Moon Landings | Looking back to NASA's Apollo lunar missions
James May Speaks to Charles Duke
The Apollo 16 astronaut finds his way on the moon.
CHANNEL | Other
RECORDED | circa 2009
DURATION | 23 minutes 52 seconds
RECORDED
2009
Synopsis
Charles Duke was the lunar module pilot aboard Apollo 16. In this interview, compiled from deleted scenes recorded for the documentary 'James May on the Moon', Duke recalls what it was like to land on the moon in such a rickety contraption, explains why the process needed two separate craft and reveals how the experience of being one of only 12 men to have stood on the surface of the moon helped him develop his faith in God.
Did you know?
Charles Duke's voice is almost as famous as that of 'first man on the moon' Neil Armstrong. As capsule communicator back at Mission Control in Houston, he was the only person allowed to speak to the men aboard Apollo 11 during their mission. After the tense landing that saw the lunar module nearly run out of fuel, Duke was heard to joke: 'You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue here. We're breathing again. Thanks a lot!'
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