#Eugene Cernan

[lonestarflight]

Astronaut Eugene A. Cernan's view from and of the Gemini-9A spacecraft during his extravehicular activity (EVA). Taken during the 32nd revolution of the 72-hour, 21-minute spaceflight.

"'What a beautiful spacecraft,' said Gemini IX pilot Eugene Cernan during his two hour, eight minute spacewalk. He took this wide-angle photograph looking back at the window where command pilot Tom Stafford was watching."

"Northwestern Mexico as seen from the Gemini-9A spacecraft during its 32nd revolution of Earth. The large penisula is Baja California. The body of water at lower right is the Pacific Ocean. The land mass at upper left is the State of Sonora. The Gulf of California separates Sonora from the peninsula."

Date: June 5, 1966

NASA ID: S66-38032, S66-38044, S66-38046, S66-38047, S66-38048, link, S66-37989, S66-38048, S66-38049, S66-38050, S66-38051, S66-38055, S66-38068, S66-38070

[deergravity]

Astronaut Harrison Schmitt poses on the Lunar surface next to an American flag during Apollo 17. Snapped during the first EVA of the mission the photo captures the Earth in the background and Eugene Cernan in the reflection of Schmitt's visor.

[star-trek-pop-quiz]

Star Trek POP-QUIZ #3

( 21/10/2023 )

Question 1.

Which of these people were not a guest-star on Star Trek? a. Stephen Hawking b. Mae Jemison c. Seth MacFarlane d. Eugene Cernan

bonus question: Identify which episode one of these people appeared in.

Question 2.

What is the name of the play by Andrew Robinson and Alexander Siddig? a. The Nexus b. A Stitch in Time c. The Ex-Expatriate d. Letters from the Northern Continent

Question 3.

Which book was the planet in "A Piece of the Action" ( S2, E17 TOS ) based off? a. Chicago Mobs of the Twenties b. The Hotel Royale c. The Great Gatsby d. New York Gangs of the 1900s

bonus question: which other Star Trek series features a similar book as homage?

Question 4.

What is the name of the inhabitants of Risa? ( Spelling Counts! ) bonus question: what is the planet Risa known for?

Question 5.

TRUE OR FALSE: Voyager may have inadvertently aided an American presidential election.

Score: __/5 + 3 bonus points ( answers under cut )

Question 1.

d. Eugene Cernan ( an American Astronaut )

+ a. Stephen Hawking ( S6, E27 Descent TNG ) b. Dr Mae Jemison ( S6, E24 Second Chances TNG ) c. Seth MacFarlane ( S3, E20 The Forgotten S4, E15 Affliction ENT )

Question 2.

a. The Nexus

Question 3.

a. Chicago Mobs of the Twenties

+ Enterprise ( 2001 )

Question 4.

Risians.

+ Risa is known as the "pleasure planet", a popular vacation spot for various Federation species.

Question 5.

TRUE.

[dontcallittimetravel]

On This Day: Eugene Cernan is the last human to walk on the moon, and for good reason. Look, you were terrible guests. Kicking up dust in your little car, hitting golf balls, leaving your trash all over the landing sites. Come back when you can behave yourselves!!

[wikipediabr0wn]

From the Apollo 10 Transcripts, June 1969

when i was fifteen, i made this comic of a conversation between the astronauts onboard the apollo 10 mission. the full conversation is linked. it’s one of my favorite snippets in history and has so many amazing moments of these astronauts real experiences as some of the first people in space. 

[randomrichards]

FOR ALL MANKIND:

Collected footage

NASA’s journeys to the moon

The beauty of space

[simplicius-simplicissimus]

I often tell young kids, and particularly my grandkids - don’t ever count yourself out. You’ll never know how good you are until you try. Dream the impossible and then go out and make it happen. I walked on the Moon. What can’t you do?

-Eugene Cernan, Apollo 17

[rawyld]

Now these Astronauts from Mercury to Apollo were the real deal Astronauts as cool guys.

April 1966... Gemini water egress training Gemini astronauts Eugene Cernan and Edwin Aldrin seen during water egress training for the Gemini program onboard NASA motor vessel retriever in the Gulf of Mexico. By April 1966, NASA had received 35 Omega Speedmaster chronographs while having 52 active astronauts. MoonwatchUniverse has been delving into archives to bring up a complete overview of how & when the NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster chronographs were distributed to prime & backup astronaut crews of the Gemini & Apollo era. Note for MoonwatchUniverse this is the earliest photo showing Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin wearing a NASA-issued Speedmaster. (Photo: NASA)

[aiiaiiiyo]

[garudabluffs]

Astronaut Eugene Cernan's lunar overshoes on display in the "Destination Moon" exhibition at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.

