Apollo 17 launched at 12:33 a.m. Eastern Time from Kennedy Space Center. The Saturn V rocket sent astronauts Eugene Cernan, Harrison Schmitt, and Ronald Evans on the final crewed mission to the Moon under NASA’s Apollo program. The flight marked the end of a major chapter in American space exploration. The event carried scientific weight, political meaning, and lasting cultural value. Its timing in late 1972 placed it at the close of an era defined by rapid advances in engineering and intense national focus on spaceflight. The mission stands out because it ended the sequence of human lunar landings that began in 1969.
The crew composition added unique significance. Cernan served as commander and had flown on both Gemini and Apollo flights. Schmitt, a geologist trained through the U.S. Geological Survey and experienced with lunar sample work, became the first trained scientist to land on the Moon. Evans served as command module pilot and operated experiments from lunar orbit. Their backgrounds shaped the mission’s goals. NASA placed strong emphasis on sample collection, surface observation, and instrument deployment. The mission reflected a shift in focus from demonstrating landing ability to conducting scientific fieldwork.
The spacecraft followed the established Apollo architecture. The Saturn V placed the command module America and lunar module Challenger on the path to the Moon. Translunar injection occurred roughly three hours after launch. During the coast, the crew performed standard checks and prepared for the landing sequence. The spacecraft entered lunar orbit on December 10. Cernan and Schmitt undocked on December 11 and descended to the Taurus-Littrow valley on the southeastern rim of Mare Serenitatis. The site selection aimed to allow the crew to gather material from both volcanic and impact-related terrain. Scientists expected the region to hold a wide range of rock types that could clarify the Moon’s volcanic history.
The mission included three lunar surface excursions. The crew used the Lunar Roving Vehicle to travel across the valley floor and the base of the surrounding highlands. They collected more than 110 kilograms of rock and soil. Their samples included orange volcanic glass discovered by Schmitt at Shorty Crater, which pointed to ancient explosive volcanic activity. The crew also placed the final set of Apollo surface instruments, including a seismometer and probes that measured heat flow and other environmental conditions. These devices supported long-term observation until they were shut down in 1977.
While Cernan and Schmitt worked on the surface, Evans conducted experiments from orbit. He operated a radar instrument that mapped the lunar subsurface and a sensor package designed to measure energetic particles. He also performed photography tasks that helped refine knowledge of lunar geology. His work added orbital context to the samples and observations gathered on the ground. The combination of surface and orbital data improved scientific understanding of the Moon’s composition and thermal development.
The return phase proceeded without major issues. Cernan and Schmitt lifted off from the surface on December 14 and rejoined Evans in orbit. The spacecraft left lunar orbit that same day. During the coast home, Evans conducted a deep-space spacewalk to retrieve film cassettes from cameras mounted on the service module. The retrieval ensured that high-resolution images from lunar orbit reached Earth. The crew splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on December 19, ending the last crewed lunar mission of the 20th century.
The historical significance of the launch on December 7 lies in what followed. Apollo 17 closed the period in which the United States placed astronauts on the Moon using hardware developed during the 1960s. Budget limits, shifting political goals, and changes in national priorities ended the Apollo program. After Apollo 17, human spaceflight shifted to low Earth orbit projects such as Skylab and later the Space Shuttle. The long gap between Apollo 17 and future planned lunar missions increased the symbolic weight of the 1972 launch. Cernan’s final steps on the lunar surface became a reference point for later discussions about human exploration. His statement before leaving the surface expressed hope for a return, but no American crew has landed there since.
The mission also holds scientific value. Samples gathered by the crew continue to serve research more than fifty years later. Findings about volcanic glass, impact breccias, and soil maturity helped shape modern understanding of lunar development. The launch date stands as a key marker for the end of a productive sequence of surface missions that produced data still used by researchers. December 7, 1972, represents the moment when the United States sent its last Apollo crew into deep space, bringing an ambitious period of exploration to a close.
References / More Knowledge:
NASA. “Apollo 17 Overview.” https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/missions/apollo17.html
NASA History Office. “Apollo 17 Press Kit.” https://history.nasa.gov/alsj/a17/A17_PressKit.pdf
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. “Apollo 17 Mission.” https://airandspace.si.edu/explore/stories/apollo-17
USGS Astrogeology Science Center. “Apollo 17 Sample Studies.” https://www.usgs.gov/centers/astrogeology-science-center/science/apollo-17-sample-data