Lifeboat Foundation

Read More: Astronauts explain why nobody has visited the moon in more than 45 years — and the reasons are depressing

A few months ago, ahead of the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing, eight of the 17 surviving Apollo astronauts gathered together for an early celebration at The Explorers Club in New York City.

The group was: Walter Cunningham (Apollo 7), Rusty Schweickart (Apollo 9), Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins (Apollo 11), Fred Haise (Apollo 13), Al Worden (Apollo 15), Charlie Duke (Apollo 16), and Harrison Schmitt (Apollo 17).