The Explorers' Club, № MCLXXVII

Destination Moon—Astronaut Group 5 (the "Original Nineteen"), Part VII
James Benson Irwin (17 March 1930-8 August 1991), Colonel, U.S. Air Force—He flew as Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 15 (Endeavour & Falcon, 1971), the eighth of the twelve Moonwalkers; he became a Christian after walking on the Moon & led expeditions to find Noah's Ark; he experienced a cardiac arrhythmia while in space & later survived three major heart attacks, but died due to a fourth.

Commentary: Irwin was the first of the twelve Moonwalkers to shuffle off this mortal coil, only sixty-one years old, twenty years plus one day after Apollo 15 splashed down. As of this publication, four of the twelve are still alive: Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11 (1969, age ninety-six); Dave Scott, Apollo 15 (1971, age ninety-four); Charlie Duke, Apollo 16 (1972, age ninety), & Jack Schmitt, Apollo 17 (1972, age ninety-one). Scott is the only Commander still alive, the other three were Lunar Module Pilots.

Bonus! Moonshot Song o' the Day: The Original Nineteen—Jim Irwin
The University of Michigan Marching Band, "Only the Good Die Young" from A Saturday Tradition (Space Cadet Mike Papa DSKY)

The Wayback Machine Tour of Jim Irwin
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCCXXXI: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 15, Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCCXXXII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 15, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCCXXXIII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 15, Part III

Commentary: The picture above was commissioned by Apollo 15 C.M.P. Al Worden, to capture in paint his view of Jim Irwin silhouetted against the Moon during Worden's deep space E.V.A.

Requiescat in pace.

The Explorers' Club, № MCLXXVI

Operation AXIOM: Destination Moon—The 60th Anniversary of AS-202
25 August 1966: AS-202 (Saturn IB S.A.-202), A.K.A. Apollo 2, lifted off from Florida's Cape Kennedy Air Force Station, Apollo C.S.M.-011 atop a Saturn IB rocket; the suborbital flight tested the S-IB first stage, the S-IVB second stage, & the C.S.M.'s Service Propulsion System; the Saturn IB was crew-rated for Apollo 1; the C.M. re-entered the atmosphere & was recovered by the U.S.S. Hornet CV-12.

Commentary: Luna 11 launched on 24 August 1966; Apollo 2 launched on 25 August 1966. "The Explorers' Club" protocols mandate three days between episodes, so as not to take over completely The Secret Base. Our compromise was to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of Luna 11 a day early & the sixtieth anniverary of Apollo 2 a day late.

It's so easy searching for images from the Apollo program—really any N.A.S.A. mission of the era, even robotic probes—compared to the often futile slog of searching for images from Soviet missions like, for example, Luna 11.

Ex Luna, scientia.

The Stars My Destination: Apollo-Soyuz

Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (15-24 July 1975)
Apollo
Thomas Stafford, Commander
Vance Brand, Command Module Pilot
Donald "Deke" Slayton, Docking Module Pilot

Command Module: CSM-111

Soyuz 19
Alexei Leonov, Commander
Valery Kubasov, Flight Engineer

Capsule: Soyuz 7K-TM № 75

The Wayback Machine Tour of Apollo-Soyuz
"The Explorers' Club," № MXCIX: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo-Soyuz, Part I
Space Age Song o' the Day
Space Age Song o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № MC: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo-Soyuz, Part II
Space Age Song o' the Day
Space Age Song o' the Day
Space Age Song o' the Day
Space Age Song o' the Day
Space Age Song o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № MCI: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo-Soyuz, Part III

The Stars My Destination: Skylab 4

Skylab 4 (16 November 1973-8 February 1974)
Gerald Carr, Commander
Edward Gibson, Science Pilot
William Pogue, Pilot

Command Module: CSM-118

The Wayback Machine Tour of Skylab 4
"The Explorers' Club," № CMXCII: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 4, Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № CMXCIV: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 4, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № CMXCVIII: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 4, Part III
"The Explorers' Club," № MI: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 4, Part IV
"The Explorers' Club," № MX: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 4, Part V

The Stars My Destination: Skylab 3

Skylab 3 (28 July-25 September 1973)
Alan Bean, Commander
Owen Garriott, Science Pilot
Jack Lousma, Pilot

Command Module: CSM-117

The Wayback Machine Tour of Skylab 3
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXVII: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 3, Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXX: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 3, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXXIII: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 3, Part III
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXXXI: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 3, Part IV

The Stars My Destination: Skylab 2

Skylab 2 (25 May-22 June 1973)
Charles "Pete" Conrad, Commander
Joseph Kerwin, Science Pilot
Paul Weitz, Pilot

