Apollo 17 returned the largest amount of lunar material to Earth: about 110.5 kilograms.
The mission landed in the Taurus–Littrow valley in December 1972, where commander Eugene Cernan and lunar module pilot Harrison Schmitt collected rocks and soil during three surface excursions. Schmitt was a professional geologist, and his expertise helped the crew select scientifically valuable samples.
Apollo 17’s total sample collection exceeded that of every earlier lunar landing mission. The material included ancient rocks, orange volcanic soil, and samples from different geological settings around the valley. Scientists have continued studying Apollo samples decades after their return.
Apollo 17 also holds the distinction of being the final crewed lunar landing. Its command module pilot, Ronald Evans, remained in lunar orbit while Cernan and Schmitt worked on the surface. The mission ended the Apollo lunar landing program in December 1972.