50 years ago, Apollo 17 astronauts achieved lunar field geology milestones by collecting essential samples. They gathered the oldest known unshocked lunar rock and “orange soil” containing volcanic glass, helping scientists learn about the history of the Moon. Now astronauts continue geologic study on the space station with Crew Earth Observations (CEO) by photographing the Earth from their unique point of view more than 200 miles above the surface. These photos record how our planet is changing over time, provide key data to researchers, and can help monitor disaster events. Crew members have been photographing Earth from space since the early Mercury missions beginning in 1961. Future #Artemis missions will build on these historic geologic explorations by sending humans to unexplored places, starting with the south pole region of the Moon. The missions aim to find water and other critical resources needed for long-term exploration. Crew members will investigate the mysteries of the Moon in hopes of helping us learn not only about the lunar past but the history of our entire solar system. #Moon #International #Space #Station #Apollo #Apollo17 #Geology #SpaceExploration #Science #ISS #SpaceStation #NASA #Lunar