Events in 1972

January 5, 1972

NASA Space Shuttle Program Approved

President Richard Nixon officially authorized NASA's Space Shuttle program, marking the beginning of reusable spacecraft era with a $5.5 billion development plan aimed at revolutionizing space transportation.

February 21, 1972

Nixon's China Visit

President Richard Nixon's historic visit to China in February 1972 marked a pivotal moment in US-China relations, ending decades of hostility and establishing diplomatic ties between the world's most powerful democracy and the most populous communist nation.

May 26, 1972

SALT I Treaty Signing

The Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I) was signed in Moscow by US President Richard Nixon and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, marking a historic agreement to limit nuclear arms and missile systems between the two superpowers.

October 18, 1972

Clean Water Act and Mississippi River

The Clean Water Act of 1972 marked a pivotal moment in Mississippi River's environmental protection, establishing comprehensive federal regulations for water pollution control and transforming the river's management through strict pollutant discharge limitations.

December 7, 1972

Apollo 17: NASA's Final Moon Landing

Apollo 17, launched on December 7, 1972, was NASA's final lunar mission of the Apollo program. Led by Commander Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt, it set multiple records including the longest surface stay and most extensive moonwalks in the program's history.

December 14, 1972

Apollo 17: The Final Moon Landing

Apollo 17, NASA's final lunar mission, concluded on December 14, 1972, marking humanity's last footsteps on the Moon. Astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt spent over three days exploring the Taurus-Littrow valley while setting multiple records for lunar exploration.