Command Module: CSM-116

The Wayback Machine Tour of Skylab 2
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLII: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 2, Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLV: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 2, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLX: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 2, Part III

The Stars My Destination: Apollo 17

Apollo 17 (7-19 December 1972)
Eugene Cernan, Commander
Ronald Evans, Command Module Pilot
Harrison "Jack" Schmitt, Lunar Module Pilot

Command Module: CSM-114, America
Lunar Module: LM-12, Challenger
Lunar Roving Vehicle: LRV-3

The Wayback Machine Tour of Apollo 17
"The Explorers' Club," № CMXXI: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 17, Part I
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № CMXXII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 17, Part II
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № CMXXIII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 17, Part III

The Stars My Destination: Apollo 16

Apollo 16 (16-27 April 1972)
John Young, Commander
Kenneth Mattingly, Command Module Pilot
Charles Duke, Lunar Module Pilot

Command Module: CSM-113, Casper
Lunar Module: LM-11, Orion
Lunar Roving Vehicle: LRV-2

The Wayback Machine Tour of Apollo 16
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCCLXXVIII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 16, Part I
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCCLXXIX: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 16, Part II
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCCLXXX: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 16, Part III

The Explorers' Club, № MCLXX

Destination Moon—Astronaut Group 5 (the "Original Nineteen"), Part VI
Alfred Merrill Worden (7 February 1932-18 March 2020), Colonel, U.S. Air Force—He flew as Command Module Pilot on Apollo 15 (Endeavour & Falcon, 1971); each time his C.S.M. emerged from behind the Moon, he radioed, "Hello, Earth. Greetings from Endeavour" in a different language; he wrote poetry, memoirs, & children's books, publishing his autobiography, Falling to Earth, in 2011.

Commentary: Worden is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most isolated human being," apparently being farther away from Apollo 15 CDR Dave Scott & L.M.P. Jim Irwin than any other C.M.P. His E.V.A. to retrieve film canisters from the Service Module's S.I.M. bay (artist representation above) also took place farther from Earth than the similar E.V.A. from Apollo 16 & Apollo 17.

Bonus! Moonshot Song o' the Day: The Original Nineteen—Al Worden
The University of Michigan Marching Band, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" from A Saturday Tradition (Space Cadet Mike Papa DSKY)

The Wayback Machine Tour of Al Worden
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCXXXVIII: The 55th Anniversary of Voskhod 2 (Death notification)
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCCXXXI: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 15, Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCCXXXII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 15, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCCXXXIII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 15, Part III

Requiescat in pace.

The Stars My Destination: Apollo 15

Apollo 15 (26 July-7 August 1971)
David Scott, Commander
Alfred Worden, Command Module Pilot
James Irwin, Lunar Module Pilot

Command Module: CSM-112, Endeavour
Lunar Module: LM-10, Falcon
Lunar Roving Vehicle: LRV-1

The Wayback Machine Tour of Apollo 15
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCCXXXI: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 15, Part I
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCCXXXII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 15, Part II
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCCXXXIII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 15, Part III

The Stars My Destination: Apollo 14

Apollo 14 (31 January-9 February 1971)
Alan Shepard, Commander
Stuart Roosa, Command Module Pilot
Edgar Mitchell, Lunar Module Pilot

Command Module: CSM-110, Kitty Hawk
Lunar Module: LM-8, Antares

The Wayback Machine Tour of Apollo 14
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCXCVII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 14, Part I
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCXCVIII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 14, Part II
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCXCIX: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 14, Part III
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCCI: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 14, Part IV

The Stars My Destination: Apollo 13

Apollo 13 (11-17 April 1970)
James Lovell, Commander
John Swigert, Command Module Pilot
Fred Haise, Lunar Module Pilot

Command Module: CSM-109, Odyssey
Lunar Module: LM-7, Aquarius

The Wayback Machine Tour of Apollo 13
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCXLII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 13, Part I
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCXLIII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 13, Part II
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCXLIV: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 13, Part III

The Stars My Destination: Apollo 12

Apollo 12 (14-24 November 1969)
Charles "Pete" Conrad, Commander
Richard Gordon, Command Module Pilot
Alan Bean, Lunar Module Pilot

Command Module: CSM-108, Yankee Clipper
Lunar Module: LM-6, Intrepid

The Wayback Machine Tour of Apollo 12
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCXVII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 12, Part I
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCXIX: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 12, Part II
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCXX: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 12, Part III

