capsule over Pacific ocean

Navy Helicopter - Recovery - Apollo X Astronauts - Pacific

The Apollo 9 (Spacecraft 104/Lunar Module 3/ Saturn 504) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC) at 11 a.m. (EST), March 3, 1969.

Launch of Apollo 9 space vehicle

Launch – Apollo 9 – Cape

This false-color photograph is a composite of 15 images of the Moon.

Rainbow colored Moon.

The Apollo 8 Crew included (L to R) James Lovell, Command Module (CM) pilot; William Anders, Lunar Module (LM) Pilot; and Frank Borman, Commander.

Crew of Apollo 8 mission

Saturn Apollo Program

Apollo 8 astronauts and commanding officer of the recovery ship U.S.S. Yorktown walk the red carpet of the flight deck after splashdown recovery in the Pacific Ocean.

Group of men walking with American flag flying behind them

Saturn Apollo Program

Eastern rim of Dionysius crater.

Eastern rim of Dionysius crater.

Dionysius Crater

Ranger 8 image of the Moon from 302 km.

Two large craters on the moon

Ritter and Sabine Craters on the Moon

A close-up view of a footpad and surface sampler with scoop (arm, out of frame) on the Surveyor 3 spacecraft which was photographed by the Apollo 12 astronauts during their second extravehicular ac...

Close-up of the footpad of Surveyor 3 on lunar surface

Apollo 12 Mission Image – View of the Surveyor III Craft, Which Landed April 19, 1967

Silent video of the Apollo 8 Saturn V rocket launching into orbit

Silent video of Apollo 8 launch

Apollo 8 Airborne Tracking

Moonrise over the Syr Darya river.

Moonrise over the Syr Darya river.

Moonrise Over the Syr Darya River

Gerald D. Griffin, foreground, stands near his console in the Mission Operations Control Room (MOCR) during Apollo 15's third extravehicular activity (EVA) on the lunar surface.

Apollo 15 flight director standing in Mission Control Center

View of Activity in Mission Control Center During Apollo 15 EVA

A lunar eclipse photographed on April 14, 2014.

full moon half covered with Earth's shadow

In October 1959, the Soviet Union's Luna 3 spacecraft took the first photo of the farside of the Moon - a region never before seen by human eyes.

Fuzzy black and white image of the Moon.

First Photo of the Lunar Farside

Katherine Johnson and other "Human Computers" played an integral role in the early days of America's space program.

Video about Katherine Johnson, one of NASA's "human computers"

Hidden Figures and Katherine Johnson

A close-up view of a portion of a "relatively fresh" crater, looking southeast, as photographed during the third Apollo 15 lunar surface extravehicular activity (EVA), on Aug. 2, 1971, at...

View from surface of lunar crater

View of Portion of “Relatively Fresh” Crater As Photographed by Apollo 15

The near side of the Moon.

full moon in detail

The Near Side of the Moon

The Passive Seismic Experiment was the first seismometer placed on the Moon’s surface.

Color image of astronaut with scientific equipment on the moon.

Apollo 11 Seismic Experiment

The historic first landing of men on the Moon in July, 1969.

Documentary on Apollo 11

First Men on the Moon: Apollo 11: The Eagle Has Landed

This lunar farside rayed crater imaged by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is named after planetary scientist Elisabetta “Betty” Pierazzo (1963-2011).

view of round, deep lunar crater

Luminous Pierazzo Crater

Flight controllers in the Mission Operations Control Room (MOCR) of the Mission Control Center (MCC) view a colorful display which signals the successful splashdown and recovery of the crew of the ...

Mission control display monitors show "Welcome Home" message

Flight Controllers in Mission Control Center During Splashdown of Apollo 14

Apollo 12 astronauts relax during a flight rehearsal in the Apollo mission simulator.

Three men in a space capsule.

Apollo 12 Crew Training

A high resolution topographic map of the Moon.

topographic map of the rugged lunar surface with bright colors representing altitudes

High Resolution Topographic Map of the Moon

Dr. Wernher von Braun, John Casani and Dr. James Van Allen inspect components of the Pioneer IV spacecraft on March 1, 1959.

Black and white image of three men holding a small, conical spacecraft.

Pioneers and Pioneer IV

Earth appears in the far distant background above the hi-gain antenna of the Lunar Roving Vehicle in this photograph taken by scientist-astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt during the third Apollo 17 extr...

Astronaut on moon holding antenna with Earth in the background

View of Earth Above the Antenna of the Lunar Roving Vehicle During EVA

A full Moon photographed on Jan. 19, 2011.

full moon rising over mountains in a purple sky

Full Moon Over the Mountains

A color-coded relief map of Linné crater, 1.4 mile (2.2 km) in diameter, created from a stereo topographic model created with Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter data. The colors represent elevatio...

