NASA ID: 72PC-0177, GPN-2000-000638
Date: 04/16/72
The Apollo 16 Saturn V space vehicle carrying astronauts John W. Young, Thomas K.
Mattingly II, and Charles M. Duke, Jr., lifted off to the Moon at 12:54 p.m. EST
April 16, 1972, from the Kennedy Space Centers Launch Complex 39A.
The 12-day mission is designed to gather additional information about the moons
environment, supplementing data returned by four previous crews that have
explored the lunar surface. Astronauts Young and Duke are scheduled to descend in
a lunar module to the Moons Descartes area April 20th, which they will explore
during three planned extravehicular activities spanning approximately 21 hours.
Young and duke will drive the lunar roving vehicle about 25.6 kilometers (16
miles), deploy scientific experiments, photograph lunar landmarks and return soil
and rock speciments for analysis on Earth.
Mattingly will conduct experiments in lunar orbit while preparing the command
service module for the return trip home during the three days he will spend alone
in lunar orbit. Splashdown is scheduled to take place at 3:30 p.m. EST April
28th, in the Central Pacific just north of Christmas Island.
