50th Anniversary: Apollo 17 astronaut reminisces about his time on the moon

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - The Apollo 17 mission, the final Apollo mission to the moon, began 50 years ago, today.

The Apollo 17 mission lifted off from Launch Pad 39A on December 7, 1972 and carried the Saturn V Rocket which was a Huntsville design.

Dr. Harrison Schmitt, an astronaut and pilot on the Apollo 17 mission was at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center to help present a special program about the historic mission.

While he was here, he reminisced about his experience being on the moon.

”The main thing that surprised me about walking on the moon was being there,” he said with a laugh. “Being there is something you have to experience yourself. You can hear people talk about it, you can see pictures, and bad television at that time and things like that, but there’s nothing like being there. It’s like standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon for the first time.”