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Lot 440
[Apollo 17] HUMANITY'S FINAL DEPARTURE FROM THE LUNAR SURFACE: LM Challenger lifting off from Taurus-Littrow NASA, 7-19 December 1972
14 – 28 April 2025, 12:00 CEST
Paris, Avenue Hoche€700 - €1,000
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[Apollo 17] HUMANITY'S FINAL DEPARTURE FROM THE LUNAR SURFACE: LM Challenger lifting off from Taurus-Littrow
NASA, 7-19 December 1972
Printed 1972.
Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA image S-72-55422].
With "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse, numbered "NASA S-72-55422" in red in the top margin (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas).
20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.)
Historical context
This extraordinary image, transmitted by the RCA TV Camera mounted on the Lunar Rover and remotely operated from Mission Control by Ed Fendell, captures the dramatic ascent of Apollo 17's Lunar Module Challenger as it leaves the Moon. The camera had been pre-positioned about 150 metres east of the LM, with its high-gain antenna directed toward Earth to relay this historic departure in real time.
After spending 75 hours exploring the Taurus-Littrow Valley, southeast of the Sea of Serenity, Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt ignited the LM's ascent engine at 4:54 PM EST on Thursday, December 14, 1972, marking the end of the first era of human lunar exploration.
Unlike on Earth, the engine produced no visible flame in the Moon's airless environment. As the final astronauts lifted off, their tracks, experiments, LM descent stage and the parked Rover were left behind as silent testimony to humanity's presence.
"I thought about it when we left the surface... I knew it would be a long time. I just felt it might very well be a generation before we get back to the Moon. I'm probably going to be proven to be right."
—Eugene Cernan (Chaikin, Voices, p. 191)
Printed 1972.
Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA image S-72-55422].
With "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse, numbered "NASA S-72-55422" in red in the top margin (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas).
20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.)
Historical context
This extraordinary image, transmitted by the RCA TV Camera mounted on the Lunar Rover and remotely operated from Mission Control by Ed Fendell, captures the dramatic ascent of Apollo 17's Lunar Module Challenger as it leaves the Moon. The camera had been pre-positioned about 150 metres east of the LM, with its high-gain antenna directed toward Earth to relay this historic departure in real time.
After spending 75 hours exploring the Taurus-Littrow Valley, southeast of the Sea of Serenity, Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt ignited the LM's ascent engine at 4:54 PM EST on Thursday, December 14, 1972, marking the end of the first era of human lunar exploration.
Unlike on Earth, the engine produced no visible flame in the Moon's airless environment. As the final astronauts lifted off, their tracks, experiments, LM descent stage and the parked Rover were left behind as silent testimony to humanity's presence.
"I thought about it when we left the surface... I knew it would be a long time. I just felt it might very well be a generation before we get back to the Moon. I'm probably going to be proven to be right."
—Eugene Cernan (Chaikin, Voices, p. 191)
Footnotes
From the mission transcript, as recorded by the Rover's TV camera:
188:01:27 Schmitt: Ten seconds.
188:01:28 Cernan: ...10 seconds.
188:01:29 LM Crew: Abort Stage.
188:01:30 Cernan: ...pushed. Engine Arm is Ascent.
188:01:32 Schmitt: Okay. I'm going to get the Pro. (Pause) 99 Proceeded 3, 2, 1...
188:01:39 Schmitt: Ignition.
188:01:40 Cernan: We're on our way, Houston!
188:01:43 Schmitt: Rates are good. AGS saw it (that is, the ignition). (Pause)
188:01:48 LM Crew: Pitchover!
188:01:51 Fullerton (Mission Control): Roger. You have good thrust.
Watch more
CLICK HERE : APOLLO 17 LUNAR MISSION 1972 " ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS " NASA DOCUMENTARY 17694
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