Apollo 17 made the first crewed landing in the Moon’s Taurus–Littrow valley.
The lunar module Challenger touched down on December 11, 1972, carrying commander Eugene Cernan and lunar module pilot Harrison Schmitt. Taurus–Littrow lies on the southeastern edge of Mare Serenitatis and was chosen because it offered both ancient highland material and younger volcanic deposits for study.
Schmitt, a geologist, helped Apollo 17 collect a particularly valuable scientific sample set. The crew investigated landslides, boulder fields, craters, and orange volcanic soil. Their work helped scientists compare rocks from different lunar ages and environments.
Apollo 17 was the final crewed lunar landing of the Apollo program. Command module pilot Ronald Evans stayed in lunar orbit while Cernan and Schmitt explored the surface. The mission is sometimes confused with Apollo 15 or Apollo 16 because all three were advanced “J-missions” with longer stays, rovers, and expanded scientific equipment.