Charles "Pete" Conrad Jr.

Charles 'Pete' Conrad Jr. (1930-1999) was a U.S. Navy officer and NASA astronaut who commanded Apollo 12, achieving history's first precision landing on another celestial body in November 1969. Landing the lunar module Intrepid within 538 feet of the robotic Surveyor 3 spacecraft in the Moon's Ocean of Storms, Conrad demonstrated exceptional piloting skill. During the mission's first moonwalk, he and lunar module pilot Alan Bean conducted the primary objective of deploying the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP) to gather seismic data about the lunar interior, while collecting rock and soil samples. Conrad set multiple world records throughout his aerospace career and was recognized with the Charles 'Pete' Conrad Astronomy Awards established in his honor.