Science on the Moon: Setting Up Apollo’s Experiments

On the surface of the Moon, Apollo astronauts carried not just flags and cameras, but also vital scientific instruments. This photograph shows an astronaut hauling components of the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP), a suite of tools designed to monitor seismic activity, measure solar wind, and study the Moon’s environment long after the crew had departed. These experiments helped transform the Apollo missions from feats of exploration into a new era of lunar science.