Standing on the Shoulders of Apollo 15: Past and Future Lunar Exploration

Only 24 people have traveled to the Moon, and only 12 have walked upon its surface. Apollo 15, the fourth successful lunar landing mission, launched on July 26, 1971. Jeffrey Gillis-Davis will talk about the science and exploration of the Moon, from Apollo 15 to the upcoming NASA Artemis mission to return astronauts to the Moon in 2024. Forty-nine years ago, Apollo 15 was the first of what were called the Apollo "J" missions. Apollo 15 was capable of a longer stay time, greater surface mobility, and more significant science than previous missions. The return to the Moon with Artemis will be building on Apollo, advancements in human spaceflight, and commercial and international partnerships. Apollo and Artemis are benchmarks for current and future lunar exploration. As Isaac Newton wrote in the 17th century, "If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." 

Gillis-Davis has been a research associate professor of physics at Washington University since 2018. For the prior fifteen years, he worked at the University of Hawaii. His research there involved data from NASA’s MESSENGER mission, which orbited Mercury, and radar data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission. At WashU, he is the principal investigator of NASA’s Interdisciplinary Consortium for Exploring Volatile Origins. This team of international researchers studies the origin, evolution, and interactions of volatiles on the Moon and asteroids.

The St. Louis Astronomical Society is an organization for individuals interested in astronomy and telescopes. The public is invited to attend its meetings, telescope observing sessions, and special events. To obtain Zoom access for this event and to learn more about Astronomical Society events, please visit www.slasonline.org or call 314-962-9231.