Gene Cernan

Date of Birth: March 14, 1934

Zodiac Sign: Pisces

Date of Death: January 16, 2017

Biography

Eugene Andrew Cernan, known as Gene Cernan, was an American astronaut, naval aviator, electrical engineer, aeronautical engineer, and fighter pilot. Born on March 14, 1934, in Chicago, Illinois, Cernan’s legacy in the annals of space exploration is monumental. He is most famously known as the last man to walk on the Moon, a distinction he earned as the commander of Apollo 17, the final Apollo lunar landing mission, in December 1972. Cernan graduated from Purdue University in 1956 with a degree in Electrical Engineering and later earned a Master’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. After serving as a naval aviator, he joined NASA in October 1963 as part of the third group of astronauts selected by the agency. His first spaceflight was Gemini 9A in 1966, where he performed a spacewalk that underscored the challenges of extravehicular activity. He later flew on Apollo 10 in 1969, serving as the Lunar Module Pilot on the mission that orbited the Moon and performed a “dress rehearsal” for the first Moon landing. However, it was Apollo 17 that cemented his place in history. During this mission, Cernan and Harrison Schmitt spent over 22 hours exploring the lunar surface, collecting samples, and conducting experiments. As he prepared to leave the Moon, Cernan uttered the memorable words: “We leave as we came, and, God willing, we shall return, with peace and hope for all mankind.” After retiring from NASA and the Navy, Cernan became a successful businessman and served as a television commentator for early space shuttle flights. He authored an autobiography, “The Last Man on the Moon,” which provides an in-depth look at his experiences in space.

5 Interesting Facts about Gene Cernan

1. Gene Cernan is one of only twelve people to have walked on the Moon.

2. He logged a total of 566 hours and 15 minutes in space, more than 73 hours of which were spent on the lunar surface.

3. Cernan’s initials “TDC” (for his daughter Tracy) are written in the lunar dust.

4. He was the second American to walk in space, during the Gemini 9A mission.

5. Cernan was awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal twice, in 1969 and 1973.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Gene Cernan

1. “We leave as we came, and, God willing, we shall return, with peace and hope for all mankind.”

2. “Curiosity is the essence of human existence.”

3. “I’ve been lucky enough to be part of a great adventure, the greatest adventure mankind has ever undertaken.”

4. “I’ve thought often, ‘why me?’ I look back and I think of the thousands of kids who wanted to do what I did.”

5. “The moon is a very quiet place. The moon is a very special place.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Gene Cernan’s highest net worth was estimated to be around $5 million.

Children

Gene Cernan had one daughter named Tracy Cernan Woolie. He famously inscribed her initials on a rock on the lunar surface during his final Moon walk on Apollo 17.