44 years ago this week, NASA astronauts were walking and driving a rover across the moon.
Apollo 17’s Harrison Schmitt. Image Credit: NASA/Eugene Cernan
On the surface for 75 hours, Apollo 17 was NASA’s last manned mission to the moon. Launching on December 7, 1972, the mission and its crew of three returned 12 days later. This was the last of the six Apollo moon landings.
The three NASA astronauts on Apollo 17 were Eugene Cernan – Commander, Ronald Evans – Command Module Pilot, and Harrison Schmitt – Lunar Module Pilot.
Apollo 17’s Harrison Schmitt. Image Credit: NASA
This mission landed in an area on the moon that had a greater variety of young and old rocks than the samples brought back to Earth by earlier Apollo missions. The site was the Taurus-Littrow highlands and valley area.
Apollo 17 conducted geological surveying and sampling, deployed and activated surface experiments, performed experiments while in flight, and conducted photographic tasks while orbiting the moon and during the trans-Earth coast.
Apollo 17’s Eugene Cernan. Image Credit: NASA
Are humans ever going back into deep space?
Absolutely – NASA is working hard on their new deep space crew capsule, Orion, and their new rocket, Space Launch System, as part of the Journey to Mars. Expanding humanity into deep space will be part of your future.
Click here to learn more about the Apollo missions.
Learn about NASA’s Journey to Mars at NASA.gov.