Apollo 14 Lands on the Moon
Next: February 5, 2027
Golf balls, Moon rocks and tree seeds.
The story
Where it comes from
This Story marks the anniversary of 5 February 1971, when Apollo 14's lunar module Antares touched down in the Fra Mauro highlands, the most precise Moon landing to that date, about 87 feet from its target. Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell spent 33 hours on the surface, made two moonwalks of more than nine hours in all and collected 93 pounds of rock and soil. Stuart Roosa stayed in orbit aboard the command module Kitty Hawk, photographing the Moon below.
How it's celebrated
There is no formal observance, but the anniversary is a good day to look up at the Moon, browse NASA's free Apollo photographs, or find a 'Moon Tree' grown from seeds that flew on the mission. Science centres and astronomy clubs often use Apollo anniversaries for talks and stargazing evenings.
Did you know
- Shepard, at 47, was ten years past his first spaceflight in 1961; as he stepped down, mission control quipped 'Not bad for an old man'.
- Shepard had smuggled a six iron on board and hit two golf balls on the Moon, the second travelling about 40 yards.
- Roosa, a former Forest Service smokejumper, carried hundreds of tree seeds into lunar orbit; the saplings grown from them became 'Moon Trees', planted across the United States and in countries such as Brazil and Switzerland.
Coming up next
- Chinese New Year · February 6, 2027
- Bob Marley's Birthday · February 6, 2027
- Charles Dickens's Birthday · February 7, 2027
- Jules Verne's Birthday · February 8, 2027
- Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) · February 9, 2027
- The Jumbo Jet's First Flight · February 9, 2027