Space Mission
Apollo 17, 7-19 December 1972, EVA 3
Photographer
Harrison Schmitt
Photo Description
Vintage chromogenic print on fiber-based Kodak paper with ‘A Kodak Paper’ watermarks to verso.; 10 h × 8 w in (25 × 20 cm)
Essay
This very rare and superb “tourist” photograph shows the last man on the Moon, Eugene Cernan, posing with the Lunar Rover at Taurus-Littrow Base at the end of the last EVA on the lunar surface.
The high-gain antenna of the Rover is pointed up at Earth to send the signal of the Rover TV camera in the foreground. The US flag decal is well visible on the front wheels. Following the mission, NASA released a variant of this image (AS17-134-20476).
“The most common questions that people ask are: ‘What did you feel? What did it look like? Did you think you might not get home?’ These questions are wrapped up in a mission from beginning to end. You’ve had some experiences you can never forget; they enrich you and change you to some degree.”
—Eugene Cernan
From the mission transcript as this “tourist pose” photograph was taken (at T+169:39:50 after launch):
169:39:46 Schmitt: Ed (Fendell at Mission Control), you’ve got your camera (the TV camera of the Rover) in the way.
169:39:48 Cernan: Oh, just take them straight on. That’s all right.
169:39:50 Schmitt: (Taking pictures toward the Rover) That’s sort of…(garbled). Okay. (Laughs) Such (a) pose. (Pause) Let me get a little different (pause) focus. (Pause) That looks good.
169:40:09 Cernan: Okay.
169:40:10 Schmitt: (I’ll) try one more over here. Have your pick. (Pause) One more.
169:40:15 Cernan: How’s like this?