Charles Duke
Tenth and youngest person to walk on the Moon.
via Wikipedia: List of Apollo astronauts · see source
He served as Lunar Module pilot of Apollo 16 in 1972, becoming the tenth person and the youngest person to walk on the Moon, at age 36 years and 201 days. Duke is one of several surviving Moon walkers.
- known_for
- Tenth and youngest person to walk on the Moon (Apollo 16)
Lore & Background
first achieved public recognition as capsule communicator during the Apollo 11 Moon landing; notable for the quote: "...we copy you on the ground. You've got a bunch of guys about to turn blue; we're breathing again. Thanks a lot." Duke flew as Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 16.
Reader's Guide
Charles Duke's significance lies in his role as Lunar Module pilot of Apollo 16, making him the tenth and youngest person to walk on the Moon. His distinctive Southern drawl became familiar worldwide as the voice of Mission Control during Apollo 11, when he famously told the crew, 'We're breathing again. Thanks a lot!' His inadvertent exposure of the Apollo 13 prime crew to rubella led to a key crew change, indirectly affecting the mission's history.
Did You Know?
- Duke was the capsule communicator (CAPCOM) during the Apollo 11 Moon landing, famously telling the crew, 'We're breathing again. Thanks a lot!'
- He flew as Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 16, becoming the tenth person to walk on the Moon.
- Duke was the youngest person to walk on the Moon, at age 36 years and 201 days.
- He served as backup Lunar Module pilot for Apollo 13 and inadvertently exposed the prime crew to rubella, leading to Ken Mattingly's replacement.
- Duke is one of several surviving Moon walkers as of August 2025.
From the Clinic to the Cockpit
built an unusual career arc that wove together sports medicine, military aviation, and spaceflight. His selection for the Blue Angels flight demonstration squad in 1988 gave him two years embedded with one of the Navy's most visible units.
Sixteen Days Above the World
The STS-78 mission, launching on June 20, 1996, and touching down on July 7, represented the longest Space Shuttle flight to that point at 16 days and 21 hours—a record that would stand until STS-80 surpassed it by just nineteen hours later that year. Brady logged over 405 hours in orbit as a mission specialist.
A Life of Motion and Curiosity
Brady's interests extended well beyond the laboratory and the cockpit. He retired in March 2006 after years of battling a severe form of arthritis that had eroded his active outdoor lifestyle.
Honors, Affiliations, and a Complicated Farewell
The fuller truth did not reach wide public attention until roughly a year after his death, when media coverage of other astronauts prompted renewed reporting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Charles Duke?
Charles Moss Duke Jr. is a retired American astronaut, former U.S. Air Force officer, and test pilot best known for his 1972 lunar mission. He is one of the few people who have actually set foot on the Moon and is still alive today.
What mission did Charles Duke fly?
He served as the Lunar Module pilot on Apollo 16 in 1972, a role that involved piloting the lunar lander and conducting surface operations. That mission made him the tenth human ever to walk on the Moon.
How old was Charles Duke when he walked on the Moon?
He was 36 years and 201 days old at the time, which made him the youngest person ever to step onto the lunar surface. No other Moon walker before him had been that young.
Why is Charles Duke important to space history?
He holds the dual distinction of being both the tenth and the youngest individual to walk on the Moon, a record no one has since surpassed. He also remains one of the surviving Moon walkers from the Apollo era.
What did Charles Duke do before becoming an astronaut?
He worked as a United States Air Force officer and a test pilot before joining NASA's astronaut corps. Born on October 3, 1935, he brought that military and flight-testing background into his space career.
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