Who was the professional geologist on Apollo 17?
Harrison Schmitt was the only person with professional geological training to walk on the Moon. He held a doctorate from Harvard University and flew as lunar module pilot.
Questions about Apollo 17
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did NASA cancel the planned launch of Apollo 18?
NASA canceled the planned launch of Apollo 18 in September 1970. This decision forced mission planners to reassign Harrison Schmitt to Apollo 17 before the program ended.
Where is the Taurus-Littrow valley located for the Apollo 17 landing site?
The Taurus-Littrow valley sits between two massifs and spans seven kilometers wide near the Moon's surface. Mission planners selected this location after rejecting sites near Copernicus crater and Tycho crater due to safety or scientific constraints.
How long did the Apollo 17 mission last compared to other crewed lunar landings?
Apollo 17 lasted twelve days and fourteen hours, making it the longest crewed lunar landing mission. Astronauts spent seventy-five hours total on the lunar surface during three moonwalks.
What record distance did Cernan and Schmitt travel from their spacecraft during EVA?
Cernan and Schmitt traveled seven point six kilometers away from the Lunar Module Challenger during the second excursion. This distance remains the farthest any spacefarers have traveled away from a pressurizable spacecraft.