{"id":168453,"date":"2021-02-01T16:41:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-01T20:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?migration=converted-node-467945"},"modified":"2023-09-21T14:53:13","modified_gmt":"2023-09-21T18:53:13","slug":"50-years-ago-apollo-14-launches-to-the-moon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/50-years-ago-apollo-14-launches-to-the-moon\/","title":{"rendered":"50 Years Ago: Apollo 14 Launches to the Moon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The third Moon landing mission began on Jan. 31, 1971, with the launch of Apollo 14. A giant Saturn V rocket lifted off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) with the crew of Commander <a href=\"https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/oral_histories\/ShepardAB\/shepardab.htm\" rel=\"noopener\">Alan B. Shepard<\/a>, Command Module Pilot Stuart A. Roosa, and Lunar Module Pilot <a href=\"https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/oral_histories\/MitchellED\/mitchelled.htm\" rel=\"noopener\">Edgar D. Mitchell<\/a> strapped inside their capsule. Engineers had modified the spacecraft to prevent a recurrence of the accident that crippled <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/50-years-ago-houston-weve-had-a-problem\/\">Apollo 13<\/a> the previous year. After their Saturn V rocket delivered them into a parking orbit around the Earth, the third stage reignited to send them on their way to the Moon. Overcoming difficulties in docking with their Lunar Module (LM), Shepard, Roosa, and Mitchell began the three-day coast to the Moon, arriving in lunar orbit on Feb. 4 to prepare for the landing in and exploration of the Fra Mauro highlands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/apollo_14_crew_photo_s70-55387_compressed.jpg\" alt=\"apollo_14_crew_photo\" width=\"301\" height=\"232\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/apollo_14_crew_patch_s70-17851.jpg\" alt=\"apollo_14_crew_patch\" width=\"265\" height=\"232\"><br> <em>Left: The Apollo 14 crew of Stuart A. Roosa, left, Alan B. Shepard, and Edgar D. Mitchell.  Right:  The Apollo 14 crew patch.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The terminal countdown for Apollo 14\u2019s launch began on Jan. 29 and proceeded without any technical issues. Engineers in Firing Room 2 of KSC\u2019s Launch Control Center (LCC) monitored all aspects of the countdown, including the final fueling of the Saturn V rocket. Shepard, Roosa, and Mitchell ate their traditional steak and eggs breakfast before putting on their spacesuits and taking the Astrovan to Launch Pad 39A, where they boarded their spacecraft, the Command Module <em>Kitty Hawk<\/em>. Shepard took the left-hand seat, Roosa the middle, and Mitchell the right. Thousands of spectators assembled along the beaches near KSC to view the launch. In the viewing stands, Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, accompanied by NASA astronaut <a href=\"https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/oral_histories\/ArmstrongNA\/armstrongna.htm\" rel=\"noopener\">Neil A. Armstrong<\/a>, hosted Prince Juan Carlos and Princess Sof\u00eda of Spain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/as14-0783-71p-73-1.31.71.jpg\" alt=\"as14-0783-71p-73-1.31.71\" width=\"285\" height=\"194\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/as14-0779-71p-78-astronat_wives_a_few_hours_before_launch-1.31.71.jpg\" alt=\"astronat_wives_a_few_hours_before_launch\" width=\"276\" height=\"194\"><br> <em>Left: At the traditional prelaunch breakfast are Edgar D. Mitchell, left, Chief of the Astronaut Office Thomas P. Stafford, Stuart A. Roosa, Alan B. Shepard, Chief of Flight Crew Operations Donald K. \u201cDeke\u201d Slayton, backup Apollo 14 Lunar Module Pilot Joe H. Engle, and backup Apollo 14 Command Module Pilot Ronald E. Evans. Right: The wives of the Apollo 14 astronauts Joan Roosa, left, Louise Shepard, and Louise Mitchell relax a few hours before the launch<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/as14-0820-71pc-67-1.31.71.jpg\" alt=\"as14-0820-71pc-67-1.31.71\" width=\"279\" height=\"214\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/apollo_14_crew_arrive_at_white_room_jan_31_1971_s71-16635.jpg\" alt=\"apollo_14_crew_arrive_at_white_room_jan_31_1971\" width=\"259\" height=\"214\"><br> <em>Left: Apollo 14 astronauts Edgar D. Mitchell, left, Stuart A. Roosa, and Alan B. Shepard about to board the Astrovan for the ride out to Launch Pad 39A. Right: At Launch Pad 39A, Apollo 14 astronauts Shepard, left, Mitchell, and Roosa enter the White Room to board their Command Module <\/em>Kitty Hawk<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/apollo_14_launch_agnew_armstrong_jan_31_1971.jpg\" alt=\"apollo_14_launch_agnew_armstrong_jan_31_1971\" width=\"301\" height=\"200\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/as14-0859-71p-101-1.31.71.jpg\" alt=\"as14-0859-71p-101-1.31.71\" width=\"282\" height=\"200\"><br> <em>Left: In the viewing stands at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, Princess Sof<\/em><em>\u00eda of Spain, NASA astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, and Prince Juan Carlos of Spain await the launch.  