Right Stuff - Field Geologists

A rare opportunity to own one of Alan Bean's much sought after signed limited editions, which this time has been countersigned by Apollo astronauts Gene Cernan and Harrison Jack Schmitt. Beneath the main image are three portrait sketches of the spacemen, their titles and signatures. These details are not shown on our display because we wanted to show the artwork at its fullest. The Apollo program was not only about getting to the moon and back, but making the best possible scientific observations once there. Do we take test pilots and teach them geology or do we take geologists and teach them to fly? was the question. The answer, in typical NASA fashion, was to create a team of both. This image of Apollo 17 Commander and skilled naval aviator Eugene A. Cernan handing yet another sample bag to Lunar Module Pilot and Doctor of Geology Harrison Jack Schmidt on the Taurus-Littrow Valley floor, represents the epitome of this exploration philosophy. On December 13th, 1972, when Gene and Jack left the Moon, they carried with them 240 pounds of lunar samples, more than any other mission could boast.