Apollo 17
December 19, 1972
Apollo 17 splashed down today. The Apollo program is over. Twelve men walked on the Moon between July 1969 and December 1972. I've written all their names. I've written what each mission meant. I don't know what to write now. I just want to say the twelve names.
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Apollo 17
December 14, 1972
Gene Cernan made the last moonwalk of the Apollo program today. Before climbing the ladder, he read a statement from the Moon. "We leave as we came and, God willing, as we shall return, with peace and hope for all mankind." Then he climbed up. No one has been back…
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Apollo 17
December 12, 1972
Harrison Schmitt was on his second EVA when he looked down and said "There's orange soil!" It was a startling discovery — color on the Moon, in a landscape of gray. Volcanic activity? Recent geology? The scientists are excited. Even after twelve missions, the Moon is still surprising us.
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Apollo 17
December 7, 1972
Apollo 17 launched at 12:33 AM on December 7th — the only night launch in the history of the Apollo program. A technical hold pushed it past midnight. From a hundred miles away, people said it turned night into day. On my television, the Saturn V rose into the darkness…
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Space Race
November 20, 1972
The Soviet N1 moon rocket has now failed four times. The program is apparently being cancelled, though Moscow hasn't said so officially.
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October 5, 1972
Pioneer 10 launched in March and is now the fastest human-made object, heading for Jupiter. It will be the first spacecraft to cross the asteroid belt and the first to visit Jupiter.
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August 12, 1972
Apollo 17 launches in December. Gene Cernan will command, Jack Schmitt will walk on the Moon, Ron Evans will orbit. This will be the last.
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June 12, 1972
Deke Slayton, grounded since 1962 because of a heart arrhythmia, has been medically cleared to fly. He's been assigned to the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.
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May 3, 1972
Apollo 17 is the last lunar landing mission. Nixon has approved a space shuttle program. But what does the post-Apollo era actually look like?
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Apollo 16
April 27, 1972
Apollo 16 splashed down today. Ten men have now walked on the Moon. Armstrong. Aldrin. Conrad. Bean. Shepard. Mitchell. Scott. Irwin. Young. Duke. I keep the list. One more mission. Apollo 17 will be the last. I don't want to think about that yet. Ten men. On the Moon.
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