Color enhanced view of Linne crater on the Moon.

Barnstorming Linné Crater

Dunned in his space suit, mission commander Neil A. Armstrong does a final check of his communications system before before the boarding of the Apollo 11 mission.

Neil A. Armstrong in his spacesuit

Saturn Apollo Program

The Apollo 17 spacecraft, containing astronauts Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans, and Harrison H. Schmitt, glided to a safe splashdown at 2:25 p.m. EST on Dec. 19, 1972, 648 kilometers (350 nautic...

Apollo 17 module and parachutes landing over ocean

Apollo 17 Splashdown

A close-up view of a commemorative plaque left on the Moon at the Hadley-Apennine landing site in memory of 14 NASA astronauts and USSR cosmonauts.

A close-up view of a commemorative plaque left on the Moon at the Hadley-Apennine landing site.

The Taurus-Littrow valley, a geologic exploration target for Apollo 17 and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera. The center latitude is 20.15°N, center longitude 30.98°E. The image is ab...

lunar surface with craters and hills

Taurus-Littrow Valley

Man's second journey to the Moon is for science. The first EVA includes setting up Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP) for the return of scientific data. The second EVA includes a ...

Documentary on Apollo 12

Apollo 12: Pinpoint for Science

Earth and its Moon are nicely framed in this image taken from the aft windows of the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1998.

Earth and its Moon are nicely framed in this image taken from the aft windows of the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1998.

The Statue of Freedom atop the U.S. Capitol Dome is seen in silouette in front of a supermoon on Monday, Nov. 14, 2016.

The Statue of Freedom atop the U.S. Capitol Dome is seen in silouette in front of a supermoon

Silhouette in Front of a Supermoon

Final pictures taken by the Ranger 8 P-camera about 1/2 second before impact.

Four images of the moon's surface

Final Ranger 8 Pictures Taken 1/2 Second Before Impact

The rising Earth above the lunar horizon as seen from the Apollo 8 spacecraft.

blue Earth against a black sky above the barren lunar surface

The rising Earth as seen by Apollo 8

A NASA spacecraft captures images of the moon that verge on cosmic art.

A NASA spacecraft captures images of the moon that verge on cosmic art.

A total solar eclipse is seen on Monday, August 21, 2017 as the Moon passed in front of the Sun as seen from Earth.

sun blocked by moon in total eclipse, with just corona visible

The Moon Blocks the Sun

Photomosaic of lunar panorama near the Tycho crater taken by Surveyor 7. The hills on the center horizon are about eight miles away from the spacecraft.

View of crater from the surface of the moon

Photomosaic of Tycho Crater - Surveyor 7

The crew of the International Space Station snapped this image of the full Moon on April 30, 2018, as the station orbited off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. The station orbits 220 mil...

full moon rising over blue atmosphere and ocean

Full Moon Over Newfoundland

The moon is seen as it rises over the Capitol, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016 in Washington, D.C.

Supermoon over the Capitol

Supermoon Over the Capitol

Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, lunar module pilot, walks on the surface of the Moon.

astronaut on the surface of the Moon, next to a lander leg of the lunar module

Buzz Aldrin on the Moon

The expended Saturn IVB stage as photographed from the Apollo 7 spacecraft during transposition and docking maneuvers.

Saturn 7B stage in orbit with Earth in background

Apollo 7/S-IVB Rendezvous in Space

Apollo 15 lunar module pilot Jim Irwin loading the lunar rover.

astronaut loading gear into lunar rover near lunar module

Loading the Rover

An aircraft taking off from Ronald Reagan National Airport is seen passing in front of the Moon as it rises, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017 in Washington—the first of three consecutive supermoons.

Jet airliner passing in front of the moon.

Supermoon: Airliner

Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot, is photographed during the Apollo 11 extravehicular activity (EVA) on the lunar surface.

Astronaut and lunar module on surface of moon

Apollo 11 Mission Image – Astronaut Edwin Aldrin

The approximately 250,000-mile journey from Earth to the moon took Apollo astronauts about three days.

Journey to the Moon

This montage depicts the flight crew patches for the manned Apollo 7 thru Apollo 17 missions.

Montage of Apollo mission badges

Saturn Apollo Program

Apollo 17 mission commander Gene Cernan inside the lunar module on the Moon

dusty astronaut with helmet removed inside spacecraft

Gene Cernan in the Lunar Module

United States President Richard M. Nixon was in the central Pacific recovery area to welcome the Apollo 11 astronauts aboard the USS Hornet, prime recovery ship for the historic Apollo 11 lunar lan...