Right: In Firing Room 2 of KSC\u2019s Launch Control Center, engineers monitor the progress of the countdown.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the final minutes of the countdown, a band of rain showers passed over KSC and delayed the launch by 40 minutes. Lift off finally came at 4:03 p.m. Eastern time on Jan. 31, 1971. The Saturn V rocket launched Apollo 14 into a cloudy afternoon sky. Ten seconds after the first motion, the rocket cleared the launch tower, and mission responsibility shifted from KSC\u2019s Firing Room 2 to the Mission Control Center (MCC) at the Manned Spacecraft Center, now NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston. In the MCC, Flight Director <a href=\"https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/oral_histories\/FrankMP\/frankmp.htm\" rel=\"noopener\">M.P. \u201cPete\u201d Frank<\/a> led his Orange Team of controllers who monitored every aspect of the mission, with NASA astronaut <a href=\"https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/oral_histories\/FullertonCG\/fullertoncg.htm\" rel=\"noopener\">C. Gordon Fullerton<\/a> acting as capsule communicator (Capcom), the person who talked directly to the crew during the flight. After burning for 2 minutes and 44 seconds and lifting the rocket to an altitude of 40 miles, the first stage jettisoned, allowing the second stage engines to continue powering the ascent. During its six and a half minutes of operation, the second stage raised Apollo 14\u2019s altitude to 117 miles and increased its velocity to more than 15,600 miles per hour, nearly enough to achieve orbit. At that point, the rocket\u2019s third stage took over, firing for a little over two minutes to place Apollo 14 into a circular 117-mile-high parking orbit around the Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"as14-0862-s71-17620-1.31.71\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/as14-0862-s71-17620-1.31.71.jpg\" width=\"153\" height=\"216\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"as14-0864-71pc-106-1.31.71\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/as14-0864-71pc-106-1.31.71.jpg\" width=\"143\" height=\"216\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"as14-0865-noid-1.31.71\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/as14-0865-noid-1.31.71.jpg\" width=\"144\" height=\"216\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"as14-0866-noid-1.31.71\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/as14-0866-noid-1.31.71.jpg\" width=\"145\" height=\"216\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"as14-0867-noid-1.31.71\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/as14-0867-noid-1.31.71.jpg\" width=\"144\" height=\"216\"><br>\n<em>Sequential views of the liftoff of Apollo 14 taken by a camera on the launch umbilical tower.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/as14-0861-71p-102-1.31.71.jpg\" alt=\"as14-0861-71p-102-1.31.71\" width=\"235\" height=\"231\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/as14-0917-71p-108-1.31.71.jpg\" alt=\"as14-0917-71p-108-1.31.71\" width=\"295\" height=\"231\"><br> <em>Left: After the Saturn V rocket cleared the tower, engineers in Firing Room 2 of the Launch Control Center (LCC) at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center watch the liftoff of Apollo 14. Right: Prince Juan Carlos of Spain holding a microphone, center, accompanied by Princess Sof<\/em><em>\u00eda, left, and Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, congratulates the team in the LCC after the successful launch.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/apollo_14_mcc_during_td_jan_31_1971_s71-17122.jpg\" alt=\"apollo_14_mcc_during_td_jan_31_1971\" width=\"558\" height=\"220\"><br> <em>View of the Mission Control Center at the Manned Spacecraft Center, now NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston, during the Apollo 14 transposition and docking maneuver.