50 years since we last walked on the moon, do Americans want to go back?

LISTEN 05:08 READ MORE https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2022/12/12/moon-mission-nasa-apollo

[lonestarflight]

"Astronauts Thomas P. Stafford (right foreground), command pilot; and Eugene A. Cernan, pilot, prepare to enter the Gemini-9 spacecraft in the white room atop Pad 19 during a Gemini-9/Agena simultaneous launch demonstration. This test is a coordinated countdown of the Atlas-Agena and the Gemini-Titan vehicles. NASA and McDonnell Aircraft Corporation personnel stand by to assist with the insertion of the astronauts into the spacecraft."

Date: May 10, 1966

NASA ID: S66-33407, S66-33406

[nasa]

50 Years Ago: Apollo 17

Not long after midnight on Dec. 7, 1972, the last crewed mission to the Moon, Apollo 17, lifted off with three astronauts: Eugene Cernan, Harrison Schmitt, and Ronald Evans.

Experience the Apollo 17 launch and follow the mission in real time.

Meet the Crew

Let’s meet the astronauts who made the final Apollo trip to the Moon, including the first scientist-astronaut.

Gene Cernan: In 1972, Apollo 17 Mission Commander Eugene A. Cernan had two space flights under his belt, Gemini 9 in June 1966, and Apollo 10 in May 1969. He was a naval aviator, electrical and aeronautical engineer and fighter pilot.

Ron Evans: Apollo 17 Command Module Pilot Ronald E. Evans was selected as a member of the 4th group of NASA astronauts in 1966. Like Cernan, he was an electrical and aeronautical engineer, and naval aviator before his assignment to the Apollo 17 crew.

Harrison (Jack) Schmitt: Lunar Module Pilot Dr. Harrison (Jack) Schmitt joined NASA as a member of the first group of scientist-astronauts in 1965. Before working for NASA, Schmitt was a geologist at the USGS Astrogeology Center. He was on the backup crew for Apollo 15 before being selected for the prime crew of Apollo 17. He became the first of the scientist-astronauts to go to space and the 12th human to walk on the Moon.

The Blue Marble

“The Blue Marble,” one of the most reproduced images in history, was taken 50 years ago on Dec. 7, 1972 by the Apollo 17 crew as they made their way to the Moon.

Bag of Soup, Anyone?

NASA astronauts have an array of menu items to stay well fed and hydrated on missions. For Apollo 17, the menus allocated around 2,500 calories per day for each astronaut. They included:

Bacon Squares

Peanut Butter Sandwiches

Frankfurters

Lobster Bisque

Like anything going to space, weight and containment matter. That's why the Apollo 17 menu included plenty of soups and puddings.

Synchronicity

On Dec. 11, 2022,  the Artemis I mission will be splashing down on Earth after its 25.5-day mission. At 2:55 p.m. 50 years prior, the Apollo 17 lunar module (LM) landed on the Moon, with Commander Gene Cernan and LM Pilot Harrison Schmitt on board. Ron Evans remained in the Command and Service Module (CSM) orbiting the Moon.

Experience the landing.

Planting the Flag

One of the first tasks the Apollo 17 crew did on their first moonwalk was to plant the American flag. There’s no wind on the Moon, but that doesn’t mean the flag has to droop. Did you know that a horizontal rod with a latch makes the flag appear to be flying in the wind? Gene Cernan carefully composed this photo to get Schmitt, the flag, and the Earth in a single shot.

So, is the flag still there? Images of the Apollo 17 landing site from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera show that in 2011 the flag was still standing and casting a shadow!

Moon Buggy

During Apollo 17, the Lunar Rover Vehicle (LRV), nicknamed the Moon buggy, logged the farthest distance from the Lunar Module of any Apollo mission, about 4.7 miles (7.5 km). 

As a precaution, the LRV had a walk-back limit in the event of an issue; astronauts had to have enough resources to walk back to the lunar module if need be.

Grab the Duct Tape!

The right rear fender extension of the LRV (Moon buggy) was torn off, kicking up dust as the crew drove, reducing visibility. The crew made a resourceful repair using duct tape and maps.

