Gene Cernan Gene Cernan Eugene Andrew Cernan (; 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 eleventh person to walk on the Moon. Since he re-entered the lunar module after Harrison Schmitt on their third and final lunar excursion, he is the last person to have walked on the Moon. Cernan traveled into space three times; 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
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