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over the next two and a half hours, Shepard, Roosa, and Mitchell checked the condition of their spacecraft, at the end of which Fullerton called to them, \u201cYou\u2019re Go for the Moon. Go for TLI.\u201d  Shepard responded with, \u201cRoger, Go for TLI,\u201d both referring to the Trans-Lunar Injection, the second burn of the rocket\u2019s third stage that accelerated them out of Earth orbit and on toward the Moon. The engine burned for 5 minutes and 52 seconds, increasing their velocity to 24,238 miles per hour, and raised the high point of their orbit to 288,000 miles that put them on a trajectory to reach a point near the Moon in three days\u2019 time.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/apollo_14_lm_in_sivb_jan_31_1971.jpg\" alt=\"apollo_14_lm_in_sivb_jan_31_1971\" width=\"320\" height=\"203\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/apollo_14_docking_mechanism_schematic.jpg\" alt=\"apollo_14_docking_mechanism_schematic\" width=\"244\" height=\"203\"><br> <em>Left: The Apollo 14 Lunar Module <\/em>Antares<em> still attached to the Saturn V rocket\u2019s third stage, that is venting leftover propellant.  Right: Schematic view of the Apollo probe-and-drogue docking mechanism.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>About 30 minutes after TLI, with Roosa at the controls of the spacecraft, the Apollo 14 astronauts began the transposition, docking, and extraction maneuver. First, they separated the Command and Service Module (CSM) <em>Kitty Hawk<\/em> from the third stage that held their LM <em>Antares<\/em> inside the four-paneled Spacecraft LM Adapter (SLA). The SLA panels opened like the petals of a flower and were jettisoned, allowing the CSM to turn around, dock with the LM, and extract it from the now spent third stage. The crew turned on a <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/k6RlyZXmlD8\" rel=\"noopener\">television camera<\/a> for the controllers in the MCC to monitor the event. As Roosa brought the two spacecraft together for the docking, the three capture latches at the end of the probe failed to activate to achieve an initial soft docking, and the CSM began to drift back away from the LM. Roosa fired <em>Kitty Hawk<\/em>\u2019s thrusters for a second docking attempt, but the latches failed to engage once again. He backed the CSM away and tried a third time, this time at a higher speed, but still the latches would not capture. Fullerton radioed up to have the crew check all the appropriate circuit breakers and try one more time, this time firing the thrusters after the contact to allow time for the latches to engage, but again the crew reported no success. Clearly, if they could not complete a docking with the LM, the Moon landing was in jeopardy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/apollo_14_mcc_frank_during_t_and_d_jan_31_1971_s71-17153.jpg\" alt=\"apollo_14_mcc_frank_during_t_and_d_jan_31_1971\" width=\"256\" height=\"194\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/apollo_14_mcc_cernan_fullerton_t_and_d_jan_31_1971_s71-17294.jpg\" alt=\"apollo_14_mcc_cernan_fullerton_t_and_d_jan_31_1971\" width=\"258\" height=\"194\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/apollo_14_mcc_t_and_d_gilruth_abbey_young_jan_31_1971_s71-17141.jpg\" alt=\"apollo_14_mcc_t_and_d_gilruth_abbey_young_jan_31_1971\" width=\"263\" height=\"194\"><br> <em>Left: In the Mission Control Center at the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC), now NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Flight Director M.P. \u201cPete\u201d Frank during the Apollo 14 transposition and docking maneuver. Middle: Apollo 14 backup commander Eugene A. Cernan assisting capsule communicator C. Gordon Fullerton during the Apollo 14 transposition and docking maneuver.  Right: Flight Controller John S. Llewellyn uses a docking probe model to discuss the anomaly during the Apollo 14 docking with MSC Director Robert L. Gilruth, left, George W.S. Abbey, and astronaut John W. Young.