Renowned American geologist, Eugene Merle Shoemaker, who was known as “Big Gene,” had a lifelong dream of visiting and exploring the Moon. Although he was unable to fulfill this dream during his lifetime, his remains are now buried on the lunar surface, making him the only person ever to be buried on the Moon.
Shoemaker was a pioneer in the field of planetary sciences and lunar exploration, specializing in the study of craters. Born in Los Angeles in 1928, Shoemaker showed exceptional intelligence from a young age, completing high school in just three years and earning his doctorate at Princeton by the age of 20.
In addition to his groundbreaking work in the field of geology, Shoemaker was also instrumental in training astronauts for the Apollo Program and played a key role in the success of the first manned mission to the Moon, Apollo 11. Despite being excluded from becoming an astronaut himself due to a medical condition, Shoemaker’s contributions to lunar exploration were invaluable.
Shoemaker’s legacy continues to inspire future generations of scientists and explorers to reach for the stars. His burial on the Moon serves as a fitting tribute to a man who dedicated his life to understanding and exploring the mysteries of the universe.