SPACE TECH
Apollo 12 Launch Anniversary: The Historic Pinpoint Lunar Landing
Launched on November 14, 1969, NASA's Apollo 12 mission achieved a historic pinpoint landing in the Ocean of Storms on the lunar surface.
Marking the second crewed lunar landing in history, NASA's Apollo 12 mission lifted off on November 14, 1969. Commander Pete Conrad and Lunar Module Pilot Alan Bean descended to the moon's surface, while Command Module Pilot Richard Gordon remained in lunar orbit.
Unlike the previous Apollo 11 landing, which drifted significantly from its intended target, Apollo 12 achieved a precise pinpoint landing near the Ocean of Storms. Their primary objective was inspecting the Surveyor 3 robotic lander to analyze how it withstood lunar conditions over two years. The crew successfully gathered 75 pounds of lunar rock samples.