The South Carolina State Museum in Columbia, South Carolina proudly showcases a collection of artifacts used by Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke during his mission on the moon... Traces of lunar dust or "regolith" can even still be found on them!
Charles Moss Duke Jr. was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, but he regards Lancaster, S.C. as his home. Duke joined NASA's astronaut program in 1966 at the height of the "Space Race" against the Soviet Union. Duke served as Apollo 16's lunar module pilot, and walked on the moon with commander John Young in April, 1972. Compared to other Apollo missions, Apollo 16 is known for bringing back the largest payload of minerals from the moon.
Host Andrew pays a visit to the S.C. State Museum to see these space-flown artifacts up close. Special guest Tom Falvey, the museum's Director if Innovation Experiences joins Andrew to tell the story of Charlie Duke, Apollo 16, and the museum's collection of equipment used on the moon by Duke himself!
Curiosity Trek! tells the stories of historic people and events through the artifacts left behind. The series highlights more than just objects of significant historical value but also the strange and the bizarre! The people tied to these objects may be gone, but their stories live on through these artifacts.