For LRV fans, visiting an LRV driven on the Moon is a bit difficult since all three LRVs used on the Apollo 15, 16, and 17 missions were left on the Moon. But you can find an LRV used for training at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington. Read more about the LRV.

The Perils of Lunar Dust

After the first lunar EVA, Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt reported that he suffered from “lunar hay fever” in reaction to the lunar dust. Unlike Earth’s dust particles which are rounded, Moon dust particles are sharp and abrasive, irritating astronaut eyes, nasal passages, and lungs.

Curious about how Moon dust feels and smells? Find out!

So What’s it Like?

After his return to Earth, Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt (on the right) described his time on the Moon:

“Working on the Moon is a lot of fun. It’s like walking around on a giant trampoline all the time and you’re just as strong as you were here on Earth, but you don’t weigh as much.”

Splashdown! 

After 12 days and 14 hours in space, the Apollo 17 astronauts splashed down in the Pacific Ocean at 2:25 p.m. EST on Dec. 19, 1972. It was the longest of all the Apollo missions, with the most photos taken. A recovery team was waiting on the USS Ticonderoga just 4 miles (6.4 km) away to pick up the astronauts, the lunar samples, and the Crew Module.

When Are We Going Back?

NASA’s Artemis Program has taken its first steps to sending humans back to the Moon with Artemis I, currently on its way back to Earth. The program plans to land humans, including the first women and person of color, on the Moon’s south polar region with its Artemis III mission, currently slated to launch in 2025.

Is aerospace history your cup of tea? Be sure to check out more from NASA’s past missions at www.nasa.gov/history.

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!

[livingforstars]

Apollo 17 Lunarscape: A Magnificent Desolation - April 20th, 1996.

"Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11 Lunar Module pilot and the second human to walk on the Moon, described the lunar landscape as "a magnificent desolation". Dramatic pictures from the Apollo missions to the Moon's surface testify to this apt turn of phrase. Near the Apollo 17 landing site, Family Mountain (center background) and the edge of South Massif (left) frame the lunarscape in this photo of astronaut Harrison Schmitt working alongside the lunar roving vehicle. Schmitt and fellow astronaut Eugene Cernan were the last to walk on this magnificent desolation."

[apod]

2024 January 17

America and the Sea of Serenity Image Credit & Copyright: Gene Cernan, Apollo 17, NASA; Anaglyph by Patrick Vantuyne

Explanation: Get out your red/blue glasses and check out this stereo view of another world. The scene was recorded by Apollo 17 mission commander Eugene Cernan on December 11, 1972, one orbit before descending to land on the Moon. The stereo anaglyph was assembled from two photographs (AS17-147-22465, AS17-147-22466) captured from his vantage point on board the Lunar Module Challenger as he and Dr. Harrison Schmitt flew over Apollo 17's landing site in the Taurus-Littrow Valley. The broad, sunlit face of the mountain dubbed South Massif rises near the center of the frame, above the dark floor of Taurus-Littrow to its left. Piloted by Ron Evans, the Command Module America is visible in orbit in the foreground against the South Massif's peak. Beyond the mountains, toward the lunar limb, lies the Moon's Mare Serenitatis. Four astronauts will venture around the Moon and back again on the Artemis II mission, scheduled for launch no earlier than September 2025.

∞ Source: apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240117.html

[spacefrontier]

Apollo 17 Commander Eugene A. Cernan and Lunar Module Pilot Harrison H. Jack Schmitt are preparing the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) and the Communications Relay Unit (LCRU) mission simulation. Support Team Astronaut Gordon Fullerton, standing, left, discusses test procedures to be performed in the High Bay of the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building (MSOB). The Lunar Module Ascent and Descent stages also receive preflight checkout in preparation for the sixth U.S. manned lunar landing mission. August 8, 1972.

NASA

[bignaz8]

Apollo 17 commander Gene Cernan is photographed in the Taurus–Littrow valley, December 1972. A naval aviator, Gene Cernan was selected with the third group of NASA astronauts in October 1963. He became the second American to conduct an EVA (spacewalk) during Gemini 9A in 1966, almost perishing in the process. During Apollo 10 in 1969, Cernan and Tom Stafford flew the lunar module Snoopy to within 50,000 ft of the lunar surface. Apollo 17 was mankind's final human lunar mission to date, and Cernan is the last human to have left footprints on the lunar surface. He is also one of only three astronauts to have twice journeyed to the moon. Captain Eugene Cernan passed away in 2017, aged 82.