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Lunar plaque

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Lunar plaque

Stainless steel commemorative plaques measuring 9 by 7 58 inches (22.9 by 19.4 cm) were attached to the ladders on the descent stages of the United States Apollo Lunar Modules flown on lunar landing missions Apollo 11 through Apollo 17, to be left permanently on the lunar surface. The plaques were originally suggested and designed by NASA's head of technical services Jack Kinzler, who oversaw their production. All of the plaques bear facsimiles of the participating astronauts' signatures. For this reason, an extra plaque had to be made for Apollo 13 due to the late replacement of one crewmember. The first (Apollo 11) and last (Apollo 17) plaques bear a facsimile of the signature of Richard Nixon, President of the United States during the landings, along with references to the start and "completion" of "man's" "first" explorations of the Moon and expressions of peace for "all mankind". All, except the Apollo 12 plaque (which is also textured differently), bear pictures of the two hemispheres of Earth. Apollo 17's plaque bears a depiction of the lunar globe in addition to the Earth. The plaques used on missions 13 through 16 bear the call-sign of each mission's Lunar Module. All the plaques were left on the Moon, except the two for the aborted Apollo 13 which did not land on the Moon.

Plaques deployed

  • Apollo 11 plaque inscription: Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the Moon, July 1969 AD. The statement, We came in peace for all mankind. is derived from the 1958 National Aeronautics and Space Act's "declaration of policy and purpose":
  • (Signatures: Neil A. Armstrong; Michael Collins; Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr.; Richard Nixon, President, United States of America)
  • Apollo 12 plaque inscription: Apollo 12. November 1969 (Signatures: Charles Conrad, Jr.; Richard F. Gordon, Jr.; Alan L. Bean)
  • Apollo 13 plaque inscription: Apollo 13. Aquarius. April 1970 (Signatures on original plaque, bolted to the LM ladder: James A. Lovell; Thomas K. Mattingly II; Fred W. Haise. A replacement plaque with John L. Swigert, Jr.'s name replacing Mattingly's was carried in the spacecraft cabin; Lovell was to have placed this over the original as he descended the ladder. After the landing was aborted, Lovell saved the replacement to keep as a souvenir; the first plaque bearing Mattingly's name was destroyed when Aquarius reentered the Earth's atmosphere at the end of the mission.)
  • Apollo 14 plaque inscription: Apollo 14. Antares. February 1971 (Signatures: Alan B. Shepard, Jr.; Stuart A. Roosa; Edgar D. Mitchell)
  • Apollo 15 plaque inscription: Apollo 15. Falcon. July 1971 (Signatures: David R. Scott; Alfred M. Worden; James B. Irwin)
  • Apollo 16 plaque inscription: Apollo 16. Orion. April 1972 (Signatures: John W. Young; Thomas K. Mattingly II; Charles M. Duke, Jr.)
  • Apollo 17 plaque inscription: Here Man completed his first explorations of the Moon, December 1972 AD. May the spirit of peace in which we came be reflected in the lives of all mankind. (Signatures: Eugene A. Cernan; Ronald E. Evans; Harrison H. Schmitt; Richard Nixon, President, United States of America).
  • References

    Lunar plaque Wikipedia