Astronaut Profile
Harrison H. Schmitt
Lunar Module Pilot
Harrison Schmitt was the only professional geologist to walk on the Moon, and used that training on Apollo 17 to identify orange volcanic soil that rewrote what scientists understood about the Moon's history.
OrbitingTruths Archive
Lunar Module Pilot • Living
Biography
The person behind the mission
Harrison H. Schmitt was a geologist and NASA astronaut who served as Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 17 in December 1972, the final crewed mission to the Moon. As the only scientist among the Apollo moonwalkers, Schmitt's trained eye spotted orange lunar soil at Shorty Crater, evidence of ancient volcanic activity that became one of the mission's most significant discoveries. After NASA, Schmitt was elected a United States Senator from New Mexico, serving from 1977 to 1983.
Astronaut Details
Born
July 3, 1935
Birthplace
Santa Rita, New Mexico, USA
Role
Lunar Module Pilot
Program
Apollo
Time in Space
12 days, 13 hours
EVA Time
22 hours, 4 minutes
Missions
Apollo 17
Recognition
Awards & Honors
- NASA Distinguished Service Medal
- NASA Exceptional Service Medal
- NASA Space Flight Medal