Man in the Moon’s Right Eye Has Fallen Astronauts Plaque and Sculpture

Summary: The Man in the Moon’s right eye has the Fallen Astronauts plaque and sculpture left Monday, Aug. 2, 1971, by Apollo 15 Mission Commander David Scott.

Carrying a 70 mm camera with a 500-mm lens, Apollo 15 Mission Commander David Randolph “Dave” Scott walks away from Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) during third and last extravehicular activity (EVA) on lunar surface; image taken by Apollo 15’s lunar module pilot, James Benson “Jim” Irwin: NASA, Public Domain, via NASA Human Space Flight

The Man in the Moon’s right eye has the Fallen Astronauts plaque and sculpture that Apollo 15 Mission Commander David Randolph “Dave” Scott (born June 6, 1932) placed Monday, Aug. 2, 1971, at around 13:17 Coordinated Universal Time (9:17 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time).

The Fallen Astronauts plaque and sculpture reside at a memorable lunar feature. The Mare Imbrium contributes to the pareidolic (Ancient Greek: παρα, para, “concurrent, alongside” + εἴδωλον, eídōlon, “image”) illusion of a human face, formed by the play of light and shadow across the lunar surface for moongazers in the Northern Hemisphere.

Looking outward from the moon, Mare Imbrium represents the Man in the Moon’s right eye. A straight-on view from Earth's perspective places Mare Imbrium in the Man in the Moon’s left eye.

The plaque commemorates 14 astronauts. Eight were NASA astronauts: Charles Bassett II, Roger Chaffee, Theodore Freeman, Edward Givens Jr., Virgil Grisson, Elliot See Jr., Edward White II, Clifton Williams Jr. Six were Soviet cosmonauts: Georgiy Dobrovolsky, Pavel Belyayev, Yuri Gagarin, Vladimir Komarov, Viktor Patsayev, Vladislav Volkov.

All except one of the 14 died in space-related accidents. Only Pavel Ivanovich Belyayev (June 26, 1925-Jan. 10, 1970) died from the natural cause of peritonitis after a stomach ulcer operation.

The age range was 31 to 44. The youngest was Roger Bruce Chaffee (Feb. 15, 1935-Jan. 27, 1967). The oldest was Pavel Belyayev.

Belgian artist Paul Van Hoeydonck (born Oct. 8, 1925) created the Fallen Astronaut sculpture. The 3.375-inch (8.5-centimeter) aluminum sculpture is a stylized statuette. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. displays a replica of the Fallen Astronauts sculpture in the Space Race exhibition.

Commander Scott’s placement of the Fallen Astronauts plaque and sculpture occurred near the end of the Apollo 15 mission’s third and final extravehicular activity (EVA). EVA-3 began at 4:52:14 a.m. EDT (8:52:14 UTC; 163:18:14 mission time). EVA-3 ended 4 hours 49 minutes 50 seconds later, at 9:42:04 a.m. EDT (13:42:04 UTC; 168:08:04 mission time).

At 9:15:30 a.m. EDT (13:15:30 UTC; 167:41:30 mission time), Commander Scott initiated a “standby” with Joseph Percival “Joe” Allen (born June 27, 1937), Apollo 15’s capsule communicator (CAPCOM) at the mission control center in Houston, Texas. Commander Scott ostensibly was preparing for the checklist procedure of aligning the High-Gain Antenna on the Lunar Communications Relay Unit (LRCU). Stops at EVA stations necessitated alignment of the High-Gain Antenna with Earth in order to patch through voice communication as well as live video from the Ground-Commanded Television Assembly (GCTA).

In actuality, Commander Scott was placing and photographing the Fallen Astronauts plaque and sculpture which had unofficially journeyed with him from Earth. He intended to leave the two items as a memorial on the lunar surface, on the other side of the parked Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV).

At 9:16:15 a.m. EDT (13:16:15 UTC; 167:42:15 mission time), Joe Allen asked Dave Scott to check the TV Remote.

Responding 35 seconds later, at 9:16:50 a.m. EDT (13:16:50 UTC: 167:42:50 mission time), Dave asked for a “sec.”

Joe waited 40 seconds. Then at 9:16:55 a.m. EDT (13:16:55 UTC; 167:42:50 mission time), he requested an update on Dave’s “present activity.”

Six seconds later, at 9:17:01 a.m. EDT (13:17:01 UTC; 167:43:36 mission time), Dave explained that he was doing a little cleanup of the back of the Land Roving Vehicle (LRV).

Four seconds later, at 9:17:05 a.m. EDT (13:17:05 UTC; 167:43:40 mission time), Joe reminded Dave about the lack of TV feed and made another request for a TV Remote check.

Dave responded 14 seconds later, at 9:17:19 a.m. EDT (13:17:19 UTC; 167:43:54 mission time). He mentioned difficulties in viewing Earth in the sighting scope.

