Apollo 17

Apollo 17 was NASA’s final crewed lunar landing mission, conducted in December 1972. Its crew explored the Taurus–Littrow valley, where geologist Harrison Schmitt became the only professional scientist to walk on the Moon.

Taurus–Littrow valley: A lunar valley in the southeastern Mare Serenitatis region and the Apollo 17 landing site. Its mountain front and volcanic deposits shaped the mission’s exploration plan.
Apollo lunar module: The spacecraft that carried Apollo astronauts from lunar orbit to the Moon’s surface and back. Challenger delivered Cernan and Schmitt to Taurus–Littrow and lifted them back to orbit.
Eugene Cernan: An American astronaut who commanded Apollo 17 and became the last person to walk on the Moon. He led the surface expeditions and commanded the lunar module.
Apollo program: NASA’s human spaceflight program that landed astronauts on the Moon between 1969 and 1972. Apollo 17 was its final crewed lunar landing mission.
Apollo 17 lunar surface experiments: The scientific investigations deployed or conducted by Apollo 17 astronauts on the lunar surface. These experiments measured lunar heat flow, seismic activity, and surface properties.
Apollo command and service module: The two-part Apollo spacecraft that supported lunar-orbit operations and carried astronauts between Earth and the Moon. America housed Evans in lunar orbit and brought the crew home.
Harrison Schmitt: An American geologist and astronaut who walked on the Moon during Apollo 17. His scientific training shaped the crew’s field observations and sample collection.
Apollo 16: The fifth crewed Apollo lunar landing mission, conducted in April 1972 in the lunar highlands. It was the preceding landing mission and a point of comparison for Apollo 17’s geology-focused site.
Orange soil (Moon): Lunar soil containing orange volcanic glass beads, discovered by Apollo 17 astronauts at Shorty crater. The discovery revealed evidence of ancient explosive volcanism at the landing site.
Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle: A battery-powered vehicle used by Apollo astronauts to travel across the lunar surface. The rover extended the crew’s range across Taurus–Littrow.

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