12/7/1972, Apollo 17 Launch, United States in Space

 Cover Commemorates Launch Of Final Apollo Mission

On December 7, 1972, Apollo 17, the final mission of the Apollo project, was launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida.  (This cover was postmarked on that date.)  The crew of Apollo 17 landed on the Moon on December 11 and spent three days on the Moon's surface conducting scientific experiments and taking samples.  The mission concluded on December 19, becoming the longest Moon mission in history.  This cover is a fitting tribute to the last Apollo mission.