There is a family photo on the moon: The Astronaut who took ‘love you to the Moon and back’ literally
«I love you to the moon and back,» is a sweet sentiment. But for Apollo 16 astronaut Charles Duke, it was a promise he quite literally fulfilled. In 1972, during his historic moonwalk, Duke left behind a personal keepsake—a family photo that has now been sitting on the lunar surface for more than half a century.
Budget with ET
Tax calculator
A Symbolic Gesture of Love and Sacrifice
On April 16, 1972, Charles Duke blasted off as the Lunar Module pilot for Apollo 16. Four days later, at just 36 years old, he became the youngest person to ever walk on the moon. But his mission wasn’t just about science and exploration—Duke wanted to bring a piece of his family with him.
During his extensive astronaut training, Duke spent long periods away from his wife, Dorothy, and their two sons, Charles Duke III and Thomas. Based in Houston while he trained in Florida, Duke often missed precious moments with his children. To make up for it, he told them he had a plan: «Would y’all like to go to the moon with me?»
Since physically bringing his family was impossible, he did the next best thing—he carried a photograph of them to the lunar surface. The image, depicting the classic 1970s family unit, was placed gently on the moon’s dusty terrain, accompanied by a handwritten note on the back:
«This is the family of astronaut Charlie Duke from planet Earth who landed on the moon on April 20, 1972.»
A Fading Memory Under Alien Skies
For decades, the small photograph has remained on the moon, untouched by human hands but exposed to
Read more on economictimes.indiatimes.com
