Move your mouse over the image to see just where.
Full details of the mission can be found at the web site of the
Lunar and Planetary Institute
Apollo 15 was the fourth manned landing on the Moon. The lunar module landed at
22:16:29 UT on 30th July 1971 close to Hadley Rille, at lunar coordinates 26.13°N 3.63°E.
Hadley Rille is one of the sinuous rilles that are a common feature of the lunar surface and whose
nature has been in some doubt. Landing astronauts nearby gave the opportunity to examine this
interesting feature at close hand. The landing site is also close to the Apennine mountains and
the approach was from the east, that is over the mountains. This was possible after the extreme
precision of the previous two lunar landings had shown that it would be safe to do so.
This was the first mission to include the Lunar Roving Vehicle, which gave the astronauts much greater
range and endurance. The sides of the rille were too steep for the astronauts to enter
the rille safely so they were unable to get samples from the bottom.
Home Back to Moon