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On December 10, 1972, just a day before the launch of Apollo 10 earlier in his career, astronaut Gene Cernan had an unexpected problem on Earth—he was pulled over for speeding. He had no identification with him and was under strict instructions not to reveal who he was. In his autobiography, Cernan recalled worrying that he might actually be arrested. Luckily, launchpad leader Gunther Wendt happened to drive by, recognized Cernan, and explained the situation. The police officer was still unsure, but eventually let Cernan go. Only days later, Cernan and the Apollo 10 crew would set the record for the fastest humans in history, reaching 39,896 kilometers per hour as they returned from the Moon.Cernan went on to command Apollo 17, the last lunar landing mission. During the mission’s first EVA on December 11, 1972, he test-drove the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV), which reached a top speed of 18 kilometers per hour—a small record of its own, making him the unofficial fastest driver on the Moon. Fortunately, there were no speed limits on the lunar surface. In the image taken by geologist-astronaut Harrison “Jack” Schmitt, Cernan stands beside the LRV in its unloaded configuration at the Taurus-Littrow valley. Once fully equipped, the rover carried essential antennas, science tools, and communication systems used throughout the mission. The mountain seen on the right is the eastern end of the South Massif, part of the rugged terrain explored during Apollo 17.This moment is a reminder of how Apollo astronauts balanced everyday challenges on Earth with extraordinary achievements in space. Their lunar expeditions helped scientists understand the Moon’s geological history, and even today, data from Apollo 17 is used to support new missions under NASA’s Artemis program. These early rovers paved the way for modern robotic vehicles on the Moon and Mars, showing how mobility can expand scientific reach beyond a landing site.Image Credit: NASA