In this iconic image taken by Charles M. Duke Jr., John Young salutes the United States flag on the Moon while jumping from the surface. The Apollo Lunar Module Orion and Lunar Roving Vehicle in the background.
Image courtesy NASA.

In 1972 on this date, Apollo 16’s lunar module Orion touched down on the Moon, placing astronauts Charles Duke and John Young in the moon’s Descartes region, about 230 meters northwest of the planned target area.

For a comprehensive overview of the goals and accomplishments of the flight, visit NASA’s Apollo 16 Mission pages here.