TECH

6 things we left behind on the moon

FLORIDA TODAY

Editor's note: This article was originally published in July 2014.

The six Apollo missions to land successfully on the moon made an impact on science, but also on the moon itself.

Not only did they leave behind the famous footprints -- still there because the moon lacks wind to erase them -- but scientific equipment, lunar buggies and cameras as well.

It's not that they forgot to pack up when they left: Much was intentionally left to give the astronauts more room to bring stuff back. Lunar rocks, for example, are heavy. The crews brought back more than 800 pounds worth of rocks and soil.

The lower half of six Lunar Modules remain on the moon, with message-bearing plaques attached commemorating our visits.

The astronauts also implanted U.S. flags at each landing site, the most famous of which was where Apollo 11's crew explored: the Sea of Tranquility.

Other items left behind

  • Cameras: Most of the cameras used to take the famous moon images. They just brought back the film.

  • Retroreflectors: Laser Ranging RetroReflectors, which still work and help determine the distance from the Earth to the moon.

  • Golf balls: Three golf balls, one of which Alan Shepard says flew for "miles and miles" after he hit it.

  • Lunar rovers: Three Lunar Roving Vehicles. Though some of these items may be usable to future crews, the equipment was not meant to be reused and is likely to be full of moon dust.

Source: NASA