The Astronaut and the Lunar Module Ladder

Captured on the Moon’s surface, this photo shows an Apollo astronaut climbing back up the ladder of the Lunar Module. After conducting scientific experiments and collecting samples, astronauts relied on this ladder as their path between the harsh lunar environment and the safety of their spacecraft. The Lunar Module’s gold foil thermal protection reflects the alien light of the lunar landscape, a reminder of the delicate engineering that made humanity’s first steps on the Moon possible.