Preston astronomer Dermot Gethings, 70, has recalled how he was chosen by the United States embassy and Nasa to witness the Apollo 17 launch nearly 54 years ago. At 16, he stood alongside astronauts including Neil Armstrong and Dick Gordon to see the final manned lunar landing mission on 7 December 1972.
Gethings, who grew up in Frenchwood, Preston, developed an interest in space from a young age, inspired by the Cold War Space Race. He started an astronomy club at St John Fisher's School and ran public exhibitions, which were photographed by the Lancashire Evening Post.
After seeing his photographs, the US Embassy invited Gethings for an interview, leading to his selection for an all-expenses paid, 19-day trip. During the trip, he met Neil Armstrong and watched the Apollo 17 lift-off from three miles away at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Following the 14-day mission, Gethings became the custodian of the UK's Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock, presenting it to Prime Minister Edward Heath in July 1973. His story will be featured in a 30-minute documentary by University of Lancashire graduate Sarah Bullough, titled 'The Custodian of the Goodwill Moon Rock', which is set to be shown at the University's Preston Campus on Wednesday 14 October.