Apollo 17 launched on December 7, 1972, carrying the last astronauts to walk on the Moon. Its night liftoff marked the final chapter of the Apollo program and the end of humanity’s first era of lunar exploration. Follow @spaceeves #Apollo17 #NASA #RocketScience | SpaceEve

On December 14, 1972, the Apollo 17 Lunar Module, carrying astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt, lifted off from the lunar surface, marking the conclusion of the final human mission to the Moon. This departure signaled the end of the Apollo program's lunar landings, a record that has stood for over 50 years. Credit: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum | History In Pictures

On Dec. 11, 1972, Apollo 17 became the last mission to launch humans on the moon. Space History Archives👉https://space-com.visitlink.me/OmbS9K With two astronauts on board, the lunar module Challenger touched down in an area called the Taurus-Littrow valley, where they spent three days doing moonwalks and collecting samples. Commander Gene Cernan was the last person to set foot on the lunar surface as he followed the lunar module pilot, Harrison Schmitt, back into the spacecraft on the last day

Right after leaving Earth, Apollo 17’s Command and Service Module America flipped around to dock with the Lunar Module Challenger inside the Saturn upper stage. This sequence shows that approach and capture, the first step toward the last Apollo landing. Follow @spaceeves #Apollo17 #MoonLanding #SpaceHistory | SpaceEve