Origins & Early Life

Ronald Ellwin Evans Jr. (November 10, 1933 – April 6, 1990) was an American electrical engineer, aeronautical engineer, officer and aviator in the United States Navy, and NASA astronaut. As Command Module Pilot on Apollo 17 he was one of the 24 Apollo astronauts to fly to the Moon, and one of the 12 to do so without landing. Before becoming an astronaut, Evans graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Kansas and joined the U.S.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Navy in 1956. After receiving his naval aviator wings, he served as a fighter pilot and flew combat missions during the Vietnam War. In 1964 he received a Master of Science degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. Achieving the rank of captain, he retired from the Navy in 1976.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Evans was selected as an astronaut by NASA as part of NASA Astronaut Group 5 in 1966 and made his only spaceflight as command Module pilot aboard Apollo 17 in December 1972, the last crewed mission to the Moon, with Commander Gene Cernan and Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt. During the flight, Evans and five mice orbited the Moon a record 75 times as his two crewmates descended to and explored the...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• 13th Dalai Lama — Contemporary (Died in 1933) (1933): Spiritual leader of Tibet who championed national independence and modernization.
• Adolph Caesar — Contemporary (Born in 1933) (1933): Acclaimed American actor known for his deep voice and Off-Broadway staple status.
• Akihito — Contemporary (Born in 1933) (1933): 125th Emperor of Japan; reigned during the Heisei era (1989-2019).
• A. J. P. Taylor — Contemporary (Died in 1990) (1990): Influential English historian specializing in 19th and 20th-century European diplomacy.
• Aaron Copland — Contemporary (Died in 1990) (1990): Pioneering American composer, conductor, and critic, known as the "Dean of American Music".
• Aishwarya Lekshmi — Contemporary (Born in 1990) (1990): Acclaimed Indian actress working primarily in Malayalam and Tamil cinema.
• Armand Duplantis — Shared historical date (11-10 · Born) (1999): Pole vaulter achieving multiple world records and Olympic glory.
• Arthur Rimbaud — Shared historical date (11-10 · Died) (1891): Transgressive French poet whose work profoundly influenced modern literature and surrealism.
• Alan J. Pakula — Shared historical date (04-07 · Born) (1928): American film director, writer, and producer known for political thrillers.
• Alexander Bogdanov — Shared historical date (04-07 · Died) (1928): Polymath philosopher, pioneer of blood transfusion, and key Bolshevik revolutionary.
• 1933 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1933
• November 10 (11-10) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on November 10
• 1990 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1990
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