Apollo 17

Apollo 17 was the last time humans visited the Moon. It flew from December 7 to December 19, 1972, as part of NASA's Apollo program. Commander Gene Cernan and Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt walked on the Moon, while Ronald Evans stayed in orbit above.

Harrison Schmitt was special because he was a geologist, meaning he studied rocks and the Earth. He was the only scientist to land on the Moon. The crew spent three days on the Moon, driving around in a lunar rover and collecting samples. They found orange soil near a crater, which told scientists more about the Moon’s early history.

Apollo 17 set many records. It was the longest Moon landing mission, and the crew traveled farther from their spacecraft than any other astronauts. They collected the most Moon rocks and spent the most time on the lunar surface. This mission helped scientists learn a lot about our Moon.

Crew and key Mission Control personnel

In 1969, NASA named Gene Cernan, Ronald Evans, and Joe Engle as the backup crew for Apollo 14, putting them in line to be the main crew for Apollo 17. Later, Harrison Schmitt, a geologist and astronaut, joined as the lunar module pilot for Apollo 17 after NASA decided to cancel Apollo 18 and wanted a scientist on the Moon.

The final crew for Apollo 17 was announced in August 1971. Gene Cernan, from the United States Navy, had previously flown on Gemini 9A and Apollo 10. Ronald Evans, also from the Navy, was making his first spaceflight. Harrison Schmitt, a civilian with a doctorate in geology, was the only professional geologist to walk on the Moon. The backup crew for Apollo 17 was made up of experienced Apollo astronauts, with John W. Young as commander, Charles Duke as lunar module pilot, and Stuart Roosa as command module pilot. The support crew included Robert F. Overmyer, Robert A. Parker, and C. Gordon Fullerton to help prepare for the mission.

Mission insignia and call signs

The mission patch shows the Greek god Apollo in front of an American eagle. The eagle has red bars like the U.S. flag, and three white stars above it represent the three astronauts. The background includes the Moon, the planet Saturn, and a faraway galaxy. The eagle’s wing partly covers the Moon, showing that humans had already landed there.

The patch uses the colors of the U.S. flag—red, white, and blue—and also gold, symbolizing a “golden age” of space travel beginning with Apollo 17. The design of Apollo is based on an old statue called the Apollo Belvedere from the Vatican Museums. It looks toward the stars, showing humanity’s hopes for the future. Artist Robert McCall created the patch using ideas from the crew.

The astronauts chose special names for their spacecraft to thank the American people for supporting their journey. They named the command module “America,” remembering old sailing ships with that name. The lunar module was called “Challenger,” showing the exciting challenges ahead for America’s future in space.

Planning and training

Before Apollo 17 flew, it was planned to launch in September 1971. But after the problem with Apollo 13, NASA changed its plans. Apollo 17 was moved to December 1972 partly so it would not affect the re-election of President Richard Nixon.

Apollo 17 was meant to be a detailed science mission, with three days on the Moon and use of a special vehicle for exploring. The team wanted to visit places on the Moon that had not been seen before. They picked three possible landing spots and chose the Taurus–Littrow valley because it offered good chances to collect interesting rock samples.

The Apollo 17 crew trained hard for their mission. They practiced collecting samples, using their spacesuits, and driving the Moon vehicle. They also learned about geology, practicing in places on Earth that looked like the Moon. Commander Gene Cernan and Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt worked well together, even though Schmitt was a professional geologist. Command Module Pilot Ronald Evans trained separately, learning to identify features of the Moon from orbit.

Mission hardware and experiments

Spacecraft and launch vehicle

The Apollo 17 spacecraft included several important parts. It had a Command Module and a Service Module, a Lunar Module, an adapter for the Lunar Module, and a system to help the spacecraft launch safely. The rocket used to launch it was one of the Saturn V rockets, which were very powerful.

The pieces of the rocket and spacecraft were put together at a special center. Tests were done to make sure everything worked well before the launch.

