Astronaut Alan Bean Remembered: Photos of a Moonwalker-Turned-Artist

Alan Bean: In Memoriam

Apollo 12 moonwalker and astronaut-artist Alan Bean, Jr. died on May 26, 2018. The former NASA astronaut was the fourth man to walk on the moon and also visited Skylab. See his amazing space legacy in pictures in this remembrance.

Alan Bean: Astronaut

NASA portrait of Apollo 12 lunar module pilot Alan Bean.

Alan L. Bean

This official NASA portrait from Sept. 21, 1971 presents Alan L. Bean in civilian clothes.

Apollo 12 Prime Crew

The Apollo 12 lunar landing mission prime crew, as named by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, are — from left to right — Charles Conrad, Jr., Richard F. Gordon, Jr. and Alan L. Bean.

Training for the Moon

Astronaut Alan L. Bean, strapped into a one-sixth gravity simulator, prepares for the upcoming Apollo 12 lunar landing mission by engaging in lunar surface simulation training in Building 29 at the Manned Spacecraft Center.

Preparing for Launch

As the Apollo 12 prelaunch countdown begins, astronaut Alan L. Bean, lunar module pilot for the mission, suits up inside the Kennedy Space Center's Manned Spacecraft Operations Building. Shortly after this photo, Bean and crewmates Charles Conrad, Jr., commander; and Richard F. Gordon, Jr., command module pilot; boarded a special transport van to Launch Complex 39 for launch. Apollo 12 is the second lunar landing mission for the U.S.

Apollo 9 Backup Crew

On the deck of the NASA Motor Vessel Retriever, the Apollo 9 backup crew stands before a water egress training in the Gulf of Mexico. From the left, astronauts Charles Conrad, Jr., Richard F. Gordon, Jr. and Alan L. Bean.

To the Moon

While on the Apollo 12 lunar landing mission, astronaut Alan L. Bean, lunar module pilot for the mission, climbs down the ladder of the Lunar Module. Bean joins astronaut Charles Conrad, Jr., mission commander, on the lunar surface for an extravehicular activity.

Samples for Home

On the lunar surface, astronaut Alan L. Bean holds a Special Environmental Sample Container with lunar soil collected during the EVA. Commander Charles Conrad, Jr., who took the image, can be seen reflected in Bean's visor.

Crossing the Moon

During the first Apollo 12 extravehicular activity on Nov. 19, 1969, astronaut Alan L. Bean carries two sub packages of the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package. Bean deployed the ALSEP components, clearly visible in the background, 300 feet from the Lunar Module.

Preparing for Skylab 3

On June 30, 2973, Astronaut and Skylab 3 commander Alan L. Bean listens as a newsman asks questions during a pre-mission press conference in the Building 1 large auditorium at Johnson Space Center.