Explanation: 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.
I have often wondered why we have put so much emphasis upon a manned trip to Mars with little said about a more developed lunar station. Is there a reason I have missed?
NCTom wrote: ↑Thu Apr 21, 2022 12:45 pm
I have often wondered why we have put so much emphasis upon a manned trip to Mars with little said about a more developed lunar station. Is there a reason I have missed?
Well that would depend on who "we" are. I naturally assumed based on the subject of today's APOD that "we" is American. That is not necessarily so. "We" could be if you are Chinese. China has already announced that they will land a crewed spaceship on the Moon, and now they have announced that they plan to land a crewed ship on Mars by 2033. The reason being the old space race. The USA is first in history of landing on the Moon. China plans to be first on landing an astronaut on Mars.
I have often wondered why we have put so much emphasis upon a manned trip to Mars with little said about a more developed lunar station. Is there a reason I have missed?
Manned trips to ANYWHERE are difficult to impossible. Unless we take nuclear to the Moon (unlikely) the base must be at a pole, where solar power is available 24/7. I think the whole thing is not worth doing at all.
The colors are so vivid and the picture is so well composed that at first I thought it was a painting by Robert McCall.
And the Moon is welcome to Earth Day, I say. Hey, it used to be part of the Earth. And if we all keep trying, we can make the Earth look like the Moon.
NCTom wrote: ↑Thu Apr 21, 2022 12:45 pm
I have often wondered why we have put so much emphasis upon a manned trip to Mars with little said about a more developed lunar station. Is there a reason I have missed?
Well that would depend on who "we" are. I naturally assumed based on the subject of today's APOD that "we" is American. That is not necessarily so. "We" could be if you are Chinese. China has already announced that they will land a crewed spaceship on the Moon, and now they have announced that they plan to land a crewed ship on Mars by 2033. The reason being the old space race. The USA is first in history of landing on the Moon. China plans to be first on landing an astronaut on Mars.
Apollo 16 Moon Panorama
