Paul Van Hoeydonck, the Belgian artist known as the first to have his work placed on the moon, has passed away at the age of 99.
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His family shared the sad news through a press release on Saturday, according to The Brussels Times.
Van Hoeydonck, born on October 8, 1925, in Antwerp, was a versatile artist known for his work as a sculptor, painter, illustrator, collage artist, and graphic artist. As a modern sculptor, he worked with materials like bronze, chrome steel, plexiglass, polyester, and mixed media.
Belgian artist Paul Van Hoeydonck of 'Fallen Astronaut' figurine on the Moon, dies at 99
— 🚀conspiracy_slayer🌕 (@conspiracyslyr) May 5, 2025
Dave Scott placed this figurine in a small crater north of the LRV at the end of Apollo 15's third EVA. pic.twitter.com/h6wqZ9dLLj
His most well-known piece, “Fallen Astronaut,” is a 3.346-inch aluminum sculpture created to honor the astronauts and cosmonauts who lost their lives during the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union.
Paul Van Hoeydonck’s Sculpture was Placed on the Moon by an Apollo 15 Astronaut
NASA’s Apollo 15 mission commander, David Scott, placed the sculpture alongside a commemorative plaque honoring eight U.S. astronauts and six Soviet cosmonauts on August 1, 1971.
Scott never mentioned Hoeydonck’s sculpture during his time on the moon. However, after returning to Earth with his crewmates Jim Irwin and Al Worden, he revealed the presence of the “Fallen Astronaut” statuette.
“We left a small memorial on the moon about 20 feet north of [the lunar rover] in a small, subtle crater,” Scott revealed, per Collect Space. “There’s a simple plaque with 14 names, and those are the names, in alphabetical order, of all of the astronauts and cosmonauts who have died in the pursuit of the exploration of space.”
“Near it is a small figure representing a fallen astronaut,” Scott added.
The stylized figure was designed to be lightweight, durable, and capable of withstanding the Moon’s extreme temperature fluctuations. It is located at Hadley Rille on the lunar surface.
Meanwhile, for decades, “Fallen Astronaut” held the distinction of being the first and only artwork on the moon. However, in February last year, it gained a companion: 125 miniature sculptures created by American artist Jeff Koons.