An accomplished American astronaut, naval aviator, and engineer, he became one of the most notable figures in space exploration history. Born in 1934, he served in the U.S. Navy, eventually joining NASA's astronaut program in 1963. He flew on Gemini 9A in 1966, Apollo 10 in 1969, and famously commanded Apollo 17 in 1972, becoming the last human to walk on the Moon. After retiring from NASA and the Navy, he worked in business and as a television commentator, sharing his passion for space exploration.