Camera left on the Moon? Last Takeoff - Apollo 17's Lunar Module blastoff!

The last takeoff from the Moon was performed 17 mission's Lunar Module (LM) on December 14, 1972. This historic event marked the end of the Apollo program and was captured by the LM's onboard camera.

During the Apollo 17 mission, astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt spent approximately three days exploring the lunar surface in the Taurus-Littrow Valley. When it was time to leave, they boarded the Lunar Module named Challenger, which had landed on the Moon a few days earlier.

the LM prepared for liftoff, its onboard camera recorded the entire event. This footage includes the astronauts' final moments on the Moon, the ascent stage firing its engines, and the LM gradually from the lunar surface.

The camera was positioned on the Lunar Module's descent stage, which remained on the Moon after liftoff. The descent stage served as a base for the LM during its stay on the lunar surface, providing support and housing various equipment.

The LM's ascent stage, where the astronauts resided during their time on the Moon, carried them back orbit. Once they successfully rejoined the Command Module, Apollo 17 began its journey back to Earth, concluding the final manned mission to the Moon to date.

The footage of the Apollo 17's Lunar Module blastoff serves as a remarkable testament to human exploration and achievement, documenting the last moments of humans leaving the lunar surface and returning to Earth. It stands as a reminder of the incredible feats accomplished during the Apollo program and the legacy left behind on the Moon.