Apollo Moon Missions: Eugene Cernan and the Final Landing

Eugene Cernan became the last person to walk on the moon on December 11, 1972, during NASA’s Apollo 17 mission, closing out a nine-mission lunar exploration program that ran from 1969 to 1972. Across six successful landings, Apollo astronauts returned 842 pounds of lunar samples, tested crewed deep-space survival under crisis conditions during Apollo 13, and left instruments on the surface that are still contributing data to lunar science.

Key Takeaways

• Apollo 17’s Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt spent over 22 hours on the lunar surface on December 11, 1972, the final moonwalk of the program.
• Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin collected 47 pounds (21.3 kg) of lunar material on July 20, 1969.
• Apollo 15, launched July 26, 1971, was the first “J-mission” to use the Lunar Roving Vehicle, covering more than 17 miles (27 km) of terrain.
• Apollo 13’s oxygen tank rupture occurred approximately 56 hours into the April 11, 1970 flight, forcing the crew to abandon their lunar landing.
• Apollo 17 returned the largest sample haul of any mission: 243 pounds (110 kg) of lunar rock and soil.

What Sparked the Apollo Program?

The Apollo program began in the early 1960s as a direct response to the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy addressed Congress with the goal of landing an American on the moon and returning them safely to Earth before the end of the decade.

That commitment set NASA on a path that culminated on July 16, 1969, when Apollo 11 launched from Kennedy Space Center carrying Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins. Armstrong and Aldrin’s lunar landing marked the first time humans set foot on another celestial body, with Armstrong’s radio transmission, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” broadcast to a global television audience.

What Happened During Apollo 11, the First Lunar Landing?

Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin descended to the lunar surface aboard the Lunar Module Eagle on July 20, 1969, while Michael Collins orbited the moon alone in the Command Module Columbia. Armstrong stepped onto the surface first, with Aldrin following shortly after.

The two astronauts spent more than two hours on the surface, collecting 47 pounds (21.3 kg) of lunar rock and soil and setting up several scientific instruments before returning to lunar orbit.

Apollo 11 — Key Experiments Deployed

Scientific instruments left on the lunar surface by Apollo 11 astronauts

Experiment	Purpose
Solar wind experiment	Collected particles emitted by the Sun to study their composition
Laser retroreflector	Enabled precise measurement of the Earth-moon distance from ground-based observatories
Seismometer	Detected “moonquakes” to help map the moon’s internal structure

On July 24, 1969, the Apollo 11 crew splashed down in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii and was recovered by the USS Hornet, completing the mission that first proved crewed lunar landings were achievable.

How Did Later Apollo Missions Build on Apollo 11?

Apollo 12: A Precision Landing

Apollo 12 launched on November 14, 1969, commanded by Charles “Pete” Conrad with crewmates Richard Gordon and Alan Bean. Conrad and Bean landed within 600 feet of the unmanned Surveyor 3 probe, demonstrating a major improvement in NASA’s lunar landing accuracy.

While Gordon orbited overhead, Conrad and Bean explored the Ocean of Storms, retrieved parts of Surveyor 3 for analysis on Earth, and deployed instruments to study solar wind and the moon’s magnetic field. The crew returned to Earth on November 24, 1969.

Apollo 13: The “Successful Failure”

An oxygen tank in Apollo 13’s Service Module ruptured approximately 56 hours into the April 11, 1970 flight, crippling the spacecraft and forcing Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert to abandon their planned landing in the Fra Mauro region.

The crew used the Lunar Module Aquarius as a lifeboat, relying on it for life support and power during the return journey. Ground control and the astronauts improvised solutions under severe power, water, and oxygen constraints, and the crew splashed down safely on April 17, 1970.

Apollo 14: Return to Fra Mauro

Apollo 14 launched on January 31, 1971, carrying Alan Shepard, Edgar Mitchell, and Stuart Roosa, following a NASA safety review conducted after Apollo 13. Shepard and Mitchell landed at Fra Mauro, the site originally targeted by Apollo 13.

The pair collected 96 pounds (43.5 kg) of rock samples, including some of the oldest lunar material recovered to that point, and deployed instruments to study the moon’s magnetic field, seismic activity, and solar particles. Shepard hit two golf balls on the lunar surface during the mission, demonstrating the effects of reduced gravity on projectile motion.

