Florida Space Coast History Collection

Apollo 11 Liftoff

Apollo 11 was the first space mission where humans set foot on another celestial body, the Moon. Launched from Launch Pad 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida, on July 16, 1969, the Apollo 11 fired the third stage…

Space Shuttle Discovery Launch for STS-103

The Space Shuttle Discovery launched on mission STS-103 from Pad 39B at John F. Kennedy Space Center, to service the Hubble Space Telescope. The nighttime is a spectacular backdrop to the beginning of the mission. The Space Shuttle was meant as a…

Space Shuttle Discovery Launch for STS-95

The Space Shuttle Discovery launching for STS-95 mission from Launch Pad 39B at John F. Kennedy Space Center, in Merritt Island, Florida, with research payloads. The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic…

View of the Moon from Earth's Orbit

The Moon seen through the edge of Earth's atmosphere from a Space Shuttle in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic rockets used to launch manned spacecraft in the 1960s and 1970s.…

Solid Rocket Motor, Qualification Motor-6 Static Test

As a result of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, primary contractor Morton Thiokol redesigned the solid rocket boosters for the shuttle. This photograph features a static test of the redesigned rocket booster for flight qualification and was…

Space Shuttle Columbia Lifts Off Into Space

The Space Shuttle Columbia launching from Launch Complex 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida. The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic rockets used to launch manned spacecraft…

Landing of STS-56 Space Shuttle Discovery

The Space Shuttle Discovery landing at the Shuttle Landing Facility at John F. Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida, on mission STS-56. The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic rockets used to…

Space Shuttle Discovery Launch for STS-26

For the STS-26 mission, the Space Shuttle Discovery launched from Launch Pad 39B at John F. Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida, with the main objective to deploy the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS-C). The Space Shuttle was meant…

Space Shuttle Atlantis Returning to Earth After Its First Mission

The Space Shuttle Atlantis touching down at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) in California after its initial mission. The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic rockets used to launch manned spacecraft in the 1960s…

Space Shuttle Columbia Launch

The launch of Space Shuttle Columbia from Launch Pad 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center on mission STS-9 on November 28, 1983. Also known as STS-41A and Spacelab 1, STS-9 was the first flight carrying the European Space Agency's (ESA) Spacelab. The…

Landing of STS-56 Space Shuttle Discovery

The Space Shuttle Discovery landing at the Shuttle Landing Facility at John F. Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida, on mission STS-56. The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic rockets used to…

Space Shuttle Discovery Launch for STS-26

For the STS-26 mission, the Space Shuttle Discovery launched from Launch Pad 39B at John F. Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida, with the main objective to deploy the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS-C). The Space Shuttle was meant…

Space Shuttle Atlantis Returning to Earth After Its First Mission

The Space Shuttle Atlantis touching down at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) in California after its initial mission. The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic rockets used to launch manned spacecraft in the 1960s…

Space Shuttle Columbia Launch

The launch of Space Shuttle Columbia from Launch Pad 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center on mission STS-9 on November 28, 1983. Also known as STS-41A and Spacelab 1, STS-9 was the first flight carrying the European Space Agency's (ESA) Spacelab. The…

Space Shuttle Discovery on Launch Pad 39A

On the evening prior to its maiden flight (STS-41D) on August 30, 1984, Space Shuttle Discovery on Launch Pad 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida. The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the…

Space Shuttle Enterprise on Launch Pad 39A

The Shuttle Enterprise being taken via crawler-transporter to John F. Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A for a facilities verification test. Enterprise was not used for space flight, but rather for a series of landing tests after being flown to…

Space Shuttle Enterprise Landing at Dryden Flight Research Center

The Space Shuttle Enterprise landing at Dryden Flight Research Center (present-day Armstrong Flight Research Center) at Palmdale, California. Enterprise was not used for space flight, but rather for a series of landing tests after being flown to…

Crew 1 and Crew 2 with Space Shuttle Enterprise

The first two crews for the Space Shuttle Enterprise during the Approach and Landing Tests. Photographed, from left to right, are Crew 1 Pilot C. Gordon Fullerton (1946-2013), Crew 1 Mission Commander Fred Haise (1933-), Crew 2 Mission Commander Joe…