Lunar surface science

ALSEP

The Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package was a set of tools left on the Moon to keep working after the astronauts went back to Earth. For Apollo 17, these tools included experiments to learn about the Moon’s heat, gravity, air, and tiny shakes in the ground. Some of these tools had been used before, but others were new.

The tools left on the Moon stopped working in 1977 because there was not enough money to keep them running.

Other lunar-surface science

Apollo 17 also carried a special vehicle called the Lunar Roving Vehicle, which the astronauts used to move around on the Moon. It helped them carry tools and collect samples. This vehicle went about 35.7 kilometers during the mission.

The mission also included special experiments to learn about the Moon’s gravity and electrical properties. These experiments gave scientists useful information about the Moon’s surface and what it’s made of.

Orbital science

Biological experiments

The spacecraft carried a special experiment with small mice to see how space travel affected them. Most of the mice survived, but scientists learned about changes in their bodies from being in space.

Scientific Instrument Module

The spacecraft also had a special module with tools to study the Moon from above. These tools could look at the Moon’s surface, measure its temperature, and study its thin air.

Light-flash phenomenon and other experiments

Main article: Cosmic ray visual phenomena

The astronauts on Apollo 17, like those on earlier missions, saw strange flashes of light even with their eyes closed. They did an experiment to learn more about these flashes, which were caused by tiny particles from space passing through the eyes.

The spacecraft also carried special tools to learn more about the Moon’s gravity and other features.

Mission events

Launch and outbound trip

Apollo 17 was the last time people traveled to the Moon. It took off at night on December 7, 1972, after a short delay to fix a problem with the rocket. About half a million people watched the launch.

The crew orbited Earth and then headed to the Moon. They took a famous picture called The Blue Marble showing Earth from space. They also fixed a loose part on their spacecraft before continuing their journey.

Lunar landing

On December 11, the Lunar Module landed on the Moon. Two astronauts, Cernan and Schmitt, stepped out to explore while the third astronaut, Evans, stayed in orbit.

Lunar surface

The two astronauts made three walks on the Moon. They drove a small rover, collected rocks and samples, and set up scientific equipment. They found interesting colors in the soil and discovered some very old lunar rocks.

Solo activities

While Cernan and Schmitt were on the Moon, Evans orbited above in the Command Module. He took photographs of the Moon’s surface and watched for unusual lights. He also kept the spacecraft moving properly while waiting for his teammates to return.

Return to Earth

On December 14, Cernan and Schmitt lifted off from the Moon and rejoined Evans. They traveled back to Earth and landed safely in the Pacific Ocean on December 19. Apollo 17 was the final mission of NASA’s Apollo program.

Aftermath and spacecraft locations

After their mission, the Apollo 17 crew traveled across the United States and around the world, visiting 29 states and 11 countries. Their tour began at the Super Bowl VII, where they led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance. The command module named America was also shown during the event.

None of the Apollo 17 astronauts flew in space again. Eugene Cernan retired from NASA and the Navy in 1976. Ronald Evans retired from the Navy in 1976 and from NASA in 1977, and then worked in private business. Harrison Schmitt left NASA in 1975 to successfully run for a United States Senate seat from New Mexico in 1976, where he served for six years.

The command module America is now displayed at the Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas. The part of the lunar module that flew away from the Moon landed back on the Moon in December 1972. The part that stayed on the Moon remains there. In 2023, scientists found that this part was causing very small shakes each Moon morning as it heated up.

The spacesuit worn by Eugene Cernan is kept at the National Air and Space Museum. Harrison Schmitt’s spacesuit is also stored there but is not on display because it is in excellent condition. Ronald Evans’ spacesuit is also stored at the museum.

Since Apollo 17 returned, people have tried to take pictures of the landing site from space. In 2009 and 2011, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter took pictures from very low orbits. In 2018, a German company PTScientists said they planned to send rovers to explore near the site.

In 2026, the United States government shared some secret records about unusual things seen in space. These records included a photo from Apollo 17 that showed three small shapes in a triangle in the Moon’s sky. The Pentagon said experts did not agree on what these shapes were, but early studies suggested they might be real objects.