Lot no. 399
399. [Apollo 16] CHARLES DUKE AT OUTHOUSE ROCK, STATION 11
John Young, 16-27 April 1972, EVA 3
Printed 1972.
Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA image AS16-116-18653].
With three filing holes in the top margin not affecting the image, with "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse, numbered "NASA AS16-116-18653" in red in the top margin (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas).
25.4 x 20.3 cm. (10 x 8 in).
Historical context
Uncovering the Moon's ancient secrets.
Charles Duke stands beside the impressive Outhouse Rock at Station 11, holding the hammer in his left hand and pointing to the boulder where he successfully chipped off a sample. Nearby, the rake—another essential geological tool—leans against the rock, ready for use. A pack of sample bags hangs from his finger, underscoring the methodical nature of lunar fieldwork.
Outhouse Rock, a large break-off fragment measuring approximately 5 by 2 by 2.5 metres, was located just south of the massive House Rock, which itself spanned 10 by 20 metres.
Distinctive mission markings on Duke's suit stand out: the bright orange "LMP" decal on his chest-mounted Hasselblad camera and the iconic blue "NASA" emblem on his right shoulder, reinforcing the human presence in this stark lunar landscape.
This image embodies the essence of Apollo fieldwork—precise, methodical, and dedicated to uncovering the Moon's geological history.
From the mission transcript when the photograph was taken:
167:47:53 Young: Did you get a stereo of that (meaning the nearby House Rock)? Did you get a flight line of that?
167:47:55 Duke: Yeah. Uh-huh.
167:47:56 Young: Okay.
167:47:58 Duke: Okay. Well, I got a pan of it. (Pause) Okay, John, we'll whack off another...Could you get a picture of this (pause) where the hammer is? Let me get some of the unshocked...The white stuff.
167:48:12 Young: Wait a second. Go.
167:48:16 Duke: Okay. Got it?
167:48:19 Young: Yeah.
Pictures credits: Contact organization
Photographs and film
About the sale04/28/2025
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FOR ALL MANKIND THE ARTISTIC LEGACY OF EARLY SPACE EXPLORATION: Victor Martin-Malburet Collection
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