

The U.S.-crewed spaceflight to the moon on Dec. 7, 1972, was generally known as Apollo 17 — also referred to as the ultimate flight of the Apollo program.
This explicit spaceflight included two historic astronauts: Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt.
These Apollo 17 astronauts would change into — on today in historical past, Dec. 11, 1972 — the final people to stroll on the moon so far.
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Eugene Cernan was a mission commander who orbited Earth on Gemini 9 and the moon on Apollo 10, in keeping with Britannica.
Harrison Schmitt was a lunar module pilot and the primary scientist-astronaut to set foot on the moon.

The launch of NASA’s Apollo 17 spacecraft from Pad A, Launch Advanced 39 of the Kennedy House Middle in Florida, seventh December 1972.
(House Frontiers/Getty Photographs)
The spaceflight had a 3rd astronaut on board: Ronald Evans — the command module pilot who had been a naval aviator prior to now.
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The final of the Apollo program spaceflight launch was initially scheduled for Dec. 6, 1972, within the night; nevertheless it was delayed as a result of a technical malfunction, in keeping with Britannica.
By Dec. 11, Cernan and Schmitt landed the lunar module on the floor of the moon.
The delay triggered the launch to fall simply previous midnight, making it a Dec. 7 launch from the Kennedy House Middle in Florida.
The highly effective rocket made it to Earth’s orbit in lower than 12 minutes and the lunar orbit by Dec. 10.
By Dec. 11, Cernan and Schmitt landed the lunar module on the floor of the moon.

Apollo 17 astronaut Gene Cernan touches an American flag on the floor of the moon.
(Corbis/Corbis through Getty Photographs)
“The Challenger” landed simply 2 hours and 34 minutes after separating from the command and repair module, in keeping with Britannica.
Quickly after touchdown, Cernan and Schmitt stepped onto the moon.
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Throughout the 75 hours they spent on the moon’s floor, Cernan and Schmitt collected 243.56 kilos of rock and soil samples.
After accumulating the samples, the astronauts carried out experiments — and started an “experimental bundle” that despatched information again to Earth, in keeping with Britannica.

Lunar module pilot Harrison H. Schmitt collects geological samples on the moon throughout his EVA (extra-vehicular exercise) on NASA’s Apollo 17 lunar touchdown mission in 1972.
(House Frontiers/Getty Photographs)
On Dec. 14, the 2 males made it again onto the command module and headed again to Earth.
Simply 5 days later, on Dec. 19, 2972, the group of astronauts landed within the South Pacific Ocean, in keeping with Britannica.
Since then, no American has stepped on the moon once more.
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Schmitt informed House.com in a 2017 interview that the success of the Apollo program could possibly be attributed to many alternative parts.

Eugene A. Cernan, commander, Apollo 17, salutes the U.S. flag on the lunar floor throughout extra-vehicular exercise (EVA) on NASA’s remaining lunar touchdown mission.
(Heritage Photographs through Getty Photographs)
“The keys to the success of the Apollo program included the existence of a number of parts — particularly, a enough base of know-how, in addition to a big reservoir of patriotic younger engineers and expert staff,” he mentioned.
It’s thought that Cernan mentioned these phrases throughout his final steps on the moon: “We will return, with peace and hope for all mankind. Godspeed the crew of Apollo 17.”
Cernan handed away in January 2017 in Houston.
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Schmitt — after his work with NASA — went on to change into a U.S. senator from New Mexico, serving from Jan. 3, 1977 to Jan. 3, 1983.
A geologist, he stays right this moment the one particular person with no background in navy aviation to have walked on the moon.