Counting Down to Apollo — A Personal Record of the Space Race — Est. 1962

Counting Down to Apollo

One American's account of watching humanity reach the Moon

Tag: surprise

The Orange Soil
Apollo 17 December 12, 1972

The Orange Soil

Harrison Schmitt was on his second EVA when he looked down and said "There's orange soil!" It was a startling discovery — color on the Moon, in a landscape of gray. Volcanic activity? Recent geology? The scientists are excited. Even after twelve missions, the Moon is still surprising us.
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Apollo 16 April 21, 1972

The Highlands — Walking Where No One Planned

John Young and Charles Duke are on the surface of the Descartes Highlands, and the science is already surprising. The region was supposed to be volcanic, different from the mare sites. The first samples suggest it isn't. The Moon keeps teaching us by being different from what we expected.
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