Richard Nixon greeting the three Apollo 11 astronauts

President Nixon - Welcome - Apollo XI Astronauts - USS Hornet

The mountain Zeeman mons rises more than 24,500 ft (7,570 m) above the floor of Zeeman crater on the Moon.

mountain and craters on lunar surface

Mountains of the Moon: Zeeman Mons

The Apollo 7 Saturn IB launched from the Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 34 at 11:03 a.m. October 11, 1968.

Apollo 7 spacecraft launching with large antenna in foreground

Apollo 7 Launches on October 11, 1968

Scientist-astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt standing next to a huge, split lunar boulder at the Taurus-Littrow landing site.

Astronaut and rover on the Moon

The five F-1 engines of the huge Apollo/Saturn V space vehicle's first (S-IC) stage leave a gigantic trail of flame in the sky above the Kennedy Space Center seconds after liftoff.

Flame trailing from Apollo 6 spacecraft

F-1 Engines of Apollo/Saturn V First Stage Leave Trail of Flame After Liftoff

Depicts the dramatic voyage of Apollo 13. The most serious accident to occur in space changed the mission from a routine lunar landing to a desperate fight for crew survival.

Documentary on Apollo 13

Apollo 13: Houston, We've Got a Problem

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured a unique view of Earth from the spacecraft's vantage point in orbit around the Moon.

colorful earth rising over barren lunar landscape

The Moon is seen as it sets behind the National Capitol Columns at the US National Arboretum on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018 in Washington.

Moon rising over trees.

Super Blue Blood Moon

A view of the Moon's largest impact feature, the South Pole–Aitken basin, based on images from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

the heavily-cratered south polar region of Earth's Moon

The Moon's Largest Basin

A full Moon rising on March 15, 2014.

full moon rising over purple mountains during sunset

Full Moon Rising

Astronaut Eugene A. Cernan (left), lunar module pilot of the Apollo 10 lunar orbit mission, confers with astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. during an Apollo 10 postflight de-briefing session. Aldrin is ...

2 men looking at a sheet of paper

Apollo X - Crew Training

Equipped with handheld cameras, Apollo astronauts documented their journey, capturing photos of the moon and its rocky terrain.

Image of rocky terrain on the Moon with Earth in the background

From Earth to the Moon

Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr., commander of the Apollo 14 lunar landing mission, stands by the deployed United States flag on the lunar surface during the early moments of the first extravehicular ...

Astronaut holding American flag on the moon

Astronaut Alan Shepard During Apollo 14 EVA on the Moon

A detailed look at the floor of the Moon's Anaxagoras crater

shadowy depths and brightly-illuminated rocks on the Moon

The Floor of Anaxagoras Crater

Apollo 10 westward view across Apollo Landing Site 3 in the Central Bay.

Apollo 10 View Across Apollo Landing Site 3 in the Central Bay

Astronaut Russell L. Schweickart, lunar module pilot, stands in "golden slippers" on the Lunar Module porch during his extravehicular activity on the fourth day of the Apollo 9 Earth-orbi...

Astronaut in space

Astronaut Russell Schweickart Photographed During EVA

View of Astronaut David R.Scott ,Apollo 9 Command Module pilot, inside the Command Module "Gumdrop" during the Apollo 9 earth-orbital mission.

Astronaut in main cabin of Apollo 9 Command Module

Apollo 9 Mission Image - Scott in CM Cabin

Astronaut James A. Lovell Jr., commander of the Apollo 13 lunar landing mission, pauses for a quick photo while training for the Apollo 13 mission.

Portrait of astronaut James A. Lovell, Jr.

Portrait - Astronaut James A. Lovell Jr.

Dunned in his space suit, Lunar Module pilot Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr. does a final check of his communications system before the boarding of the Apollo 11 mission.

Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr. in his space suit

Saturn Apollo Program

A series of commemorative stamps celebrating Luna 16, the first robotic sample return mission. Luna 16 collected 3.7 ounces (105 grams) of lunar soil in September 1970 and returned it to Earth.

Color image of three stamps depicting a spacecraft exploring the lunar surface.

A crescent Moon sets near a mountain on March 12, 2013.

Moon and thin clouds above a single mountain summit

Crescent Moon and Mountain

The Apollo 14 Lunar Module ascent stage lifts off the lunar surface.

scattering gear on the gray surface below

This image of the Moon was obtained as the Galileo spacecraft passed the Earth and was able to view the lunar surface from a vantage point not possible from the Earth.

Image of the Moon as the Galileo spacecraft passed the Earth

Far Side of the Moon

The Apollo 11 Lunar Module Eagle, in a landing configuration was photographed in lunar orbit from the Command and Service Module Columbia.

Lunar landing module above the Moon.

The Eagle Prepares to Land

Impact melt forms a swirled feature in Giordano Bruno crater.

swirl of solidified melted rock

Giordano Bruno Whorl

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