The Stars My Destination: Apollo 11

Apollo 11 (16-24 July 1969)
Neil Armstrong, Commander
Michael Collins, Command Module Pilot
Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, Lunar Module Pilot

Command Module: CSM-107, Columbia
Lunar Module: LM-5, Eagle

The Wayback Machine Tour of Apollo 11
"The Explorers' Club," № DCXCVIII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11, Part I
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № DCXCIX: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11, Part II
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № DCC: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11, Part III
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11, Part IV

Bonus! Moonshot Songs o' the Day: Apollo 11

Operation AXIOM: The 57th Anniversary of Apollo 11
Public Service Broadcasting, "Go!" from The Race for Space (Space Cadet Mike Papa DSKY)

&

National Aeronautics & Space Administration, "Apollo 11 Excerpt 19" from The Apollo Missions (Space Cadet Mike Papa DSKY)

Commentary:

"That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for Mankind."

The Wayback Machine Tour of Apollo 11
№ DCXCVIII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11, Part I
№ DCXCIX: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11, Part II
№ DCC: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11, Part III
№ DCCII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11, Part IV
№ CMLXXIV: Neil Armstrong
№ MXXV: Michael Collins
№ MXXXII: "Buzz" Aldrin

The Stars My Destination: Apollo 10

Apollo 10 (18-26 May 1969)
Thomas Stafford, Commander
John Young, Command Module Pilot
Eugene Cernan, Lunar Module Pilot

Command Module: CSM-106, Charlie Brown
Lunar Module: LM-4, Snoopy

The Wayback Machine Tour of Apollo 10
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCL: The 51st Anniversary of Apollo 10, Part I
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCLI: The 51st Anniversary of Apollo 10, Part II
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCLII: The 51st Anniversary of Apollo 10, Part III

The Stars My Destination: Apollo 9

Apollo 9 (3-13 March 1969)
James McDivitt, Commander
David Scott, Command Module Pilot
Russell Schweickart, Lunar Module Pilot

Command Module: CSM-104, Gumdrop
Lunar Module: LM-3, Spider

The Wayback Machine Tour of Apollo 9
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCXXXV: The 51st Anniversary of Apollo 9, Part I
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Song o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCXXXVI: The 51st Anniversary of Apollo 9, Part II
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCXXXVII: The 51st Anniversary of Apollo 9, Part III

The Stars My Destination: Apollo 8

Apollo 8 (21-27 December 1968)
Frank Borman, Commander
James Lovell, Command Module Pilot
William Anders, Lunar Module Pilot

Command Module: CSM-103

The Wayback Machine Tour of Apollo 8
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCXXIV: The 51st Anniversary of Apollo 8, Part I
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCXXV: The 51st Anniversary of Apollo 8, Part II
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCXXVI: The 51st Anniversary of Apollo 8, Part III

The Stars My Destination: Apollo 7

Apollo 7 (11-22 October 1968)
Walter Schirra, Commander
Donn Eisele, Command Module Pilot
Walter Cunningham, Lunar Module Pilot

Command Module: CSM-101

The Wayback Machine Tour of Apollo 7
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCLXXVI: The 52nd Anniversary of Apollo 7, Part I
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
Moonshot Song o' the Day
Moonshot Song o' the Day
Moonshot Song o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCLXXVII: The 52nd Anniversary of Apollo 7, Part II
Moonshot Song o' the Day
Moonshot Song o' the Day
Moonshot Song o' the Day
Moonshot Song o' the Day
Moonshot Songs o' the Day
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCLXXVIII: The 52nd Anniversary of Apollo 7, Part III

The Explorers' Club, № MCLXVIII

Destination Moon—Astronaut Group 5 (the "Original Nineteen"), Part V
Edgar Dean Mitchell (17 September 1930-4 February 2016), Captain, U.S. Navy—He flew as Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 14 (Kitty Hawk & Antares, 1971), the sixth of the twelve Moonwalkers; he conducted extrasensory perception (E.S.P.) "experiments" during his rest periods on Apollo 14, & later co-founded the Institute of Noetic Sciences, dedicated to supposed parapsychological phenomena.

Commentary: Mitchell served as backup L.M.P. for Apollo 16, giving him some slight chance (the backup C.M.P. flew on Apollo 13) of walking on the Moon twice.

Bonus! Moonshot Song o' the Day: The Original Nineteen—Ed Mitchell
Blink-182, "Aliens Exist" from Enema of the State (Space Cadet Mike Papa DSKY)

The Wayback Machine Tour of Ed Mitchell
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCXCVII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 14, Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCXCVIII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 14, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCXCIX: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 14, Part III

Requiescat in pace.