Mission objectives for geological exploration of the Apollo 16 landing site

Abstract

This document is a committee report which outlines scientific objectives and specific rationales developed for the exploration of the Apollo 16 site, our most important mission to the lunar highlands. Although premission hypotheses erroneously favored a volcanic origin for the Cayley plains as well as Descartes Mountains, the major mission objectives were successfully accomplished: to delineate the nature and origin of two major physiographic units of the lunar central highlands.