The Apollo 16 space vehicle was launched from
Kennedy Space Center on April 16, 1972. The crew
consisted of Captain John W. Young, commander; Lt.
Commander Thomas K. Mattingly II, Command Module
pilot; and Lt. Colonel Charles M. Duke Jr., Lunar
Module pilot.
A number of experiments were deployed and two
impressive landmarks, Stone Mountain and the North
Ray crater, visited. Samples taken from the rim of
North Ray crater later proved to be bedrock thrown
up from the meteorite impact that had created it.
Three moon walks with
lunar surface activities totaling 20 hours and
17 minutes were accomplished by Young and Duke. The
crew remained on the lunar surface for a total of
about 71 hours. After lunar liftoff, the Lunar
Module rendezvoused with the Command Module and
Mattingly.
When the crew returned to orbit, tensions rose as it
was discovered that a faulty engine on Casper, the
Command Module, had to fire. The module was taken
around the far side of the Moon where the burn would
take place as Mission Control waited for news.
The burn had the desired effect as the astronauts
re-established radio contact, and entry and landing
proceeded as normal.
