2-860-620 - Heritage Space/Heritage Images

Replica of the plaque left on the Moon by Apollo 17 astronauts, 1972. Photographic replica of the plaque that the Apollo 17 astronauts left on the Moon at the Taurus-Littrow landing site. It reads: "Here man completed his first explorations of the Moon December 1972, A.D. May the spirit of peace in which we came be reflected in the lives of all mankind". (Signatures: Eugene A. Cernan; Ronald E. Evans; Harrison H. Schmitt; Richard Nixon, President, United States of America). Apollo 17 was the final lunar landing mission in NASA's Apollo program. The commemorative plaque was unveiled at the close of the third extravehicular activity (EVA-3). The plaque was made of stainless steel measuring nine by seven and five-eighths inches, and one-sixteenth inch thick. It was attached to the ladder on the landing gear strut on the descent stage of Apollo 17 Lunar Module "Challenger."