The Last Man on The Moon
EVERYONE knows who the late Neil Armstrong was, but it's usually only confirmed space junkies who can name the 11th and final human to set foot on the Moon.
Director Mark Craig's The Last Man on The Moon hopes to change all that as it takes a reverential and revealing look at the life of Apollo 17 astronaut, US Navy Captain Gene Cernan – with a little help from the man himself, still very much alive and doing all he can to promote space exploration at age 82.
The fascinating film is as much about Gene the man as Gene the Moonwalker, as we learn about the personal costs of being selected for Nasa's astronaut programme: family took a back seat to rigorous training and prep, with the prospect of a fiery death looming over Gene and co as they pioneered manned space exploration.
Indeed, Captain Cernan secured his first orbital adventure on Gemini 9A in 1966 as the result of a tragic accident that killed original pilots Elliot See and Charles Bassett prior to launch.
He later orbited the Moon on Apollo 10 – the 'dry run' for Neil Armstrong's historic moon landing on July 29 1969 – before leaving the final footprints on the lunar surface as pilot of Apollo 17.
A must-see for space fans.
:: The Last Man on The Moon will be shown on Monday April 11 at Movie House, Dublin Road, Belfast, followed by a live by satellite Q&A session with Gene Cernan.
