News Eugene Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon, died today.

[Urwumpe]

Eugene Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon, died Monday, Jan. 16, surrounded by his family:

https://www.nasa.gov/astronautprofiles/cernan

He flew on Gemini 9, Apollo 10 and Apollo 17. He was also the man with the longest EVA time on the moon, by a few minutes.

 

[K_Jameson]

I'm confused. Here in Italy I'm reading rumors that this news is a joke.
It is true?

 

[Kyle]

Doesn't seem like a joke to me seeing as NASA.gov is announcing it.

 

[Urwumpe]

I'm confused. Here in Italy I'm reading rumors that this news is a joke.
It is true?

That is why I decided to cite NASA there.

 

[jedidia]

Just saw the Netflix documentary about him a few weeks back. Seems to have still been very active for his age.

 

[FordPrefect]

Apollo 17 is my favourite of all Apollo missions. Very saddened by this news.

The initials of his daughter he inscribed into the moon dust prevail at Taurus-Littrow valley for eons to come...

 

[GLS]

RIP

 

[K_Jameson]

That is why I decided to cite NASA there.

Oook, I read superficially both this topic and the site that reported the supposed "joke" (after a second reading I can say that that site was trash).

Perhaps because I was hoping it was really a joke...

 

[jgrillo2002]

Any ideas on how he died?

 

[Messierhunter]

Just saw the Netflix documentary about him a few weeks back. Seems to have still been very active for his age.

"The Last Man on the Moon?" Think I'll fire it up again tonight if it's still on Netflix. Godspeed Gene Cernan. I'm glad NASA recommended the strictest preservation guidelines for both the A17 and A11 sites, not just A11. His work up there will remain untouched (hopefully) for millennia to come.

 

[K_Jameson]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wo3-fuYKWB4"]Singing on the Moon - YouTube[/ame]

 

[richfororbit]

I don't believe it. Already.

Damn. He wanted to see Astronauts on the Moon again so badly. Only Mr Mitchell last year.

 

[N_Molson]

Gene was fighting against illness those last years, so that sad new isn't completely unexpected.

I read his book and in my opinion he was the most "human" of the Moonwalkers. They all equally are heroes but I think he was better than say Armstrong at sharing his feelings.

RIP Eugene Cernan.

 

[Tycho]

Just saw this and had to stop by. I greatly enjoy listening to his recollections and insight. He had a gift for storytelling and speaking, perhaps unlike any other astronaut of his era. RIP.

 

[Submariner]

My favorite! RIP Mr. Cernan.

 

[PhantomCruiser]

He was quite a character. I agree that he was the most normal of the bunch. A brilliant and professional mind who could cut up with the best of them. Go NAVY!

 

[NukeET]

Rest your oars brother. You will be missed.

 

[Andy44]

Sad news.

 

[Urwumpe]

Just for showing, what a huge final Apollo 17 really was:

http://www.workingonthemoon.com/WOTM-TraverseMapsEarth.html

 

[Andy44]

Just for showing, what a huge final Apollo 17 really was:

http://www.workingonthemoon.com/WOTM-TraverseMapsEarth.html

I saw a panoramic photo taken by one of the Apollo 17 landing party after they drove a good distance from the LM. In the photo there are rover tire tracks all over the place, leading back up over a ridge. The LM was nowhere in sight; those guys were at least a couple of miles away from the ship, on the ground in spacesuits.

That both terrifies and thrills me. Truly the most remote hiking trip ever.