Ronald Evans (astronaut) Ronald Evans (astronaut) Ronald Ellwin Evans Jr. (November 10, 1933 – April 7, 1990), (Capt, USN), was an American naval officer and aviator, electrical engineer, aeronautical engineer, and NASA astronaut, also one of only 24 people to have flown to the Moon. Evans was selected as an astronaut by NASA as part of Astronaut Group 5 in 1966 and made his first and only flight into space as Command Module Pilot aboard Apollo 17 in 1972, the last manned mission to the Moon to date, with Commander Eugene Cernan and Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt. During the flight, he orbited
Fallen Astronaut condition that it be displayed "with good taste and without publicity". The replica was given to the Smithsonian Institution on April 17, 1972, the day after CBS anchorman Walter Cronkite referred to the "Fallen Astronaut" and plaque as the first art installation on the Moon during the broadcast of the Apollo 16 launch. It is now on display with a replica of the plaque in the Museum's National Mall Building in the Space Race Wing, Gallery 114. In May 1972, Scott learned that Van Hoeydonck planned to make and sell more replicas. Believing that this would be a violation of