Apollo 17 has recently appeared in the news due to the discovery of crystals from the mission suggesting the Moon's age to be at least 4.46 billion years old. This finding sheds light on the Moon's geological history and provides valuable insights into the early formation of the solar system. Additionally, the upcoming Peregrine Mission One (PM1) is set to carry the Peregrine Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer (PITMS) to the Moon to analyze its atmosphere and water movement, further advancing our understanding of Earth's celestial neighbor.
Apollo 17, launched on December 7, 1972, was the final mission of NASA's Apollo program and marked the most recent time humans have traveled beyond low Earth orbit and set foot on the Moon. The mission's crew, consisting of Eugene Cernan, Ronald Evans, and Harrison Schmitt, conducted a series of experiments, collected lunar samples, and explored the Taurus-Littrow valley region of the Moon. Apollo 17's successful mission contributed significantly to our knowledge of lunar geology and the history of the Moon, making it a pivotal moment in space exploration history.