'Last man to leave footprints on the moon' has died

Apollo 17 astronaut Gene Cernan was the last man to walk on the moon. Credit: AP

The last man to walk on the moon has died.

Apollo 17 astronaut Gene Cernan died at the age of 82 on Monday, Nasa announced.

In a statement his family said it was "heartbroken".

American astronaut Gene Cernan walking on the moon. Credit: Nasa

The space agency said Cernan flew into space three times and twice to the moon and holds "the distinction of being the last human to leave his footprints on the lunar surface".

Cernan began his space exploration career in 1963 and ended it as commander of the last human mission to the moon in December 1972.

The Apollo 17 crew is known for taking one of the most iconic photographs in space-program history, the full view of the Earth dubbed "The Blue Marble."

In 2007, Cernan said despite it's fame the image had not "really been appreciated".

Gene Cernan joined Nasa in 1963 and flew to the moon twice. Credit: AP

He added: "What is the real meaning of seeing this picture? I've always said, I've said for a long time, I still believe it, it's going to be -- well it's almost fifty now, but fifty or a hundred years in the history of mankind before we look back and really understand the meaning of Apollo.

"Really understand what humankind had done when we left, when we truly left this planet, we're able to call another body in this universe our home. We did it way too early considering what we're doing now in space."

It's almost as if JFK reached out into the twenty-first century where we are today, grabbed hold of a decade of time, slipped it neatly into the (nineteen) sixties and seventies (and) called it Apollo."

This iconic picture of earth, 'the Blue Marble', was taken by the Apollo 17 crew. Credit: Nasa

Watch a video of Cernan walking on the moon below: