Apollo
Apollo 14
Apollo 14 returned astronauts to the Moon after the Apollo 13 accident. Despite a critical Lunar Module abort-switch malfunction just before landing, the crew safely reached the Fra Mauro Highlands, completed two successful moonwalks, deployed scientific experiments, and restored confidence in NASA's ability to conduct lunar exploration.
Launch
January 31, 1971
Duration
9 days, 23 minutes, 9 seconds
Crew
Uncrewed
Mission record
Apollo archive entry · Successful
Mission Overview
The mission
Apollo 14 returned astronauts to the Moon after the Apollo 13 accident. Despite a critical Lunar Module abort-switch malfunction just before landing, the crew safely reached the Fra Mauro Highlands, completed two successful moonwalks, deployed scientific experiments, and restored confidence in NASA's ability to conduct lunar exploration.
Mission Details
Program
Apollo
Launch
January 31, 1971
Duration
9 days, 23 minutes, 9 seconds
Status
Successful
Mission by the Numbers
Mission Statistics
Mission Type
Crewed Lunar Landing
Launch Vehicle
Saturn V AS-509
Crew
0 astronauts
Status
Successful
Mission Goals
Mission objectives
- 01
Return astronauts safely to the lunar surface after Apollo 13.
- 02
Land in the Fra Mauro Highlands.
- 03
Demonstrate the effectiveness of Apollo 13 spacecraft redesigns.
- 04
Deploy the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP).
- 05
Conduct two lunar surface EVAs.
- 06
Collect geological samples from Fra Mauro.
- 07
Investigate Cone Crater ejecta.
- 08
Perform detailed geological field studies.
- 09
Evaluate extended surface mobility using the Modular Equipment Transporter.
- 10
Photograph the landing region.
- 11
Conduct orbital scientific observations.
- 12
Return lunar samples safely to Earth.
- 13
Continue validating Apollo hardware for future missions.
- 14
Restore confidence in the Apollo Program.
- 15
Expand scientific understanding of the Moon's history.
Mission Timeline
January 31, 1971 · 4:03 p.m. EST
Launch
Apollo 14 launched aboard Saturn V AS-509 from Kennedy Space Center, marking NASA's return to lunar exploration after the Apollo 13 accident.
Earth Orbit
Parking Orbit
Following a successful launch, Apollo 14 entered temporary Earth orbit while Mission Control verified spacecraft health before committing the crew to the Moon.
Trans-Lunar Injection
Departure for the Moon
The S-IVB third stage successfully placed Apollo 14 on its translunar trajectory toward the Fra Mauro Highlands.
Deep Space
Docking Difficulty
During transposition and docking, the Command Module Kitty Hawk repeatedly failed to achieve a secure hard dock with Lunar Module Antares. After several attempts, the docking mechanism finally latched successfully, allowing the mission to continue.
Cruise Phase
Journey to the Moon
The crew performed navigation updates, television broadcasts, spacecraft inspections, and scientific observations during the three-day journey through deep space.
February 4, 1971
Lunar Orbit Insertion
Apollo 14 entered lunar orbit, positioning the spacecraft for the first attempted landing since Apollo 12.
February 5, 1971
Antares Separates
Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell entered the Lunar Module Antares and separated from Stuart Roosa aboard Kitty Hawk to begin the landing sequence.
Powered Descent Initiation
Abort Switch Problem
During the descent, Mission Control detected intermittent abort signals caused by a faulty switch inside Antares. Engineers rapidly developed a software workaround that prevented the guidance computer from mistakenly aborting the landing.
February 5, 1971 · 09:18 UTC
Landing at Fra Mauro
Alan Shepard manually guided Antares to a successful landing in the Fra Mauro Highlands, completing NASA's first lunar landing since Apollo 12 and restoring confidence in the Apollo Program after Apollo 13.
Surface Operations
Preparing for EVA-1
Shepard and Mitchell configured Antares for surface operations, activated their Portable Life Support Systems, and prepared to begin the first moonwalk.
First EVA
ALSEP Deployment
The astronauts deployed the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP), installing scientific instruments that would continue transmitting valuable data long after the crew departed.
Fra Mauro Exploration
Collecting Geological Samples
Shepard and Mitchell explored the Fra Mauro formation, collecting rock and soil samples believed to have been excavated during the massive Imbrium impact billions of years ago.
Second EVA
Journey Toward Cone Crater
Using the Modular Equipment Transporter (MET), the astronauts hauled tools and sampling equipment toward Cone Crater in search of deep lunar material.
Cone Crater
Highland Geology Investigation
Although they unknowingly stopped just short of the crater rim because of the deceptive rolling terrain, Shepard and Mitchell successfully collected valuable ejecta that originated from deep beneath the lunar surface.
Second EVA
Alan Shepard's Golf Shot
Before ending the final moonwalk, Alan Shepard attached a modified six-iron club head to a sampling tool and struck two golf balls across the lunar surface, creating one of the Apollo Program's most iconic moments.
Orbital Operations
Kitty Hawk Science Mission
While Shepard and Mitchell explored the Moon, Stuart Roosa remained in lunar orbit aboard Kitty Hawk, conducting photography, scientific observations, and carrying hundreds of tree seeds that later became known as the famous Moon Trees.
End of Surface Stay
Preparing for Departure
After more than 33 hours on the Moon and over nine hours of EVA activity, the crew secured more than 42 kilograms of lunar samples before preparing Antares for ascent.
February 6, 1971
Lunar Liftoff
Antares successfully lifted off from the lunar surface, leaving its descent stage behind before beginning rendezvous operations with Kitty Hawk.
Lunar Orbit
Rendezvous and Docking
Shepard and Mitchell docked with Stuart Roosa, transferred themselves and their lunar samples into Kitty Hawk, and jettisoned the Lunar Module ascent stage.
February 7, 1971
Trans-Earth Injection
Apollo 14 departed lunar orbit and began its return journey after successfully completing NASA's return to lunar exploration.
February 9, 1971
Splashdown
Apollo 14 safely splashed down in the South Pacific, concluding a mission that restored confidence in the Apollo Program and paved the way for increasingly ambitious scientific exploration.
Mission Complete
Apollo Returns
Apollo 14 demonstrated that NASA had successfully corrected the issues identified after Apollo 13, proving the agency was once again ready to conduct safe and productive lunar landing missions.
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