Apollo 16 was the tenth crewed mission in NASA's Apollo program and the fifth to land on the Moon. This mission focused on conducting extensive scientific research and exploration of the lunar highlands. This mission was headed by John W Young (commander) who was joined by Thomas K Mattingly II (command module pilot), and Charles M Duke Jr (lunar module pilot). Apollo 16 was launched from Kennedy Space Center on a Saturn V rocket, beginning its journey to the Moon.

Young and Duke conducted three moonwalks (extravehicular activities or EVAs) totaling about 20 hours and 14 minutes. The astronauts used the Lunar Roving Vehicle to travel across the lunar surface, covering a total distance of about 26.7 kilometers (16.6 miles). They deployed the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP), which included instruments to measure seismic activity, magnetic fields, and other scientific data. Young and Duke collected 95.71 kilograms (211.01 pounds) of lunar samples, including rocks and soil from various locations, which provided valuable geological information.