Featured image: A young boy with light brown hair is in the foreground, holding a dark gray rock in his right hand. AI-generated image; not a photograph of the reported event.
Dermot Gethings was 16 when NASA picked him to watch the Apollo 17 launch alongside Neil Armstrong. Source: bbc.co.uk.
What Happened
On 7 December 1972, Gethings stood just three miles from the Kennedy Space Center launchpad.
He was one of 16 UK students selected by the U.S. Embassy and NASA for an all-expenses-paid 19-day tour to watch the launch.
After boarding a plane from Manchester, Gethings traveled across the United States, meeting NASA officials, attending events at the White House, and visiting space centers.
On the day of launch, he accidentally bumped into Neil Armstrong in a Miami motel. The moment was awkward — he stood on Armstrong’s foot — but the astronaut smiled and offered to have his wife take a photo.
Later, at the Kennedy Space Center, Gethings sat in a VIP viewing box. When Apollo 17 lifted off at 00:33 local time, a shockwave rattled the stands. He described it as a physical sensation — like an earthquake — with a sharp, cracking sound that hit his face.
Key Facts
- Gethings was 16 when selected for the NASA tour.
- He met Neil Armstrong at a Miami motel before the launch.
- He was in a VIP viewing spot at the Kennedy Space Center during liftoff.
- He received a moon rock from the Apollo 17 mission — one of 80 distributed to students.
- He became the UK’s custodian of the Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock.
- The rock is now on display at the Natural History Museum in London.
Background
Gethings grew up in Frenchwood, Preston, with a strong interest in science and space.
At age 10, he first saw the Milky Way and said, ‘That was where I wanted to be.’
He started an astronomy club at St John Fisher’s School and ran public exhibitions. A photo of the club was published in the Lancashire Evening Post, leading to the embassy invitation.
During the 14-day mission, the Apollo 17 astronauts conducted three spacewalks. The final moonwalk occurred on 13 December — the last time humans walked on the Moon.
After returning to Earth, the moon rock was split into 80 pieces. Gethings received one and has preserved it ever since.
He presented the rock to UK Prime Minister Edward Heath at 10 Downing Street in July 1973.
Why It Matters
The story highlights how a young student’s passion for astronomy led to a unique historical experience.
It shows how personal engagement with science — not just through books or screens — can lead to real-world connections with space exploration.
Today, Gethings remains active in astronomy, serving as vice chair of the Preston & District Astronomical Society and delivering public talks through the Jeremiah Horrocks Institute.
What to Watch Next
A 30-minute documentary by University of Lancashire graduate Sarah Bullough will feature Gethings’ journey.
The film will premiere at the University’s Preston Campus on Wednesday, 14 October.
It will tell the story of how a schoolboy from Lancashire became a custodian of a piece of lunar history.
Gethings said: ‘Space had been a passion all my life. To be brought over there to see places and meet people you’ve only ever read about or seen on TV — it was the stuff of dreams.’
The film is a rare personal account of a pivotal moment in space history — one that connects a young observer with the final human moon landing.
For more on space exploration and public engagement, see the original BBC report.
