Recent images from India’s Chandrayaan 2 orbiter reveal the Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 lunar landing modules over 50 years after their historic missions.
Photos captured by the Indian Space Research Organization’s moon orbiter, Chandrayaan 2, have provided a stunning view of the Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 landing sites, showcasing the lunar modules more than five decades after their historic landings.
The images, taken in April 2021, were recently shared on Curiosity’s X page, a platform dedicated to space exploration. The post highlighted the significance of the photos, stating, “Image of Apollo 11 and 12 taken by India’s Moon orbiter. Disapproving Moon landing deniers,” alongside the overhead images that clearly depict the landing vehicles resting on the lunar surface.
Apollo 11, which made its historic landing on July 20, 1969, marked a monumental achievement in space exploration, with astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin becoming the first humans to walk on the moon. Their colleague, astronaut Michael Collins, remained in orbit aboard the command module while Armstrong and Aldrin explored the lunar surface.
The lunar module, known as Eagle, was left in lunar orbit after its rendezvous with Collins’ command module the following day. Eagle eventually returned to the moon’s surface, leaving a lasting legacy of human achievement.
Following Apollo 11, Apollo 12 became NASA’s second crewed mission to land on the moon, occurring on November 19, 1969. During this mission, astronauts Charles “Pete” Conrad and Alan Bean followed in the footsteps of their predecessors, becoming the third and fourth men to walk on the moon.
The Apollo program continued until December 1972, culminating in the final mission when astronaut Eugene Cernan became the last person to walk on the moon.
The Chandrayaan-2 mission was launched on July 22, 2019, exactly 50 years after the Apollo 11 mission. It took two years for the orbiter to capture the remarkable images of the 1969 lunar landers.
In addition to Chandrayaan-2, India also launched Chandrayaan-3 last year, which successfully landed near the moon’s south pole, marking another significant achievement in lunar exploration.
These recent images serve as a powerful reminder of humanity’s journey to the moon and the enduring legacy of the Apollo missions, as well as the ongoing exploration efforts by countries like India.
According to Fox News, the photographs underscore the historical significance of the Apollo landings and provide compelling evidence against moon landing deniers.