50 years ago, NASA launched the last manned mission to the Moon, Apollo 17. To celebrate this anniversary, the Kennedy Space Center is preparing a special event for December 7, 2022 in Florida, United States. Find out the details in this note!
Last month many fans of the POT and from trips to space they were remembering that 53 years ago the apollo 11 it was the first manned mission in the US Apollo Program to land a human on the Moon. Now, the Kennedy Space Center is preparing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the apollo 17the last of those manned missions that could reach the Moon.
For those who don’t know, the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral is one of the most important strategic bases in the POT next to the one in Houston, Texas. And, to celebrate this 50th anniversary, that Center launched the organization of a special program on December 7, 2022
The mission of apollo 17 carried the first scientist-astronaut to the Moon, which allowed the team to not only obtain the oldest known moon rock, but also recover orange soil, implementing multiple scientific experiments. This last flight took the astronauts Eugene Cernan (as commander), harrison schmitt (as lunar module pilot) and ronald evans (as command module pilot) to the lunar surface.
According to POTthe scientific objectives of the mission apollo 17 included geological surveys and sampling of materials and surface features in a preselected area of the Taurus-Littrow region; deploy and activate surface experiments; and conduct flight experiments and photographic tasks during lunar orbit and transterrestrial shoreline. The mission also included lunar sampling and lunar orbital experiments.
On this latest mission, the astronauts retrieved the lunar probe film and mapping camera cassettes to help further research once they returned home. The team of apollo 17 he collected 243 pounds (approx. 110k kg) of lunar rock and material. However, despite the fact that the investigation took a long time, the budget that was granted to the mission at that time was not conclusive for more space flights.
Now, What is the celebration for the 50th anniversary about? The Kennedy Space Center is holding a memorial event at its base. Those who want (and can) attend that location on December 7 can get tickets on the Center’s page, passes will be sold from 60 dollars.
Once at the Kennedy Space Center, guests will be presented with a set of commemorative mission cards Apollo 17. Each pack includes a minimum of five cards with specific data about the different missions. On the other hand, those who attend the celebration will be able to visit the Apollo/Saturn V Center to learn about the Apollo Program. There you can experience what an Apollo launch was like, walk under a Saturn V moon rocket, touch a moon rock and more.
The Apollo Program was created to encourage lunar exploration and discovery, including the future possibility of human settlement on the Moon. Now, celebrating 50 years since the last manned voyage, the POT prepares for the next mission: Artemis I.
With the Artemis missions, the POT will once again put people on the Moon, using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before. “We will return to the Moon in search of scientific discoveries, economic benefits and inspiration for a new generation of explorers: the Artemis Generation. As we maintain American leadership in exploration, we will build a global alliance and explore deep space for the benefit of all.”, explains the agency page.
It is expected that Artemis I take off in late August or early September this year. “We will collaborate with commercial and international partners and establish the first long-term presence on the Moon. Then we’ll use what we learn about the Moon and its surroundings to take the next big leap: sending the first astronauts to Mars.”