Editing Apollo 16 (section)

==== Third moonwalk ====
[[File:JSC2007e045382.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|left|John Young adjusting the LRV's antenna near Shadow Rock]]

Flight day seven was their third and final day on the lunar surface, returning to orbit to rejoin Mattingly in the CSM following the day's moonwalk. During the third and final lunar excursion, they were to explore [[North Ray (crater)|North Ray]] crater, the largest of any of the craters any Apollo expedition had visited. After exiting ''Orion'', the pair drove to North Ray crater. The drive was smoother than that of the previous day, as the craters were shallower and boulders were less abundant north of the immediate landing site. After passing [[Palmetto (crater)|Palmetto]] crater, boulders gradually became larger and more abundant as they approached North Ray in the lunar rover. Upon arriving at the rim of North Ray crater, they were {{convert|4.4|km|mi|abbr=on|sp=us}} away from the LM. After their arrival, the duo took photographs of the {{convert|1|km|mi|abbr=on|sp=us}} wide and {{convert|230|m|ft|abbr=on|sp=us}} deep crater. They visited a large boulder, taller than a four-story building, which became known as 'House Rock'. Samples obtained from this boulder delivered the final blow to the pre-mission volcanic hypothesis, proving it incorrect. House Rock had numerous bullet hole-like marks where [[micrometeoroid]]s from space had impacted the rock.<ref name = "honeysuckle" />

About 1{{nbsp}}hour and 22 minutes after arriving at the North Ray crater, they departed for Station 13, a large boulder field about {{convert|0.5|km|mi|abbr=on|sp=us}} from North Ray. On the way, they set a lunar speed record, traveling at an estimated {{convert|17.1|km/h|mph|sp=us}} downhill. They arrived at a {{convert|3|m|ft|abbr=on|sp=us}} high boulder, which they called "Shadow Rock". Here, they sampled permanently shadowed soil. During this time, Mattingly was preparing the CSM in anticipation of their return approximately six hours later. After three hours and six minutes, they returned to the LM, where they completed several experiments and unloaded the rover. A short distance from the LM, Duke placed a photograph of his family and an Air Force commemorative medallion on the surface.<ref name="honeysuckle" /> Young drove the rover to a point about {{convert|90|m|ft|abbr=on|sp=us}} east of the LM, known as the 'VIP site,' so its television camera, controlled remotely by Mission Control, could observe Apollo 16's liftoff from the Moon. They then reentered the LM after a 5-hour and 40-minute final excursion.<ref>{{cite web|title=VIP Site|url=http://next.nasa.gov/alsj/a16/a16.vip.html|publisher=[[NASA]]|editor-first=Eric M.|editor-last=Jones|editor2-first=Ken|editor2-last=Glover|work=Apollo 16 Lunar Surface Journal|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111026075705/http://next.nasa.gov/alsj/a16/a16.vip.html|archive-date=October 26, 2011|date=August 9, 2011}}</ref> After pressurizing the LM cabin, the crew began preparing to return to lunar orbit.<ref>{{cite web|title=Post-EVA-3 Activities|url=http://next.nasa.gov/alsj/a16/a16.eva3post.html|publisher=[[NASA]]|editor-first=Eric M.|editor-last=Jones|editor2-first=Ken|editor2-last=Glover|work=Apollo 16 Lunar Surface Journal|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425231532/http://next.nasa.gov/alsj/a16/a16.eva3post.html|archive-date=April 25, 2012|date=November 23, 2008}}</ref>