Apollo 17, launched in December 1972, was the last crewed mission to the Moon. Commander Gene Cernan, lunar module pilot Harrison Schmitt, and command module pilot Ron Evans made up the crew. Schmitt was a geologist — the first scientist to walk on the Moon. Their mission focused heavily on science, surface exploration, and photography.
Cameras used on Apollo missions were modified to survive extreme temperatures and radiation. Astronauts trained extensively to compose useful images in bulky spacesuits with limited visibility. The resulting photos are precise scientific and historical records, not just snapshots.
Schmitt collected rock and soil samples across the Taurus-Littrow valley, the landing site chosen for its volcanic features. These samples helped scientists understand the Moon’s geological history in ways no robotic mission could match.
The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) first flew on Apollo 15 in July 1971, carrying astronaut David Scott and James Irwin across the lunar surface. The electric rover allowed crews to travel several miles from the landing site, dramatically expanding exploration range.
While Cernan and Schmitt worked on the surface, Evans orbited above in the Command/Service Module. He conducted a spacewalk to retrieve film canisters from the outside of the spacecraft before the crew’s return to Earth.
Cernan drove the rover across the valley floor during multiple EVAs, leaving tire tracks in fine lunar dust that remain undisturbed to this day. The Moon’s lack of atmosphere means no wind, no weather, and no erosion to alter them.
The lunar landscape photographs reveal wide, barren plains broken by craters and sharp mountain ranges. With no atmosphere to scatter light, the sky is pure black even in full daylight — a stark visual unique to the Moon.
Apollo 15’s David Scott also photographed himself saluting the American flag on the lunar surface, a moment echoed by later crews. These flag ceremonies were formally planned parts of each mission’s surface activities.
