The Apollo 16 (AS-511) space vehicle was launched from Pad A,
Launch Complex 39, KSC, at 12:54 p.m. EST April 16, with a crew
of astronauts John W. Young, Thomas K. Mattingly II, and Charles
M. Duke, Jr. After insertion into an earth parking orbit for
spacecraft system checks, the spacecraft and the S-IVB stage
were placed on a trajectory to the moon at 3:28 p.m. CSM
transposition and docking with the LM were achieved, although a
number of minor anomalies were noted. One anomaly, an auxiliary
propulsion system leak on the S-IVB stage, produced an
unpredictable thrust and prevented a final S-IVB targeting
maneuver after separation from the CSM. Tracking of the S-IVB
ended at 4:04 p.m. EST April 17, when the instrument unit's
signal was lost. The stage hit the lunar surface at 4:02 p.m.
April 19, 260 kilometers northeast of the target point. The
impact was detected by the seismometers left on the moon by the
Apollo 12, 14, and 15 missions. Spacecraft operations were near
normal during the coast to the moon. Une