Overview
"We leave as we came and, God willing, as we shall return, with peace and hope for all mankind." - Gene Cernan, as he became the last person to leave the Moon's surface on December 14th, 1972. Apollo 17 was the sixth and final human lunar landing to date, it marks the last time humans left Low Earth Orbit, and was the only time a scientist, Harrison Schmitt, traveled to the Moon. It was the only lunar mission to carry mice. The flight set several records including longest human lunar mission and most time spent on the Moon by a human flight. It was the first night launch of humans for the U.S. and was visible as far away as 800 km. It marked the last human flight of the Saturn V rocket, which retired a few months later with the launch of Skylab into Earth orbit. Apollo 17 was the last time the Apollo human spacecraft and Saturn V rocket were used for their lunar purposes. Humans have never returned to the Moon since this mission.