Public Lecture

Public Lecture
Apollo 17 Astronaut Harrison Schmitt

"A Trip to the Moon and Beyond"

Centennial Hall, Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois
Monday May 5, 2003, 7:30 pm

Dr. Harrison Schmitt, who spent 75 hours exploring the lunar surface in 1972, will deliver a public talk entitled, "A Trip to the Moon and Beyond", on Monday, May 5, 2003, at 7:30 pm in Centennial Hall on the campus of Augustana College. All members of the public are invited to attend. Admission is free.

Schmitt is one of only 12 men, and the only scientist, ever to walk on the surface of the moon. He earned his doctorate in geology from Harvard in 1964 and was selected by NASA in 1965 as part of the scientist-astronaut program, where he oversaw lunar science training for the Apollo crews. On December 11, 1972, he landed with Apollo 17 crewmate Eugene Cernan in the Lunar Module "Challenger" at Taurus-Littrow valley in the moon's Serenitatis basin.

Schmitt turned his trained eye to the lunar rock formations in the area in a 3-day mission of exploration and sample collection. He and the crew of Apollo 17 took off from the lunar surface on December 14, 1972, the last men to visit the moon. Since leaving NASA in 1975, Schmitt has served as a speaker, consultant, educator and U.S. senator.

Schmitt will talk about his experiences with the Apollo program including an overview of the Apollo 17 mission and its scientific achievements. He will also discuss the technical and economic benefits of returning to the moon and future space missions.