The Ever-Changing Moon

The title is purposefully ironic. The Moon does not change, but our understanding of it does. The people and mission of Apollo 16 teach us a great deal about our celestial neighbor.

After accomplishing President Kennedy's challenge of a lunar landing, NASA places more emphasis on science. John Young, Ken Mattingly, and Charlie Duke are assigned to Apollo 16, the first mission to a mountainous region. Exploration of the lunar highlands is vital for answering long-lasting questions about the Moon.

Mechanical issues jeopardize the mission less than an hour before the scheduled landing. Are years of training for naught, or rewarded by rich discovery? Enjoy the ambition, humor, and skill of astronauts and engineers as they seek to advance our knowledge of the Moon through the 1972 mission of Apollo 16.