What was the name of the golf ball on Apollo 14?
Apollo 14: 'Rookie' Crew and a Famous Golf Ball. The Apollo 14 crew: Stuart Roosa, Alan Shepard & Ed Mitchell. Apollo 14 was the third human mission to land on the moon, and the first one since the Apollo 13 mission that experienced a dangerous explosion in space before the crew was returned safely to Earth.
What is Apollo 14 known for?
Apollo 14 (January 31, 1971 – February 9, 1971) was the eighth crewed mission in the United States Apollo program, the third to land on the Moon, and the first to land in the lunar highlands.
What did Edgar Mitchell do in the Apollo 14?
He served as a capsule communicator (CAPCOM) for Apollo 9. The Lunar Module Pilot (LMP), Edgar Mitchell, aged 40 at the time of Apollo 14, joined the Navy in 1952 and served as a fighter pilot, beginning in 1954.
Why did Shepard go on Apollo 14?
Apollo 14 was Roosa's only space mission. The three men were initially scheduled to fly on Apollo 13, but they agreed to take on a later mission so they could receive extra training. This was especially useful for Shepard, who had just resumed active duty in the Navy.
Who designed the Apollo 14 mission patch?
This is the Apollo 14 crew patch designed by astronauts Alan B. Shepard Jr., commander; Stuart A. Roosa, command module pilot; and Edgar D.
What did Apollo 14 discover?
Fast Facts: Apollo 14 Apollo 14's crew carried out the longest list of experiments on the lunar surface and in lunar orbit as of that time, demonstrated that reasonably long distances can be covered on foot on the Moon and brought back almost 95 pounds (43 kilograms) of lunar samples to Earth.
What was the goal of Apollo 14?
The objectives of the mission were to investigate the lunar surface near a preselected point in the Fra Mauro formation, deploy and activate an Apollo lunar surface experiments package, further develop the ability to work in the lunar environment, and obtain photographs of candidate exploration sites.
When did Apollo 14 mission with the CSM Kitty Hawk?
Apollo 14Spacecraft propertiesCallsignCSM: Kitty Hawk LM: AntaresStart of missionLaunch dateJanuary 31, 1971, 21:03:02 UTCRocketSaturn V SA-50959 more rows
What went wrong on Apollo 14?
A launch glitch However, the Apollo 14 astronauts ran into trouble as they were preparing to leave Earth orbit. One of their required tasks was to dock the command module Kitty Hawk against the lunar lander (or lunar module) Antares to fly the two craft to the moon, but the docking latches didn't work.
Which Apollo crashed on takeoff?
Apollo 1Spacecraft propertiesRocketSaturn IB AS-204Launch siteCape Kennedy LC-34End of missionDestroyedJanuary 27, 1967 23:31:19 UTC35 more rows
Who saved Apollo 14?
Nine days, 1 minute, and 58 seconds after leaving Cape Kennedy, Apollo 14 splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on February 9, 1971, at 4:05 pm EST before being recovered by the cruiser USS New Orleans.
Was Apollo 14 a successful mission?
Apollo 14 was launched on January 31, 1971 and successfully completed the third human landing on the Moon.
Who threw a javelin on the Moon?
Edgar MitchellIt happened on the moon. Forty years ago this Sunday, Apollo 14 astronauts Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell took an entirely different kind of "giant leap for mankind," playing sports on the lunar surface. Shepard famously hit golf balls with a modified six-iron, and Mitchell threw a javelin.
Did Alan Shepard land on the Moon?
Shepard shields his eyes from the bright sun at Apollo 14's Fra Mauro landing site, February 1971. Of the original seven astronauts chosen by NASA in 1959, only one, Alan Shepard, made it to the moon.
Was there an Apollo 15?
Apollo 15 was launched on July 26, 1971, and successfully completed the fourth human landing on the Moon. It was the first of the “J series” of Apollo missions, which featured longer stays on the surface and in lunar orbit and more extensive science operations than was possible on the earlier Apollo missions.
Was Apollo 13 a failure?
The Apollo 13 malfunction was caused by an explosion and rupture of oxygen tank no. 2 in the service module. The explosion ruptured a line or damaged a valve in the no. 1 oxygen tank, causing it to lose oxygen rapidly.
Why was Apollo 14 called the "three rookies"?
Their colleagues at NASA good-naturedly referred to the Apollo 14 crew as "the three rookies," because the team had only a few minutes of accumulated space experience among them. Astronaut and commander Alan Shepard was selected among the first group of American astronauts in 1959.
When did Apollo 14 launch?
NASA made changes to the Apollo spacecraft design before Apollo 14 lifted off on Jan. 31, 1971. Today, many people best remember this mission as the one where an astronaut hit golf balls on the moon, but the crew also had several other adventures. The team searched for evidence of an asteroid that carved a large crater in ...
What did Capcom do on Apollo 9?
He served as CapCom (the person who communicates with astronauts during a mission) for the Apollo 9 mission , and impressed NASA with his ability to help the astronauts after crew member Rusty Schweickart fell ill.
What was the only space mission that Roosa was on?
Apollo 14 was Roosa's only space mission. The three men were initially scheduled to fly on Apollo 13, but they agreed to take on a later mission so they could receive extra training. This was especially useful for Shepard, who had just resumed active duty in the Navy.
How far did the astronauts miss the moon?
When the pictures were analyzed later, geologists estimated the astronauts missed the rim by a mere 100 feet. Before leaving the moon, Shepard performed an entertaining stunt for the television audience watching from home.