Boeing 747 Transporting the Space Shuttle Columbia

The Space Shuttle Columbia, the first operational Space Shuttle, landing at the Shuttle Landing Facility of John F. Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida, atop a Boeing 747 transport airplane. The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable…

Space Shuttle Launch

The Space Shuttle was meant as a reusable alternative to the traditional ballistic rockets used to launch manned spacecraft in the 1960s and 1970s. From 1981 to 2011, when the fleet was retired, five shuttles were flown over 130 times. It was the…

Astronaut Neil Armstrong in Mobile Quarantine Facility

Mission Commander Neil Armstrong (1930-2012) playing the ukulele in the Mobile Quarantine Facility aboard the USS Hornet after the astronaut's recovery in the Pacific Ocean. Apollo 11 was the first space mission where humans set foot on another…

Apollo 13 Backup Astronaut John Young

Backup Apollo 13 Mission Commander John Young (1930-) practices scooping soil samples at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida. Apollo 13 was crewed by Mission Commander Jim Lovell (1928-) , Lunar Module Pilot Fred Haise…

Apollo 13 Crew with Launch Vehicle

What was supposed to be the crew of Apollo 13 consisting of Command Module Pilot Ken Mattingly (1936-), Lunar Module Pilot Fred Haise (1933-), and Mission Commander Jim Lovell (1928-) in front of the Saturn V after it was moved to Launch Pad 39A at…

Test of Launch Procedures for Apollo 13

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) personnel in the firing room of the Launch Control Center (LCC) at John F. Kennedy Space Center In Merritt Island, Florida, preparing to test launch procedures for the Apollo 13 mission, which was…

Recovery Helicopter Above Apollo 13 Capsule

With the USS Iwo Jima in the background, a U.S. Navy helicopter hovers above the Apollo 13 capsule after it safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean. Apollo 13 was crewed by Lovell, Lunar Module Pilot Fred Haise (1933-), and Command Module Pilot…

Apollo 13 Crew on the USS Iwo Jima After Recovery

Photographed, from left to right, are Lunar Module Pilot Fred Haise (1933-), Mission Commander Jim Lovell (1928-) and Command Module Pilot Jack Swigert (1931-1982) aboard the recovery ship USS Iwo Jima after safely splashing down in the Pacific…

Underwater Testing Materials for the Skylab Heat Shield

Workers creating underwater testing materials for the Skylab heat shield at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. After the nearly catastrophic launch of the Skylab, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) worked to…

Astronaut Alan Shepard

A portrait of Mission Commander Alan Shepard (1923-1998), the first American in space, likely taken around the time of his Apollo 14 flight. Shepard was the only Mercury Seven, as the original seven astronauts were called, to also walk on the Moon.…

Apollo 11 Crew Entering the Transfer Van to Launch Pad 39A

The Apollo 11 crew, led by Mission Commander Neil Armstrong's (1930-2012), Command Module Pilot Michael Collins (1930-), and Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin (1930-), exiting the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building (MSOB) to board the transfer van to…

Apollo 7 Astronaut Donn F. Eisele

Command Module Pilot Donn F. Eisele (1930-1987) for the Apollo 7 mission, which launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) atop a Saturn IB booster on October 11, 1968. Apollo 7 was an Earth orbital mission, which tested the improved…

Apollo 4 Launch

The unmanned Apollo 4 (AS-501) was the first launch of the Saturn V booster and the first flight from Launch Pad 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida. Apollo 4 was a test flight of the Saturn V, which was used in…

Engineers Checking Deployment of Apollo 16's Lunar Rover

Engineers checking the deployment of the Lunar Rover for Apollo 16 (AS-511) at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida. Apollo 16 was the tenth manned mission of Project Apollo, the fifth mission to land men on the Moon, and the…

Lovell Family Observing the Apollo 8 Launch

The family of Command Module Pilot Jim Lovell (1928-) observing the first manned launch of the Saturn V rocket during the Apollo 8 (AS-503) mission. Photographed from left to right are James Lovell (1955-), Jeffrey Lovell (1966-), Susan Lovell…

