Where No Man Has Gone Before: A History of Apollo Lunar Exploration Missions

illustration of an astronaut walking on the Moon's surface.

"The Hammer and the Feather" (48" x 37 1/2", Acrylic on Masonite) by Apollo 12 Astronaut Alan Bean.

Apollo 15 commander David R. Scott confirms Galileo's hypothesis that in the absense of air resistance all objects fall with the same velocity. A geologic hammer in Scott's right hand and a falcon feather in his left hand reached the surface of the moon at the same time (see chapter 13). The demonstration was performed before the television camera on the lunar roving vehicle, and no photographs were made.

Where No Man Has Gone Before: A History of Apollo Lunar Exploration Missions

By William David Compton

Go to the Table of Contents.

NASA Logo

Originally published as part of the NASA History Series
NASA SP-4214
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Office of Management
Scientific and Technical Information Division
Washington, DC
Published 1989

Please visit www.nasa.gov for additional source information on this and other fine NASA publications. Reprinted at www.ApolloProject.com by permission.