Collecting Lunar Rake Samples (Apollo 17)
NASA
July 2, 2026
| Credit | NASA |
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| Historical Date | December 11, 1972 |
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Scientist-astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt, lunar module pilot, collects lunar rake samples at Station 1 during the first Apollo 17 EVA (extravehicular activity). This picture was taken by astronaut Eugene Cernan, commander of the mission, at the Taurus-Littrow landing site. The lunar rake, an Apollo lunar geology hand tool, was used to collect discrete samples of rocks and rock chips ranging in size from 0.5 inches (1.3 centimeters) to 1 inch (2.5 centimeters).