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Engineers in the MCC continued to troubleshoot the problem, bringing a model of the docking system\u2019s probe into the room. Fullerton recommended another docking attempt at normal speed and resetting the docking probe extend\/retract switch. This fifth attempt also failed. For the next attempt, MCC advised the crew to come in for another docking, and once the probe was in the drogue to continue firing thrusters to keep the two vehicles together while simultaneously commanding the probe to retract, so that the 12 latches around the docking collar had a chance to achieve a hard docking. This sixth docking attempt succeeded, and <em>Kitty Hawk<\/em> and <em>Antares<\/em> became one spacecraft. By this time, Apollo 14 had reached an altitude of nearly 24,000 miles on its way toward the Moon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/apollo_14_mcc_after_successful_dock_griffin_windler_frank_jan_31_1971.png\" alt=\"apollo_14_mcc_after_successful_dock_griffin_windler_frank_jan_31_1971\" width=\"283\" height=\"204\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/as14-0928-72-9925-1.31.71.jpg\" alt=\"as14-0928-72-9925-1.31.71\" width=\"298\" height=\"204\"><br> <em>Left:  Apollo 14 Flight Directors Gerald D. \u201cGerry\u201d Griffin, left, Milton L. Windler, and M.P. \u201cPete\u201d Frank cheer as docking is accomplished on the sixth attempt.  Right: The Saturn V rocket\u2019s spent third stage as it moves away from the docked Apollo 14 spacecraft.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Flight Director Milton L. Windler\u2019s Maroon Team of controllers replaced Frank\u2019s team in the MCC with that major problem solved. Bruce McCandless replaced Fullerton as the capcom. The crew aboard Apollo 14 checked the integrity of the docking mechanism, verifying that all 12 latches had closed. The astronauts began to pressurize <em>Antares<\/em> from <em>Kitty Hawk<\/em> and extracted it from the third stage. Controllers in the MCC commanded the now spent stage to conduct an evasive maneuver to avoid re-contacting the spacecraft, and ultimately sent it on a course to impact the Moon. The seismometer left on the lunar surface by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/50-years-ago-apollo-12-on-the-moon-whoopee\/\">Apollo 12<\/a> recorded the impact, with the Moon reverberating for more than three hours. Since the rocket had placed Apollo 14 on such a precise trajectory, mission controllers decided that the crew did not need to perform the first planned mid-course correction maneuver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/apollo_14_flight_directors_s71-16805.jpg\" alt=\"apollo_14_flight_directors\" width=\"339\" height=\"200\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/apollo-14_backup_patch.jpg\" alt=\"apollo-14_backup_patch\" width=\"229\" height=\"200\"><br> <em>Left: Apollo 14 Flight Directors Gerald \u201cGerry\u201d Griffin, left, M.P. \u201cPete\u201d Frank, Milton L. Windler, and <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/oral_histories\/LunneyGS\/lunneygs.htm\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Glynn S. Lunney<\/em><\/a><em>, in the Mission Control Center at the Manned Spacecraft Center, now NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Right: The patch designed by the Apollo 14 backup crew of Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald C. Evans, and Joe H. Engle, copies of which they surreptitiously placed around the spacecraft for the prime crew to find once in space.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The astronauts finally settled down to a meal, following which they removed and inspected the docking mechanism to investigate the cause of the problem. They broadcast live television so engineers in the MCC could assist in the process. Other than observing several scratches on the drogue, presumably made by the probe during the multiple docking attempts, they could find no obvious problems. The leading assumption was that debris that eventually dislodged prevented the first five docking attempts. Flight Director <a href=\"https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/oral_histories\/GriffinGD\/griffingd.htm\" rel=\"noopener\">Gerald D. \u201cGerry\u201d Griffin<\/a>\u2019s Gold Team of controllers took over from Windler\u2019s team, with <a href=\"https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/oral_histories\/HaiseFW\/haisefw.htm\" rel=\"noopener\">Fred W. Haise<\/a> replacing McCandless as capcom. The astronauts placed their spacecraft in the passive thermal control attitude, also known as the barbecue mode, turning it along its long axis at the slow rate of three rotations per hour to equalize temperatures across the vehicle. After that, the crew began their first sleep period in space, concluding a very long day that began back in Florida that morning.  They had reached a distance of 85,000 miles from Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/s71-17397.jpg\" alt=\"s71-17397\" width=\"202\" height=\"205\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/s71-17398.jpg\" alt=\"s71-17398.