Gene Cernan

Gene Cernan
Cernan in 1969
Born	Eugene Andrew Cernan (1934-03-14)March 14, 1934 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	January 16, 2017(2017-01-16) (aged 82) Houston, Texas, U.S.
Resting place	Texas State Cemetery
Education	Purdue University (BS) Naval Postgraduate School (MS)
Awards	Astronaut Badge (2) Distinguished Flying Cross NASA Distinguished Service Medal
Space career
NASA astronaut
Rank	Captain, USN
Time in space	23d 14h 15m
Selection	NASA Group 3 (1963)
Total EVAs	4
Total EVA time	24h 11m
Missions	Gemini 9A Apollo 10 Apollo 17
Mission insignia
Retirement	July 1, 1976
Website	Official website
Signature

Eugene Andrew Cernan (/ˈsɜːrnən/; March 14, 1934 – January 16, 2017) was an American astronaut, naval aviator, electrical engineer, aeronautical engineer, and fighter pilot. During the Apollo 17 mission, Cernan became the 11th human being to walk on the Moon. As he re-entered the Apollo Lunar Module after Harrison Schmitt on their third and final lunar excursion, he remains the most recent person to walk on the Moon.

Before becoming an astronaut, Cernan graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Purdue University in Indiana, and joined the U.S. Navy through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC). After flight training, he received his naval aviator wings and served as a fighter pilot. In 1963, he received a Master of Science degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. Achieving the rank of captain, he retired from the Navy in 1976.

Cernan traveled into space three times and to the Moon twice: as pilot of Gemini 9A in June 1966, as lunar module pilot of Apollo 10 in May 1969, and as commander of Apollo 17 in December 1972, the final Apollo lunar landing. Cernan was also a backup crew member of the Gemini 12, Apollo 7 and Apollo 14 space missions.