Who was the first astronaut to be assigned to a flight crew without having completed a backup assignment first?
Stuart Roosa, a former Air Force fighter pilot, joined NASA in 1966 and was the command module pilot for Apollo 14. He served as CapCom (the person who communicates with astronauts during a mission) for the Apollo 9 mission, and impressed NASA with his ability to help the astronauts after crew member Rusty Schweickart fell ill. Roosa became the first Apollo astronaut assigned to a flight crew without having completed a backup assignment first. Apollo 14 was Roosa's only space mission.
Who were the astronauts on Apollo 14?
The Apollo 14 crew: Stuart Roosa, Alan Shepard & Ed Mitchell. (Image credit: NASA) Apollo 14 was the third human mission to land on the moon, and the first one since the Apollo 13 mission that experienced a dangerous explosion in space before the crew was returned safely to Earth. NASA made changes to the Apollo spacecraft design ...
When was Apollo 14 scheduled?
Apollo 14 was scheduled for July 1970, but in January of that year, due to budget cuts that saw the cancellation of Apollo 20, NASA decided there would be two Apollo missions per year with 1970 to see Apollo 13 in April and Apollo 14 likely in October or November.
Where did Apollo 14 land?
Before the abort of the Apollo 13 mission, the plan was to have Apollo 14 land near Littrow crater, in Mare Serenitatis, where there are features that were thought to be volcanic. After Apollo 13 returned, it was decided that its landing site, near Cone crater in the Fra Mauro formation, was scientifically more important than Littrow. The Fra Mauro formation is composed of ejecta from the impact event that formed Mare Imbrium, and scientists hoped for samples that originated deep under the Moon's surface. Cone crater was the result of a young, deep impact, and large enough to have torn through whatever debris was deposited since the Imbrium Event, which geologists hoped to be able to date. Landing at Fra Mauro would also allow orbital photography of another candidate landing site, the Descartes Highlands, which became the landing site for Apollo 16. Although Littrow went unvisited, a nearby area, Taurus-Littrow, was the landing site for Apollo 17. Apollo 14's landing site was located slightly closer to Cone crater than the point designated for Apollo 13.
What was the name of the spacecraft that was used to fly the Apollo 14?
The Apollo 14 spacecraft consisted of Command Module (CM) 110 and Service Module (SM) 110 (together CSM-110), called Kitty Hawk , and Lunar Module 8 (LM-8), called Antares. Roosa had chosen the CSM's call sign after the town in North Carolina where the Wright Brothers first flew. Antares was the star, in the constellation Scorpius, that the astronauts in the LM would use to orient the craft for its lunar landing; it had been named by Mitchell. Also considered part of the spacecraft were the Launch Escape System and the Spacecraft/Launch Vehicle Adapter.
What did Roosa do on the moon?
While Shepard and Mitchell were on the surface, Roosa remained in lunar orbit aboard the Command and Service Module, performing scientific experiments and photographing the Moon, including the landing site of the future Apollo 16 mission. He took several hundred seeds on the mission, many of which were germinated on return, resulting in the so-called Moon trees, that were widely distributed in the following years. After liftoff from the lunar surface and a successful docking, the spacecraft was flown back to Earth where the three astronauts splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean on February 9.
What was Edgar Mitchell's role in Apollo 9?
He served as a capsule communicator (CAPCOM) for Apollo 9. The Lunar Module Pilot (LMP), Edgar Mitchell, aged 40 at the time of Apollo 14, joined the Navy in 1952 and served as a fighter pilot, beginning in 1954.
Why was the Apollo 13 mission postponed?
The mission was originally scheduled for 1970, but was postponed because of the investigation following the failure of Apollo 13 to reach the Moon's surface, and the need for modifications to the spacecraft as a result. Commander Alan Shepard, Command Module Pilot Stuart Roosa, and Lunar Module Pilot Edgar Mitchell launched on their nine-day mission on Sunday, January 31, 1971, at 4:03:02 p.m. EST. En route to the lunar landing, the crew overcame malfunctions that might have resulted in a second consecutive aborted mission, and possibly, the premature end of the Apollo program.
How did the change in landing site affect Apollo 14?
The change in landing site from Littrow to Fra Mauro affected the geological training for Apollo 14. Before the switch, the astronauts had been taken to volcanic sites on Earth; afterwards, they visited crater sites, such as the Ries Crater in West Germany and an artificial crater field created for astronaut training in Arizona's Verde Valley. The effectiveness of the training was limited by a lack of enthusiasm shown by Shepard, which set the tone for Mitchell. Harrison Schmitt suggested that the commander had other things on his mind, such as overcoming a ten-year absence from spaceflight and ensuring a successful mission after the near-disaster of Apollo 13.
Who were the astronauts on Apollo 14?
The crew of Apollo 14 included (from left) Stuart Roosa, Alan Shepherd and Edgar Mitchell. Roosa carried hundreds of tree seeds on the mission. Photo courtesy: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
How long did the Apollo 14 mission last?
The Apollo 14 mission was the third successful lunar landing of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Lasting from January 31 to February 9, 1971, the mission followed the failed Apollo 13 flight and was considered a special success. Apollo 14’s crew set records for the longest time (33 hours) on the moon and distance traveled. They also transmitted the first color television footage from the moon and collected the largest (ninety-four pounds) of lunar soil and rock for scientific study by teams from around the globe.
