Facts about Apollo 17

1. 07

   At 17.4 kilometers altitude, Apollo 17 astronauts achieved the highest speed during trans-lunar injection at approximately 39,000 kilometers per hour relative to Earth.

   Apollo 17May 14sharespacemeasurementphysics
2. 06

   Ronald Evans orbited the moon 75 times aboard Apollo 17's command module while Cernan and Schmitt explored the lunar surface in December 1972.

   Apollo 17May 14sharespaceorbitapollo
3. 05

   Geologist Harrison Schmitt, the only scientist-astronaut to reach the moon, collected orange soil samples near Shorty Crater during Apollo 17, revealing volcanic activity on the lunar surface.

   Apollo 17May 14sharegeologychemistrylunar
4. 04

   December 11, 1972 marked humanity's final crewed moon landing when Apollo 17's command module splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, ending the entire Apollo program.

   Apollo 17May 14sharespacehistoryexploration
5. 03

   In December 1972, Apollo 17's three-day lunar surface stay represented the longest crewed moon mission, with astronauts spending 75 hours on the lunar surface.

   Apollo 17May 14sharedurationspacerecord
6. 02

   The lunar rover driven during Apollo 17 traveled 35.89 kilometers across the moon's surface in December 1972, covering more ground than any previous lunar mission.

   Apollo 17May 14sharemeasurementtechnologyexploration
7. 01

   Astronaut Eugene Cernan collected 110.5 kilograms of moon rocks and soil samples during Apollo 17's December 1972 mission.

   Apollo 17May 14sharespacemeasurementexploration