Apollo 17

moon landing · space exploration · final mission · 1972

Final Moon Walk. Apollo 17 was the last time humans set foot on the Moon, and it happened in 1972. Commander Gene Cernan and geologist Harrison Schmitt explored the lunar surface while Ronald Evans orbited above in the Command Module.

Scientist on the Moon. Harrison Schmitt was the only professional geologist to ever land on the Moon. NASA chose him instead of another astronaut named Joe Engle because people wanted a real scientist studying the Moon's rocks and soil.

Mice in Space. Apollo 17 carried five mice in a special biological experiment that orbited the Moon with Ronald Evans. Scientists wanted to see how living creatures handled the journey to space and back home.

Science Mission. This final Apollo mission focused heavily on scientific experiments, bringing more new equipment to the Moon than any earlier landing. The astronauts collected rock samples and performed experiments to teach us about the Moon's geology.