Apollo 11 Crew at Pre-Launch Press Conference

The crew of Apollo 11 at the last press conference before their flight. Photographed from left to right are Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin (1930-), Mission Commander Neil Armstrong (1930-2012), and Command Module Pilot Michael Collins (1930-). Apollo…

Crowds Observing the Apollo 11 Launch Along Florida State Road A1A

Crowds gather along Florida State Road A1A (SR A1A), also known as Florida State Road 528 (SR 528) or Martin Andersen Beachline Expressway (formerly known as the Martin Andersen Bee Line Expressway or the Bee Line), to observe the launch of Apollo…

Larry Summer Filming the Launch Control Center

Larry Summers filming the Launch Control Center (LCC) at John F. Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida. The LCC is used for the supervision of manned mission launches from Launch Complex 39 (LC-39). The first launch to use the LCC was the…

Apollo Command/Service Module and Lunar Module

An Apollo Command/Service Module (CSM) and Lunar Module (LM) assembly being hoisted for stacking on top of the Saturn V rocket in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida. The CSM, along…

Apollo 11 Crew at the Pre-Flight Dinner

The Apollo 11 crew eating dinner the night before the flight with other astronauts at the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building (MSOB) of John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida. Photographed in the foreground, from left to…

Apollo 11 Lunar Module Plaque

The plaque attached to the leg of the Lunar Module (LM) of the Apollo 11 spacecraft. Apollo 11 was the first space mission where humans set foot on another celestial body, the Moon. Launched from Launch Pad 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC)…

Apollo 11 Astronaut Buzz Aldrin Examining Lunar Surface Photographs

Prior to the Apollo 11 mission, Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin (1930-) examining lunar surface photographs taken by an unmanned probe. Apollo 11 was the first space mission where humans set foot on another celestial body, the Moon. Launched from…

Apollo 11 Astronaut Neil Armstrong at Pre-Launch Breakfast

Mission Commander Neil Armstrong (1930-2012) eating breakfast at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida, before the Apollo 11 launch. Apollo 11 was the first space mission where humans set foot on another celestial body, the…

Apollo 11 Astronaut Michael Collins

Command Module Pilot Michael Collins (1930-) in his spacesuit in preparation for the Apollo 11 flight at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida. Apollo 11 was the first space mission where humans set foot on another celestial…

Apollo 11 Astronaut Neil Armstrong

Mission Commander Neil Armstrong (1930-2012) in his spacesuit in preparation for the Apollo 11 flight at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida. Apollo 11 was the first space mission where humans set foot on another celestial…

Apollo 11 Astronaut Buzz Aldrin

Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin (1930-) in his spacesuit in preparation for the Apollo 11 flight at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida. Apollo 11 was the first space mission where humans set foot on another celestial body,…

Astronaut Neil Armstrong in Mobile Quarantine Facility

Mission Commander Neil Armstrong (1930-2012) playing the ukulele in the Mobile Quarantine Facility aboard the USS Hornet after the astronaut's recovery in the Pacific Ocean. Apollo 11 was the first space mission where humans set foot on another…

Apollo 11 Astronaut Neil Armstrong Practicing Moon Landing

At Ellington Air Force Base (originally called Ellington Field) in Houston, Texas, Mission Commander Neil Armstrong (1930-2012) practicing the moon landing with the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle (LLTV). Apollo 11 was the first space mission where…

Astronaut Michael Collins During Apollo 11 Training

Command Module Pilot Michael Collins (1930-) training on the Command Module (CM) Procedures Simulator at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida, for Apollo 11. Apollo 11 was the first space mission where humans set foot on…

Astronaut Michael Collins in the Command Module Procedures Simulator

Command Module Pilot Michael Collins (1930-) training on the Command Module (CM) Procedures Simulator at Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, for the Apollo 11 mission. Apollo 11 was the first space mission where humans set foot on…

Apollo 11 Astronaut Buzz Aldrin Aboard the Lunar Module

Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin (1930-) aboard the Lunar Module (LM( during Apollo 11, which was the first space mission where humans set foot on another celestial body, the Moon. Launched from Launch Pad 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in…

