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"Apollo 17": last flight to the moon
In December, this year marks 40 years since the moment when the moon last one had gone before. It was the crew of mission "Apollo 17", went with lots 7 December 1972 and came back in 12 days.
From Trinity crew, was the most experienced commander Eugene Cernan (Eugene Cernan), who has already been to the moon three years earlier. Actually, it was his third flight.
For the command module pilot Ronald Evans (Ronald Evans), this flight was not only the first but also the only one.
Third party crew became scientist astronaut and Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt (Harrison Schmitt). He was the only astronaut from all missions "Apollo", which was not a pilot by profession.
The trajectory of the mission for the first time allowed to photograph glacial southern part of the planet. One of the most famous images of the planet, which is called «Blue Marble».
The image of the lunar module, made with the command module.
It landed on the moon only Cernan and Schmitt.
The landing occurred on the southeastern shore of the Sea of Serenity, in the valley of Taurus-Littrow.
For three outs, the astronauts not only to investigate the seismic activity of the moon and soils. As part of the mission was conducted about 15 experiments on the Moon and in orbit.
In total, the astronauts collected about 110 research, 52 kg breed. To do this, they had to overcome on the lunar vehicle on the moon in the distance of 34 kilometers.
Earth rises above the lunar surface.
The last person whose foot touches the surface of the moon, it was the commander Eugene Cernan.
He also, for a memorial written on the surface of Earth's satellite initials of his daughter. In addition, the astronauts left on the Moon plate from the historical record, and his own autographs.
It is now December 14, 2012 marks 40 years from the moment when the surface of the Moon made the last step of the person.
December 19, 1972, astronauts were safely picked up by helicopter US Air Force in the Pacific Ocean.
