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From the December 2024 factor
All however some of the Apollo program’s used lunar modules both crashed into the Moon’s floor or burned up in Earth’s environment.
The Apollo 10 astronauts snapped this picture of the Snoopy lunar module outdoor the window of command module Charlie Brown all over the challenge. Credit score: NASA/JSC/ASU
What turned into of the discarded lunar modules from the Apollo missions?
James JarvisSan Francisco, California
All however some of the Apollo program’s used lunar modules both crashed into the Moon’s floor or burned up in Earth’s environment. Apollo 10’s lunar module, Snoopy, remains to be available in the market, drifting aimlessly across the sun machine, looking ahead to some long term exo-archaeologist to grab it up for show on the Smithsonian.
The challenge was once designed as a practice session for the primary tournament at the Moon, nevertheless it set data of its personal. Historical past glazes over Apollo 10 as a result of the importance of what adopted. On the other hand, the staff finished the similar duties as Apollo 11 — minus touchdown at the Moon.
They usually used Snoopy, the lunar module, in addition to Charlie Brown, the command module, to go back and forth farther and quicker than any people have prior to or since.
Right through the challenge, Snoopy was once jettisoned into area as deliberate and will have to have entered orbit across the Solar. On the other hand, its location stays a thriller in spite of efforts by way of beginner astronomers to seek for it the usage of the ultimate recognized 1969 orbital coordinates. They recognized quite a few goal websites, however thus far they’ve been unsuccessful.
Apparently, a minimum of one of the most different landers’ precise lunar affect websites — together with Apollo 11’s Eagle — also are a thriller that long term area explorers might sooner or later in finding and excavate.
Eric BetzScience Creator, Seattle, Washington
This query and solution at first seemed within the October 2015 factor.