Astronaut Profile
Gene Cernan
Pilot
Gene Cernan flew a grueling spacewalk on Gemini 9A, flew to the Moon on Apollo 10, and commanded Apollo 17, becoming the last person to walk on the Moon.
OrbitingTruths Archive
Pilot • Deceased
Biography
The person behind the mission
Eugene A. Cernan was a U.S. Navy officer and test pilot selected in NASA's third group of astronauts. He flew as pilot on Gemini 9A in 1966, performing a physically punishing two-hour spacewalk that revealed how exhausting extravehicular activity could be without proper restraints. Cernan served as Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 10 in 1969, and commanded Apollo 17 in December 1972, the final Apollo lunar landing mission. As he climbed back into the Lunar Module for the last time, Cernan became the most recent person to walk on the Moon.
Astronaut Details
Born
March 14, 1934
Died
January 16, 2017
Birthplace
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Role
Pilot
Program
Gemini
Time in Space
23 days, 14 hours, 15 minutes
Missions
Gemini 9A, Apollo 10, Apollo 17
Recognition
Awards & Honors
- Congressional Space Medal of Honor
- NASA Distinguished Service Medal
- Navy Distinguished Flying Cross