Harrison Schmitt

Harrison Schmitt is an American geologist, former NASA astronaut, university professor, and former U.S. Senator. He is renowned as the first trained scientist and the twelfth person to walk on the Moon as the Lunar Module Pilot of Apollo 17, the final crewed Apollo program mission. Following his NASA career, he represented New Mexico in the Senate and has remained a prominent advocate for space exploration and resource utilization.

Early life and education

Born in Santa Rita, New Mexico, he was raised in the nearby mining community of Silver City, which fostered an early interest in geology. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in geology from the California Institute of Technology in 1957. As a Fulbright Scholar, he studied at the University of Oslo in Norway, focusing on the geologic history of the Arctic. He then completed his doctorate in geology from Harvard University in 1964, conducting field research on Precambrian rocks in Norway.

NASA career

Selected as a scientist-astronaut by NASA in 1965 as part of Astronaut Group 4, he played a key role in training Apollo program crews in lunar geology and analyzing returned lunar samples. Initially assigned to the backup crew for Apollo 15, he was later designated as the Lunar Module Pilot for Apollo 17. In December 1972, he and mission commander Eugene Cernan landed in the Taurus–Littrow valley, conducting three extensive moonwalks. His geological expertise was critical during the mission, which collected a record number of lunar samples, including the famous Tracy's Rock.

Post-NASA career

After leaving NASA in 1975, he served as an advisor to various entities including the National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. Senate Committee on Space and Aeronautics. He authored the book Return to the Moon and has held academic positions, teaching engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and serving as an adjunct professor at the University of New Mexico. He has been a consultant for private aerospace ventures and served on the board of directors for Orbital ATK.

Political career

Elected as a Republican to the United States Senate from New Mexico in 1976, he served one term from 1977 to 1983. He sat on several committees including the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, and the Intelligence Committee. He was an advocate for deregulation, a strong national defense, and continued investment in NASA and space technology. He lost his re-election bid to Jeff Bingaman in 1982.

Views and advocacy

A prominent figure in space policy debates, he is a strong proponent of returning humans to the Moon to utilize lunar resources, such as helium-3 for potential fusion power. He has expressed skepticism about the scientific consensus on anthropogenic climate change, testifying before Congress on the subject. He has also advocated for the commercialization of low Earth orbit and has been critical of aspects of the Space Launch System and the Artemis program architecture.

Awards and honors

His numerous accolades include the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the G. K. Gilbert Award from the Geological Society of America, and the AIAA Haley Space Flight Award. He is a fellow of the American Geophysical Union and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In 2022, he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal as part of the Apollo program astronauts recognition.