U.S. Apollo 17 autographed photo last lunar flag

Apollo 17 - Original, autographed Photo of last U.S. flag planted on the Moon.
Original photo of last United States Lunar flag with the Apollo 17 crew signed autographs to the photo of Cernan's last salute of the last flag on the last Apollo mission to the moon in 1972 (AS17-134-20380).

Our achievements in space certainly rank among mankind's greatest technological and scientific achievements. In the United States these efforts have been the responsibility of the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) who's Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo Programs eventually led to landing men on the Moon. NASA's efforts in space continue to this day in the form of the Space Shuttle Missions.

However, in addition to the extraordinary technological feats involved in space launches, orbiting the Earth, travelling to and orbiting the Moon, landing men on the Moon, and returning safely to Earth; there was a second major accomplishment as well. This was America's victory in the continuation of the Cold War, known as the "Space Race", over the Soviet Union. Images of the United States flags left on the moon by the Apollo astronauts of the six missions that made it to the moon have become iconic.

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced a new NASA program: to complete a manned moon landing. Thus started the Apollo program which was NASA's human spaceflight program spanning the years 1961-1975 and which accomplished its primary objective by the 20th of July, 1969.

Four of the Apollo missions were preparatory and six Apollo missions also landed astronauts on the Moon, the last one in 1972. These six Apollo spaceflights are the only times humans have landed on another world. The Apollo programs, and specifically the lunar landings, are often cited as one of the greatest achievements in human history.

Apollo was the third human spaceflight program undertaken by NASA and, whilst the goal of the program as articulated by President Kennedy was accomplished, the program did set other major milestones in the history of human spaceflight. The Apollo program remains alone in sending manned missions beyond low Earth orbit. Apollo 8 was the first manned spacecraft to orbit another celestial body, while Apollo 17 marks the time of the last moonwalk and also the last manned mission beyond earth orbit.

Apollo 17 was the eleventh manned space mission in the NASA Apollo program. It was the first night launch and the sixth and final lunar landing mission of the Apollo program. The successful Apollo 17 was the last in a series of three J-type missions for the Apollo Program. The J-type missions have been characterized by extended hardware capability, by a scientific payload larger than the previous G- and H-series missions and by the use of a battery powered lunar roving vehicle (LRV). As a result of these additions, the Apollo 17 mission had a duration of 12.6 days, and time on the lunar surface reached around 75 hours, with a total surface distance traversed of approximately 35 km.

Scientific objectives included geological surveying and sampling of materials and surface features in an area of the Taurus-Littrow region, deploying and activating surface experiments, and conducting in-flight experiments and photographic tasks during both EVA and lunar orbit.
Apollo 17 lunar surface photographs are primarily of three types: (1) surface activities, to document the condition, performance, orientation, or setting of equipment and the effectiveness of procedures and activities; (2) sample documentation photographs, to record features or materials that were not collected; and (3) panoramic views, to provide for the accurate location of traverse stations and to provide the capability to reconstruct the geologic setting of the landing site.

This surface activity photograph is NASA # AS17-134-20380. Astronaut Harrison Schmitt took it on 13 December 1972 with a 70mm Hasselblad camera which he used to shoot of 23 magazines containing 3,581 images.

After the mission the Apollo 17 astronauts Eugene A. Cernan , Commander; Ronald E. Evans, Command Module Pilot; and Harrison, Lunar Module Pilot signed this photographic print and presented it to Sgt. Joe Garino USAF, the Physical Condition Supervisor for NASA; who trained astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo in the gym at NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center. Garino promoted the role of physical conditioning as crucial for peak astronaut performance and successful missions. He also invented space exercise equipment and developed improvements for the space helmets and air masks for the comfort of the astronauts. As thanks for his innovations and close training with the astronauts, Joe Garino was often the recipient of very interesting souvenirs.

Large Apollo 17, signed color photograph, 13.75" x 10.75", matted to 19.5" x 15.5". Inscribed on the mat "To Joe Garino - You Travelled Every Mile We Covered/ Joe and We Thank You For All The Help/ Along The Way - Gene Ron Jack/ Apollo XVII Dec 1972/ Gene Cernan," also signed "Ron Evans" and "Harrison H. Schmitt." Photo is slightly faded and the mat is lightly foxed. Framed to 21.5" X 17.5". From the collection of renowned, former-physical trainer of astronauts; Joe Garino. This lot is accompanied by a signed certificate of authentication from Garino verifying its provenance.

ZFC Significant Flag
Item is Framed

Sources

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Joe Garino Collection of Space Memorabilia to be Auctioned by Heritage! Press Release, August 9, 2007, Heritage Auction Galleries, 7 November 2011, from:
http://historical.ha.com/c/press-release.zx?releaseId=1394

Stars, stripes and space: NASA and the 50 star American flag, collectSPACE.com, 7 November 2011, from:
http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-070410a.html

Frohman , David, An Overview of Flown Apollo Flags, Space Relics, 7 November 2011, from:
http://www.spacerelics.com/inventory/essay/flags.html

Astronaut Buzz Aldrin and David Frohman, President of Peachstate Historical Consulting, Inc., meet in Washington, D.C. to help pioneer new flight-certification standards for space artifacts, Space Relics, 7 November 2011, from:
http://www.spacerelics.com/press32.html

FLOWN IN SPACE, Astronaut Central, 7 November 2011, from:
http://www.astronautcentral.com/SINGLES/Flown.html

A Word About Authenticity of Our Astronaut Autographs, Astronaut Central, 7 November 2011, from:
http://www.astronautcentral.com/Authenticity.html

Leger , Donna L. , 7/20/2011 Interest in space memorabilia soars as shuttle era ends, USA Today, 7 November 2011, from:
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/2011-07-20-space-shuttle-collectibles_n.htm

Platoff, Anne M., Where No Flag Has Gone Before: Political and Technical Aspects of Placing a Flag on the Moon, NASA Contractor Report 188251, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, 7 November 2011, from:
http://next.nasa.gov/alsj/alsj-usflag.html

Platoff, Anne M. , Flags in Space: Symbols of NASA and Use of Flags in the Manned Space Program." Presented to the North American Vexillological Association, NAVA 36 (Denver, CO, October 2002), Publication pending in The Flag Bulletin; 7 November, 2011, from: http://aplatoff.home.mindspring.com/~aplatoff/space/

Apollo 17, Wikipedia, 7 November 2011, from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_17


Apollo program, Wikipedia, 7 November 2011, from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_program

Space Race, Wikipedia, 7 November 2011, from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Race

Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection

Hoist & Fly
Width of Hoist	10.75
Length of Fly	14

Frame
Is it framed?	yes
Frame Height	21.5
Frame Length	17.5

Stars
Are there stars on obverse?	no
Are there stars on reverse?	no

Stripes
Has a Blood Stripe?	no

Crest/Emblem
Description of Crest/Emblem	Original photo image of last United States flag planted on lunar surface

Nationality
Nation Represented	United States

Attachment
Comments on Method of Attachmen	Photo is framed

Documentation
Documents	All original documents and drawings are held in the Zaricor Flag Collection Archives.
Drawings	All original documents and drawings are held in the Zaricor Flag Collection Archives.
Research Documents
Public Copy & Signs	All original documents and drawings are held in the Zaricor Flag Collection Archives.

Condition
Condition	Good
Damage	Used, stained, spotted
Displayable	yes

Date
Date	1972