Eugene Shoemaker: The First Person Buried on the Moon Eugene Shoemaker holds the unique distinction of being the first p…
Eugene Shoemaker: The First Person Buried on the Moon
Eugene Shoemaker holds the unique distinction of being the first person buried on the Moon.
Shoemaker, the founder of the field of astrogeology, was also one of the discoverers of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9. In 1994, this comet famously collided with Jupiter, marking the first observed impact between two celestial bodies in our solar system.
Shoemaker was originally slated to be the first geologist to set foot on the Moon, but health issues prevented him from passing the necessary medical examinations. Instead, he played a crucial role in preparing Neil Armstrong and other astronauts for the Apollo missions. In 1997, while searching for undiscovered impact craters in Australia, Shoemaker tragically died in a car accident. In honor of his significant contributions to science, NASA carried his ashes to the Moon aboard the Lunar Prospector spacecraft.
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