Replica of Fallen Astronaut
In July 1971, Apollo 15 was the fourth mission to the moon, and emphasized scientific research on the moon’s surface. The astronauts, David Scott and James Irwin, spent three days on the moon collecting samples with a Lunar Roving Vehicle (moon buggy). The circling lunar pilot was Alfred Worden. While on the moon, Commander Scott tested Galileo’s theory that without air resistance, a hammer and feather would fall to the ground at the same time. This proved true on the moon. Commander Scott placed a plaque commemorating the 14 astronauts who had lost their lives by the launch of Apollo 15. The plaque reads, as formatted:
Bassett, Charles A. II
Belyayev, Pavil I.
Chaffee, Roger B.
Dobrovolsky, Georgi T.
Freeman, Theodore C.
Gagarin, Yuri A.
Givens, Edward G., Jr.
Grissom, Virgil I.
Komarov, Vladimir M.
Patsayev, Victor I.
See, Elliott M. Jr.
Volkov, Vladislav N.
White, Edward H. II
Williams, Clifton C. Jr.
The plaque was missing three names. Two Soviet astronauts, Valentin Bondarenko and Grigori Nelyubov, which were concealed by their government. Additionally, an African American astronaut, Robert Lawrence Jr., who died in a training accident six months after his selection in 1967.
Apollo 15 Mission astronauts, Colonels David R. Scott, James B. Irwin, and Lt. Colonel Alfred M. Worden visited the United Nations on August 24, 1971 and attended a reception given by Secretary-General U Thant. They presented this replica of a plaque left on the moon in memory of space explorers. The Secretary-General presented the astronauts with gold United Nations Peace Medals, the first such awards presented.