The 50th anniversary of humanity's second moon-landing mission is today (Nov. 14), and NASA has several livestreamed events celebrating the milestone. You can catch all broadcasts online and on NASA Television.
Apollo 12 launched 50 years ago today for a landing on the moon's Ocean of Storms four days later. The landing crew of Pete Conrad and Alan Bean made the first pinpoint landing on the moon, arriving within walking distance of the robotic Surveyor 3 spacecraft, which landed on the moon in 1967. Fellow crew member Dick Gordon remained in orbit, taking photos of the moon's surface. Conrad and Bean brought some pieces of the Surveyor 3 lander back to Earth, along with some 75 lbs. (34 kilograms) of moon rocks, according to NASA.
Unlike with events surrounding the Apollo 11 anniversary in July, none of the Apollo 12 crew members are still alive to celebrate their own milestone today. Conrad died in 1999, Gordon died in 2017 and Bean died in 2018.
Video: Apollo 12's Stormy Launch to the Ocean of Storms
Related: Apollo 12 in Pictures: NASA's Pinpoint Moon Landing Mission
NASA's Apollo 12 anniversary extravaganza kicks off with rebroadcast launch coverage of Apollo 12 at 11 a.m. EST (1600 GMT).
Two International Space Station astronauts, Christina Koch and Jessica Meir, will then be interviewed live on NASA TV at 1:25 p.m. EST (1825 GMT). While the topic of that interview has not been released yet, it's very possible these NASA astronauts will mention the anniversary.
In between the special Apollo 12 broadcasts, U.S. vice president Mike Pence is expected to make remarks at NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California at 11:45 a.m. local time (2:45 p.m. EST or 1945 GMT). He is visiting as part of a larger tour focusing on NASA's future human program for moon missions, called Artemis, NASA said in a statement. Pence may mention the Apollo 12 anniversary in his remarks, which are supposed to address Ames' role in the Artemis program. The Trump administration wants NASA to land the next humans on the moon in 2024, including the first woman.
The evening shows on NASA TV will have 50th anniversary specials.
At 8 p.m. EST (0100 GMT Friday, Nov. 15), the channel will premiere a new special. It includes "highlights from the Apollo 12 mission, prelaunch activities, crew news conferences and President [Richard] Nixon's address," NASA said in a description of the show. Then at 10 p.m. EST (0300 GMT Friday, Nov. 15), NASA TV will air another documentary called "Apollo 12 — Pinpoint For Science."
You can watch all these events live here on Space.com, courtesy of NASA TV, or directly via the agency's website.
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