Mission control during Apollo 15 Moon landing, 1971. The Apollo 15 mission to the Moon took place from 26 July to 7 August 1971. From left to right, the mission controllers seen here are: scientist-astronaut Joseph P. Allen, astronaut Richard F. Gordon Jr., and director-astronaut Deke Slayton. They are in the Mission Control Center (MCC)'s Mission Operations Control Room (MOCR) in Houston, Texas, USA. In the background, on the screen, astronauts David R. Scott and James B. Irwin are seen on the surface of the Moon performing tasks as part of the mission's third extravehicular activity (EVA). Slayton is director of Flight Crew Operations. Gordon is Apollo 15 backup commander. Allen is an Apollo 15 spacecraft communicator. Photographed on 2 August 1971.