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Ronald Ellwin Evans, Jr.
Astronaut
Nationality	American
Born	November 10, 1933(1933-11-10) St. Francis, Kansas
Died	April 7, 1990 (aged 56) Scottsdale, Arizona
Other occupation	Engineer
Rank	Captain, USN
Space time	12d 13h 52m
Selection	1966 NASA Group
Missions	Apollo 17
Mission insignia

Ronald Ellwin Evans, Jr. (November 10, 1933 – April 7, 1990) (Captain, USN Ret.) was a NASA astronaut and (ad astera per aspera) Pathfinder to the Stars.

Evans was born in St. Francis, Kansas. He was active in the Boy Scouts of America where he achieved its second highest rank, Life Scout. He graduated from Highland Park High School in Topeka, Kansas, received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Kansas in 1956 and a Master of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the U. S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1964.

He was a member of Tau Beta Pi, Society of Sigma Xi, and Sigma Nu.

In June 1957, he completed flight training after receiving his commission as an Ensign through the Navy ROTC Program at the University of Kansas. When notified of his selection to the astronaut program, Evans was on sea duty in the Pacific-assigned to VF51 and flying F-8 Crusader aircraft from the carrier USS Ticonderoga during a period of seven months in Vietnam combat operation. The total flight time accrued during his career was 5,100 hours, including 4,600 hours in jet aircraft.

Evans was one of the 19 astronauts selected by NASA in April 1966. He served as a member of the astronaut support crews for the Apollo 7 and Apollo 11 flights, and as backup command module pilot for Apollo 14.

Evans' first and only space flight was as command module pilot of Apollo 17, the last scheduled manned mission to the moon for the United States. He was accompanied by Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt. While Cernan and Schmitt landed and worked on the Moon in the Taurus-Littrow Valley, Evans remained in lunar orbit onboard the command module "America", completing assigned work tasks which required visual geological observations, hand-held photography of specific targets, and the control of cameras and other highly sophisticated scientific equipment carried in the command module SIM-bay.

On the way back to Earth, Evans completed a 1-hour, 6-minute extravehicular activity, successfully retrieving three camera cassettes and completing a personal inspection of the equipment bay area. He logged 301 hours, 51 minutes in space; 1 hour, 6 minutes of which were spent in extravehicular activity. As of 2007, he holds the record of more time in lunar orbit than anyone else in the world.

Evans was later backup command module pilot for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) mission.

Evans retired from the United States Navy on April 30, 1976, with 21 years of service, and remained active as a NASA astronaut involved in the development of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. He served as a member of the operations and training group, within the astronaut office, responsible for launch and ascent phases of the Shuttle flight program. He retired from NASA in March 1977 to become a coal industry executive.

He was presented with the NASA Distinguished Service Medal in 1973; the Johnson Space Center Superior Achievement Award in 1970; the Navy Distinguished Service Medal in 1973; Navy Astronaut wings; eight Air Medals, the Viet Nam Service Medal; and the Navy Commendation Medal with combat distinguishing service in 1966; the University of Kansas Distinguished Service Citation in 1973; Kansan of the Year in 1972.

Evans died in Scottsdale, Arizona, of a heart attack, and is survived by his wife Jan and two children.

Source: Date of death according to Death Certificate issued by the State of Arizona on April 27, 1990, Certificate Number 169985, signed by G. E. Bolduc, MD.

• NASA Biography
• Spacefacts biography of Ronald Evans
• National Space Society: Ad Astra magazine