Daily Archives: April 23, 2012

Apollo 16 crew completes linkup; Moon explorers headed for home 40 years ago this hour (1972)


Video: Apollo 16 on Apr. 23, 1972 (at 19:31)

(Sunday, April 23, 1972, 10:35 p.m. EST)Apollo 16 explorers rocketed away from the Moon today at 8:26 p.m. EST and sped into Moon orbit with rocks geologists believe were formed by early lunar volcanoes, thus achieving their primary goal. The men then linked with the command ship at 10:35 p.m. EST and began preparing for the long trip home.

Earlier in the day, John W. Young and Charles M. Duke, Jr., conducted a third and final expedition on the lunar surface for 5 hours and 40 minutes, driving their Moon buggy at a speed of 11 miles per hour.