Since 1972, no human being has set foot on the Moon again. The final footsteps were left during the historic Apollo 17 mission, marking the end of humanity’s last journey to the lunar surface.
In this iconic photo, astronaut Eugene Cernan is seen walking toward the Lunar Roving Vehicle beside the American flag at the Taurus-Littrow landing site. The image was captured by astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt, the mission’s lunar module pilot.
Cernan became the last human to walk on the Moon after he entered the lunar module moments after Schmitt, before the crew began their journey back to Earth.
Another historic image, taken on December 13, 1972 by NASA, shows Schmitt standing beside a massive split boulder on the Moon’s surface during the mission.
A wide-angle photograph from the Taurus-Littrow landing site also reveals the lunar module on the left side of the background, while the lunar rover appears on the right. One of the astronauts can be seen standing between them, while the shadow of the astronaut taking the photo is visible in the foreground.
More than five decades later, the Apollo Moon missions remain among humanity’s most extraordinary achievements in space exploration.