Commander Scott’s pause to situate and photograph the Fallen Astronauts plaque and sculpture in lunar soil lasted for 3 minutes 14 seconds.

At 9:18:44 a.m. EDT (13:18:44 UTC; 167:44:44 mission time), Commander Scott informed CAPCOM Allen that he was “back.” With his unofficial memorial project completed, he focused on initiating feed for observers on Earth. At 9:20:42 a.m. EDT (13:20:42 UTC; 167:46:42 mission time), he announced achievement of alignment. Scott’s cycling the Lunar Communications Relay Unit switch, beginning at 9:21:14 a.m. EDT (13:21:14 UTC; 167:47:14 mission time), led to Allen’s confirmation of a successful feed. The image transmitted to Earth showed the U.S. flag decal affixed to the Land Roving Vehicle’s right front fender.

The takeaway for the Man in the Moon’s right eye as the site of the Fallen Astronauts plaque and sculpture is the memorial’s easily remembered location.

closeup of Fallen Astronauts plaque and sculpture; image taken by Commander Scott after placement, Monday, Aug. 2, 1971, at about 13:17 Coordinated Universal Time (9:17 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time): NASA, Public Domain, via NASA Human Space Flight

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Carrying a 70 mm camera with a 500-mm lens, Apollo 15 Mission Commander David Randolph “Dave” Scott walks away from Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) during third and last extravehicular activity (EVA) on lunar surface; image taken by Apollo 15’s lunar module pilot, James Benson “Jim” Irwin: NASA, Public Domain, via NASA Human Space Flight @ https://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/apollo/apollo15/html/as15-82-11168.html

closeup of Fallen Astronauts plaque and sculpture; image taken by Commander Scott after placement, Monday, Aug. 2, 1971, at about 13:17 Coordinated Universal Time (9:17 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time): NASA, Public Domain, via NASA Human Space Flight @ https://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/apollo/apollo15/html/as15-88-11894.html

For further information:

“Apollo 15.” NASA > Missions > Apollo > The Apollo Missions. July 8, 2009.
Available @ https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/missions/apollo15.html

“Apollo 15 Mission.” Universities Space Research Association (USRA) Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) > Lunar Science and Exploration > Lunar Mission Summaries > Apollo Missions.
Available @ http://www.lpi.usra.edu/lunar/missions/apollo/apollo_15/overview/

“Apollo Imagery: (2 August 1971).” NASA Human Space Flight > Gallery > Images > Apollo > Apollo 15. Aug. 2, 1971. Last updated Nov. 1, 2012.
Available @ https://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/apollo/apollo15/html/as15-82-11168.html

“Apollo Imagery: AS15-88-11894 (31 July-2 Aug. 1971).” NASA Human Space Flight > Gallery > Images > Apollo > Apollo 15. Aug. 2, 1971. Last updated Nov. 1, 2012.
Available @ https://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/apollo/apollo15/html/as15-88-11894.html

“AS15-88-11894.” NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) Earth Observing Laboratory (EOL) > Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth.
Available @ https://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/SearchPhotos/photo.pl?mission=AS15&roll=88&frame=11894

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Available @ http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4012/vol3/table2.43.htm

Jones, Eric M. “Apollo 15 Map and Image Library.” NASA > Apollo Lunar Surface Journal > Apollo 15 Lunar Surface Journal > Image Library. Last revised Nov. 23, 2016.
Available @ https://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a15/images15.html#11164

Jones, Eric M. “The Hammer and the Feather.” NASA > Apollo Lunar Surface Journal > Apollo 15 Lunar Surface Journal. Last revised April 19, 2015.
Available @ https://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a15/a15.html

“Lunar Rover Programmed to Return Colour-TV Pictures.” New Scientist and Science Journal, vol. 51, no. 762 (July 29, 1971): 261.

Marriner, Derdriu. “Fallen Astronauts Plaque and Sculpture at Southeastern Mare Imbrium.” Wednesday, July 27, 2016.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2016/07/fallen-astronauts-plaque-and-sculpture.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Six Lunar Maria Shape the Man in the Moon for Northern Hemisphere Viewers.” Earth and Space News. Wednesday, May 3, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/05/six-lunar-maria-shape-man-in-moon-for.html

National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Apollo 15 Mission Report. Houston TX: Manned Spacecraft Center, December 1971.
Available @ https://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a15/a15mrp1.pdf

Project Apollo Archive. "AS15-88-11893." Flickr. Sept. 23, 2015.
Available @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/projectapolloarchive/21471938068

Scott, David; Alexei Leonov. Two Sides of the Moon: Our Story of the Cold War Space Race. New York NY: Thomas Dunne Books, 2004.

“Sculpture, Fallen Astronaut.” Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum > Collection Objects.
Available @ https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/sculpture-fallen-astronaut?object=nasm_A19860035000

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