Moon exploration

An enormous and complex lunar feature never before viewed from above was photographed by wide-angle lens as NASA's Lunar Orbiter IV spacecraft neared the end of its survey mission of the Moon. It is Orientale Basin, centered at 90 degrees West longitude and 15 degrees South latitude on the extreme western edge of the Moon's visible side. Its circular outer scarp, the Cordillera Mountains, is just over 600 miles in diameter. In this photograph, the Orientale Basin is at the center.

This is a portion of the Lunar Orbiter IV telephoto frame 172 taken by the spacecraft on its 31st orbit during its broad photographic survey of the Moon. When this frame was exposed, the spacecraft was traveling in a northerly direction which is towards the top of the picture when the edge data are positioned on the left. The spacecraft altitude was 1,870 miles above the lunar surface. The approximate selenographic coordinates for the center of the area shown are 68 degrees West, 43 degrees South.

A photograph of the Apollo/Saturn V transfer from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

Photo of the moon as seen from Gemini VII spacecraft.

James E. Webb, head of National Aeronautics and Space Administration, leans over to speak to President Lyndon B. Johnson, and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson during the launch of Apollo 11 at Cape Kennedy (Cape Canaveral), Florida. This is a snapshot.