Apollo 15: The First “J-Mission”

Apollo 15 launched on July 26, 1971, introducing the “J-missions”: longer surface stays paired with the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV). David Scott, James Irwin, and Alfred Worden landed near the Hadley-Apennine region, and Scott and Irwin spent nearly three days on the surface, driving the LRV more than 17 miles (27 km).

The crew collected 170 pounds (77 kg) of samples, including the “Genesis Rock,” later dated to about 4.6 billion years old. They also left a television camera on the surface and deployed a sub-satellite to gather data on the moon’s gravity and magnetic environment before departing lunar orbit.

Apollo 16: Exploring the Lunar Highlands

Apollo 16 launched on April 16, 1972, carrying John Young, Charles Duke, and Thomas Mattingly. Young and Duke landed in the Descartes highlands to study differences between the lunar highlands and the maria regions explored on earlier missions.

The astronauts spent 71 hours on the surface, including over 20 hours of extravehicular activity (EVA, meaning time spent outside the spacecraft). Using the LRV, they traveled nearly 17 miles and collected 214 pounds (97 kg) of rock and soil.

How Did Apollo 17 End the Program?

Apollo 17 launched on December 7, 1972, carrying Commander Eugene Cernan, geologist Harrison Schmitt, and Ronald Evans, who remained in lunar orbit. Schmitt was the first professional scientist to fly on an Apollo mission, and the crew focused on gathering detailed geological data in the Taurus-Littrow valley.

Cernan and Schmitt spent over 22 hours on the lunar surface, traversing more than 22 miles (35 km) with the LRV and returning 243 pounds (110 kg) of samples, the largest single collection from any Apollo mission. Their finds included orange soil that provided evidence of the moon’s volcanic history. As Cernan left the surface, he said, “We leave as we came, and, God willing, as we shall return, with peace and hope for all mankind.”

What Did Apollo Leave Behind Scientifically?

Instruments installed by Apollo astronauts continued gathering data long after each mission ended. Seismometers detected moonquakes and helped scientists map the moon’s interior structure, heat flow experiments clarified the moon’s thermal properties, and laser retroreflectors enabled Earth-based measurements of the Earth-moon distance that still support studies of orbital dynamics today.

The program also drove advances well beyond lunar science. The Saturn V rocket used to launch Apollo missions remains among the most powerful rockets ever built, and the reliability and miniaturization standards developed for Apollo spacecraft influenced later generations of electronics and spacecraft engineering.

What Comes After Apollo?

No human has returned to the moon since Apollo 17 in December 1972. NASA’s Artemis program aims to return astronauts to the lunar surface with a focus on establishing a sustainable presence that could serve as a stepping stone toward crewed missions to Mars.

Lessons from the Apollo missions, including spacecraft safety protocols developed after Apollo 13 and surface operations refined across the six lunar landings, continue to inform planning for Artemis and future Mars missions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was the last person to walk on the moon?

Eugene Cernan was the last person to walk on the moon, during the Apollo 17 mission on December 11, 1972. He was accompanied on the lunar surface by geologist Harrison Schmitt, while Ronald Evans remained in lunar orbit.

How many Apollo missions landed on the moon?

Six Apollo missions landed astronauts on the moon: Apollo 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, and 17. Apollo 13 was intended to land but aborted its lunar landing after an oxygen tank rupture crippled the spacecraft roughly 56 hours into the flight.

What went wrong on Apollo 13?

An oxygen tank in Apollo 13’s Service Module ruptured approximately 56 hours into the mission, which launched April 11, 1970. The crew, Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert, abandoned their planned lunar landing and used the Lunar Module Aquarius as a lifeboat to survive the return trip, splashing down safely on April 17, 1970.

Which Apollo mission collected the most lunar samples?

Apollo 17 returned the largest sample collection of any Apollo mission: 243 pounds (110 kg) of lunar rock and soil, gathered by Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt during more than 22 hours on the lunar surface in December 1972.

What was the Lunar Roving Vehicle?

The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) was an electric vehicle first used during Apollo 15 in July 1971, allowing astronauts to travel farther across the lunar surface than was possible on foot. Apollo 15’s crew used it to cover more than 17 miles (27 km), and later missions used it to travel similar or greater distances.

Is anyone planning to return to the moon?

NASA’s Artemis program aims to return humans to the lunar surface with a focus on establishing a sustainable presence there. The program is intended to draw on lessons from the Apollo missions, including safety protocols developed after Apollo 13, and to serve as a stepping stone toward future crewed missions to Mars.