Apollo 16 spacecraft gears up for 50th anniversary of flight

Video from the channel AP Archive about Apollo 16, linked on its Above Ten Thousand entry. Duration: 5:14. Language: English. Video type: News.

A museum thoroughly cleans the Apollo 16 capsule so it is in good condition for the 50th anniversary of the mission, which flew to the Moon in 1972. The report shows the team removing dust from the spacecraft and from the display case that protects it. A conservator teaches the staff the technique: keep the vacuum cleaner near the work area and lift the dust off with the brush.

The conservator explains that the cleaning is not just cosmetic but part of the conservation of any museum object, whether a spacecraft or a spacesuit. The dust contains silica, skin cells or pollen, materials that can cause problems over time if they build up. The display case is not hermetically sealed so that air can circulate, which lets in insects, lint and, sometimes, objects left by visitors.

Those interviewed argue that the capsule should be preserved so it can be viewed millennia from now, because it represents one of the greatest achievements of the space program. One of them says that working with these pieces comes from a passion for astronauts and the space shuttle that he has had since childhood.