Astronaut Jim Lovell During Spacesuit Testing

Apollo 13 Mission Commander Jim Lovell (1928-) during spacesuit testing at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida. Apollo 13 was crewed by Lovell, Lunar Module Pilot Fred Haise (1933-), and Command Module Pilot Jack Swigert…

Apollo 11 on the Moon

Apollo 11 was the first space mission where humans set foot on another celestial body, the Moon. Launched from Launch Pad 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida, on July 16, 1969, the Apollo 11 fired the third stage…

Earth on the Lunar Horizon During the Apollo 11 Mission

Earth on the lunar horizon during the Apollo 11 mission, which was the first space mission where humans set foot on another celestial body, the Moon. Launched from Launch Pad 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida, on…

Apollo 11's Ascent From the Moon

Apollo 11's ascent from the Moon. Apollo 11 was the first space mission where humans set foot on another celestial body, the Moon. Launched from Launch Pad 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida, on July 16, 1969, the…

Apollo 11 Crew at Launch Complex 39A

Mission Commander Neil Armstrong (1930-2012), Command Module Pilot Michael Collins (1930-), and Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin (1930-) in front of their Saturn V on Launch Pad 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida.…

Apollo 11 Crew Breakfast at John F. Kennedy Space Center Before Flight

The Apollo 11 crew breakfast with Deke Slayton (1924-1993) (1924-1993), a Mercury Seven astronaut himself, and William Anders (1933-). Shown in the photograph, left front to right front, are Command Module Pilot Michael Collins (1930-), Mission…

Astronauts Boarding Apollo 11

The Apollo 11 crew, Mission Commander Neil Armstrong's (1930-2012) and either Command Module Pilot Michael Collins (1930-) or Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin (1930-), boarding the Apollo 11 spacecraft from the Launch Umbilical Tower (LUT) elevator at…

Apollo 11 Crew Entering the Transfer Van to Launch Pad 39A

The Apollo 11 crew, led by Mission Commander Neil Armstrong's (1930-2012), Command Module Pilot Michael Collins (1930-), and Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin (1930-), exiting the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building (MSOB) to board the transfer van to…

Quarantined Apollo 11 Crew with President Richard Nixon Aboard the USS Hornet

After being recovered in the Pacific Ocean, the Apollo 11 crew was placed into a mobile quarantine unit in case of infection by unknown source on the Moon. This proved to be unnecessary and was discontinued later in Project Apollo. In this…

Apollo 11 Crew in the Mobile Quarantine Facility

Apollo 11 astronauts in the Mobile Quarantine Facility used to transport them from landing site in the North Pacific Ocean to Houston, Texas. Photographed from left to right are Command Module Pilot Michael Collins (1930-), Lunar Module Pilot Buzz…

Offloading the Apollo 11 Crew in the Mobile Quarantine Facility

The mobile quarantine facility being offloaded from the USS Hornet at Hickam Air Force Base (present-day Hickam Field) in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, to be flown directly to Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, Texas. Apollo 11 was the first space mission…

President Richard Nixon Greeting the Apollo 11 Crew Aboard the USS Hornet

After being recovered in the Pacific Ocean, the Apollo 11 crew was placed into a mobile quarantine unit in case of infection by unknown source on the Moon. This proved to be unnecessary and was discontinued later in Project Apollo. In this…

Astronaut Buzz Aldrin on the Moon

Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin (1930-) on the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission. Aldrin was the second man to set foot on the Moon, and was in most of the famous photographs taken by Mission Commander Neil Armstrong (1930-2012) celestial body, the…

Apollo 11 Crew on the USS Hornet After Recovery

The Apollo 11 crew on the USS Hornet after splashdown and recovery. Photographed from left to right in quarantine suits are Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin (1930-), Mission Commander Neil Armstrong's (1930-2012), and Command Module Pilot Michael…

Astronaut David Scott Examining the Genesis Rock

Commander David Scott (1932-) examining the Genesis Rock at Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The Genesis rock was a lunar sample that Scott and Lunar Module Pilot James Irwin (1930-1991) collected while on the Moon during the Apollo…

