The last person walked on the Moon over 53 years ago, during NASA's Apollo 17 mission.

Historic Final Steps

Gene Cernan , Apollo 17 commander, became the last human to set foot on the lunar surface on December 14, 1972. He and lunar module pilot Harrison Schmitt conducted three moonwalks totaling over 22 hours, exploring the Taurus-Littrow valley, collecting 66 kg of samples, and driving the Lunar Roving Vehicle.

Before climbing the ladder to leave, Cernan paused for his famous words:

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

The duo lifted off from the Moon at 5:54 p.m. EST, docking with command module pilot Ronald Evans before splashing down on Earth December 19.

Why No Return Visits?

NASA's Apollo program ended Apollo 17 as its sixth and final lunar landing, amid shifting priorities, budget cuts post-Vietnam War, and focus on the Space Shuttle.

No crewed missions have landed since—Cernan remains the record holder as of April 2026, 53+ years later.

Future hopes : NASA's Artemis program aims for returns by late 2020s, targeting the lunar south pole; China eyes crewed landings around 2030.

Key Mission Facts

  • Launch : December 7, 1972 from Kennedy Space Center.
  • Landing : December 11 in Taurus-Littrow; longest lunar stay at ~75 hours.
  • Records : Longest moonwalks (22+ hrs), most samples returned, Schmitt as first scientist-astronaut on Moon.
  • Crew total on Moon : 12 Apollo astronauts; Cernan #12 to exit.

Trending Context

Searches for "when was the last person on the moon" spike around anniversaries—like Apollo 17's 53rd in December 2025—fueled by Artemis delays and viral clips of Cernan's farewell. Forums buzz with "Why haven't we been back?" debates, blending nostalgia, geopolitics (U.S. vs. China), and speculation on private ventures like SpaceX.

From multiple views: Optimists highlight Artemis I success (2022 uncrewed orbit); skeptics cite endless delays past 2024 targets.

TL;DR : Gene Cernan, December 14, 1972 (Apollo 17)—no one's returned since.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.