Apollo 17 Launches the Final Crewed Lunar Landing Mission
Apollo 17 launched on December 7, 1972, carrying Eugene Cernan, Harrison Schmitt and Ronald Evans.
Published · Updated · 1 min read
The Event
Apollo 17 launched on December 7, 1972, carrying Eugene Cernan, Harrison Schmitt and Ronald Evans. The Saturn V lifted off at night.
The Wider Story
The mission combined a lunar landing expedition with orbital science. Schmitt brought professional geological training to the surface exploration.
Putting the Event in Perspective
The landing occurred on December 11.
Reading the Historical Record
The launch anniversary should not show all three astronauts on the Moon or confuse the mission with Apollo 11.
About the Historical Recreation
The accompanying visual is an illustrative reconstruction: a Saturn V rising into the night sky in 1972, no lunar surface scene. It is not authentic archival footage, an eyewitness record or additional evidence for the event.
Sources
Found an error? Send a correction. Read our editorial standards.