Apollo 11 Reentering Earth's Atmosphere

Apollo 11 reentering the Earth's atmosphere. Apollo 11 was the first space mission where humans set foot on another celestial body, the Moon. Launched from Launch Pad 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida, on July 16,…

Launch Control Center During the Launch of Apollo 11

Launch Complex 39's Launch Control Center at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida, during the Apollo 11 launch. Apollo 11 was the first space mission where humans set foot on another celestial body, the Moon. Launched from…

Apollo 11 Crew Entering the Capsule for Testing

A test of Apollo 11, with its crew and support workers, in the days leading up to launch. Photographed in the White Room on Launch Pad 39A from left to right are an unidentified support worker, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins (1930-), Lunar…

Recovery of Apollo 11 Crew

After successfully landing on the Moon, the crew of Apollo 11 splashed down in the North Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969, and were recovered by the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Hornet and its crew. After the recovery crews secured the capsule, the…

Splashdown and Recovery of Apollo 11

After successfully landing on the Moon, the crew of Apollo 11 splashed down in the North Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969, and were recovered by the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Hornet and its crew. Photographs in this collection show the spacecraft…

Press Corps During the Launch of Apollo 11

The media during the launch of Apollo 11, which was the first space mission where humans set foot on another celestial body, the Moon. Launched from Launch Pad 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida, on July 16, 1969,…

Apollo 11 Launch

The launch of Apollo 11, which was the first space mission where humans set foot on another celestial body, the Moon. Launched from Launch Pad 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida, on July 16, 1969, the Apollo 11 fired…

Rehearsal at John F. Kennedy Space Center's Launch Control Center

The rehearsal for Apollo 12's launch in Firing Room 2 at the Launch Control Center of Launch Complex 39 at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida. Apollo 12 was the second mission which landed men on the moon and the first to…

Apollo 17 Crew on a Lunar Rover

The crew of Apollo 17, Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt (1935-), Command Module Pilot Ronald Evans (1933-1990), and Mission Commander Eugene Cernan (1934-), with a lunar rover at Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A). with the Saturn V booster and Apollo…

Apollo 12 Crew Training to Use Tools on the Moon

Mission Commander Pete Conrad (1930-1999) and Lunar Module Pilot Alan Bean (1932-) training to use tools during their Moon landing at the Flight Crew Training Facility of John F. Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida. Apollo 12 was the…

Apollo 12 Liftoff at Launch Pad 39A

The sky appears dark because of the brightness of the rocket plume at liftoff, so the photograph was shot with a very small aperture. Apollo 12 was the second mission which landed men on the moon and the first to bring a color television camera to…

Apollo 12 Rollout From Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) rolls Apollo 12 from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) on one of the massive crawler-transporters at John F. Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida. Apollo…

Astronaut Jim Lovell During Spacesuit Testing

Apollo 13 Mission Commander Jim Lovell (1928-) during spacesuit testing at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida. Apollo 13 was crewed by Lovell, Lunar Module Pilot Fred Haise (1933-), and Command Module Pilot Jack Swigert…

Apollo 13 Being Fueled Before Launch at Launch Complex 39A

With the Launch Umbilical Tower (LUT) in the foreground, the Saturn V of Apollo 13 being fueled at Launch Pad 39A of John F. Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida. Apollo 13 was crewed by Mission Commander Jim Lovell (1928-), Lunar Module…

Apollo 13 Before Launch at Launch Complex 39A

With the Launch Umbilical Tower (LUT) in the foreground, the Saturn V of Apollo 13 sitting on Launch Pad 39A of John F. Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida. Apollo 13 was crewed by Mission Commander Jim Lovell (1928-), Lunar Module Pilot…

Astronaut Alan Shepard

A portrait of Mission Commander Alan Shepard (1923-1998) taken for the upcoming Apollo 14 mission. Apollo 14 was the third mission to land men on the Moon, including Shepard, Command Module Pilot Stuart Roosa (1933-1994), and Lunar Module Pilot Edgar…

Apollo 14 Crew in the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building at John F. Kennedy Space Center

The Apollo 14 crew (L-R Roosa, Shepard and Mitchell) suited up and walking to the astronaut transfer van at the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building (MSOB) at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida, on launch day. Apollo 14…

