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George Carruthers

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description George Carruthers Overview

George Carruthers (1939–2020) was an American astrophysicist and inventor who worked at the United States Naval Research Laboratory. He is best known for building the gold-mirrored far-ultraviolet camera and spectrograph that flew on the Apollo 16 mission in 1972, which captured the first UV images of Earth's atmosphere and deep space from the lunar surface. Throughout his career at the Naval Research Laboratory, he also developed instruments to observe comets and stars in the ultraviolet spectrum.

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What invention did George Carruthers send to the Moon?

George Carruthers invented the Far Ultraviolet Camera/Spectrograph, which successfully flew on the Apollo 16 mission in 1972. It was the first space-based observatory to be set up and operated by a human on the lunar surface.

What did George Carruthers' ultraviolet camera capture images of?

The gold-plated telescope was used to take the very first ultraviolet images of Earth's atmosphere from the Moon. It also captured UV images of stars, nebulae, and the Milky Way galaxy, proving that space-based UV astronomy was viable.

Did George Carruthers win any major awards for his scientific work?

Yes, he was awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation in 2011 by President Barack Obama. He was also inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2003 for his pioneering work in ultraviolet astronomy.

Where is George Carruthers' original Apollo 16 camera today?

The backup unit for the Far Ultraviolet Camera/Spectrograph is currently displayed at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. The actual camera used by John Young and Charles Duke on the Moon was left behind on the lunar surface.