Last to walk on the moon
Eugene A. “Gene” Cernan earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1956 and an honorary doctorate in 1970. Following graduation, he embarked on a remarkable career in the U.S. Navy, where he attended flight school and became a naval aviator. Cernan amassed an impressive flying record, logging more than 5,000 hours of flight time and completing at least 200 successful aircraft carrier landings. In 1963, NASA selected him for the third group of astronauts for the Gemini and Apollo space programs. During the Gemini 9 mission, Cernan made history as the second American to walk in space. He piloted Apollo 10, the dress rehearsal for the historic Apollo 11 mission, bringing the spacecraft within a mere 8.5 miles of the moon's surface. Notably, Apollo 10 set the record for the highest speed achieved by any crewed vehicle during its return to Earth – a staggering 24,7911 mph. In a crowning achievement, as commander of Apollo 17, Cernan became the last person to set foot on the moon. He etched his daughter’s initials, "TDC," onto the lunar surface before departing. Cernan set the lunar surface speed record of 11.2 mph in the Space Rover. His life story has been immortalized in books and movies, cementing his place as an American legend. Purdue recognized Cernan with an Outstanding Electrical and Computer Engineer Award in 1992.