Astronaut Alan Shepard with a Lunar Landing Training Vehicle

Mission Commander Alan Shepard (1923-1998), the only Mercury Seven astronaut to walk on the Moon, standing near a Lunar Landing Training Vehicle (LLTV) at Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The LLTV was used to practice Moon landings,…

Apollo 14 on Moon

Apollo 14's Lunar Module (LM) on the Moon. Apollo 14 was the third mission to land men on the Moon, including Mission Commander Alan Shepard (1923-1998), Command Module Pilot Stuart Roosa (1933-1994), and Lunar Module Pilot Edgar Mitchell (1930-).…

Apollo 14 EVA

Mission Commander Alan Shepard (1923-1998), the first American in space, standing by the American flag during the first Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) of the Apollo 14 Moon landing. Apollo 14 was the third mission to land men on the Moon, including…

Apollo 15's Lunar Rover on the Moon

Apollo 15's Lunar Rover on the Moon circa July 30, 1971. Apollo 15 was the first of three extended capabilities missions, which allowed astronauts greater mobility with the Lunar Rover and additional equipment. The mission was crewed by Mission…

Ann Lurton Scott and Mary Ellen Irwin

Ann Lurton Scott, the wife of Commander David Scott (1932-), and Mary Ellen Irwin, the wife of Lunar Module Pilot James Irwin (1930-1991), during an interview at a post-launch press conference for Apollo 15 on July 26, 1971. Apollo 15 was the first…

Kennedy Parkway North During the Apollo 15 Launch

A crowd estimated at 20,000 people parked along Kennedy Parkway North at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida, to observe the Apollo 15 launch on July 26, 1971. Apollo 15 was the first of three extended capabilities missions,…

Press Corps Observing the Apollo 15 Launch

A contingent of over two thousand accredited media personnel were present at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida, to observe the launch of Apollo 15 on July 26, 1971. Apollo 15 was the first of three extended capabilities…

Astronaut David Scott Examining the Genesis Rock

Commander David Scott (1932-) examining the Genesis Rock at Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The Genesis rock was a lunar sample that Scott and Lunar Module Pilot James Irwin (1930-1991) collected while on the Moon during the Apollo…

Apollo 15 Splashdown in the Pacific Ocean

The Apollo 15 splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near the USS Okinawa on August 7, 1971. Apollo 15 was the first of three extended capabilities missions, which allowed astronauts greater mobility with the Lunar Rover and additional equipment. The…

Testing for Apollo 15's Lunar Rover

Apollo 15's Lunar Rover undergoing compatibility and fit checks with the Lunar Module (LM). Apollo 15 was the first of three extended capabilities missions, which allowed astronauts greater mobility with the Lunar Rover and additional equipment. The…

Apollo 15 Crew Testing Apollo Spacecraft

The crew of Apollo 15 testing the spacecraft in the period leading up to the launch from John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Merritt Island, Florida. Apollo 15 was the first of three extended capabilities missions, which allowed astronauts greater…

Crowd Observes the Apollo 15 Launch

The crowds of spectators observing the launch of Apollo 15 near the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). Apollo 15 was the first of three extended capabilities missions, which allowed astronauts greater mobility with the Lunar Rover and additional…

Earth as Viewed From the Moon

During the 12-day Apollo 17 mission, Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt (1935-) and Mission Commander Eugene Cernan (1934-) spent 75 hours on the lunar surface collecting specimens and conducting experiments during Apollo 17. On December 7, 1972,…

Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) Test

After the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, many systems were upgraded to return the Space Shuttles to flight. As part of those upgrades, the main engines were redesigned and then tested by a static firing at John C. Stennis Space Center in Hancock…

Astronaut Harrison Schmitt on the Moon

Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt (1935-), the only geologist to travel to the Moon, working beside a boulder on the Moon during an Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA). On December 7, 1972, Apollo 17 became the first night launch of an American human…

Astronaut Harrison Schmitt During Training

Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt (1935-), the only geologist to travel to the Moon, examining a rock while training for Apollo 17's Moon mission. Schmitt was the only geologist to travel to the Moon. On December 7, 1972, Apollo 17 became the first…