\" width=\"289\" height=\"205\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/s71-17399.jpg\" alt=\"s71-17399\" width=\"203\" height=\"205\"><br> <em>Left:  Louise Shepard in the Visitor Gallery at the Mission Control Center (MCC) in the Manned Spacecraft Center, now NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston, during the flight of Apollo 14. Middle: Joan Roosa, center, with her children in the MCC Visitor Gallery.  Right:  Louise Mitchell, left, in the MCC Visitor Gallery.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Overnight, Frank\u2019s team of controllers and Capcom Fullerton came back into the MCC to help the crew begin their second day in space, which was relatively quiet compared to their first day. Unmentioned, they passed the halfway point in distance between the Earth and the Moon. Day two\u2019s main activity centered on performing the first midcourse correction of the flight, a 10-second burn using the Service Propulsion System (SPS) engine, to adjust their trajectory from their current free-return path to one best suited for the landing in the Fra Mauro highlands. The burn also corrected for the 40-minute launch delay, so they arrived in lunar orbit at the originally planned time and the proper distance of 77 miles. The primary activity on their third day in space, that they began 185,000 miles from Earth, involved pressurizing and powering up the LM <em>Antares<\/em> and conducting housekeeping activities such as checking out its life support and communications systems. The crew treated the ground to a 42-minute TV broadcast of their activities, with the astronauts\u2019 families observing from the MCC\u2019s Visitor Gallery. The only surprise the astronauts found in <em>Antares<\/em>, as they also found in <em>Kitty Hawk<\/em>, was a profusion of patches designed by the backup crew of <a href=\"https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/oral_histories\/CernanEA\/cernanea.htm\" rel=\"noopener\">Eugene A. Cernan<\/a>, Ronald E. Evans, and <a href=\"https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/oral_histories\/EngleJH\/englejh.htm\" rel=\"noopener\">Joe H. Engle<\/a>, that they had secretly stashed in various places in both spacecraft before launch. Just as the astronauts started their sleep period at the end of the third day, Apollo 14 passed into the lunar sphere of influence and began accelerating toward its target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Shepard, Roosa, and Mitchell\u2019s fourth day in space began with a minor midcourse correction, a very short burst of the SPS engine of less than one second, to lower their approach altitude at the Moon to 69 miles.  Then it was time for them to focus on preparing for the all-important Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI) maneuver, a six-minute SPS engine burn to place them into orbit around the Moon. As on previous missions, this critical LOI burn took place behind the Moon, out of contact with the Earth, so at first, only the three astronauts aboard the spacecraft knew that it had succeeded. Apollo 14 had arrived in lunar orbit.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-0 article_a hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-credits-and-details\">\n<section class=\"padding-x-0 padding-top-5 padding-bottom-2 desktop:padding-top-7 desktop:padding-bottom-9\">\n\t<div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0\">\n\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-2 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"heading-14\">Share<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"social-icons social-icons-round\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"social-icon social-icon-x\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/intent\/tweet?via=NASA&text=50%20Years%20Ago%3A%20Apollo%2014%20Launches%20to%20the%20Moon&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nasa.gov%2Fhistory%2F50-years-ago-apollo-14-launches-to-the-moon%2F\" aria-label=\"Share on X.\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"1200\" height=\"1227\" viewBox=\"0 0 1200 1227\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M714.163 519.284L1160.89 0H1055.03L667.137 450.887L357.328 0H0L468.492 681.821L0 1226.37H105.866L515.491 750.218L842.672 1226.37H1200L714.137 519.284H714.163ZM569.165 687.828L521.697 619.934L144.011 79.6944H306.615L611.412 515.685L658.88 583.579L1055.08 1150.3H892.476L569.165 687.854V687.828Z\" fill=\"white\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"social-icon social-icon-facebook\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nasa.gov%2Fhistory%2F50-years-ago-apollo-14-launches-to-the-moon%2F\" aria-label=\"Share on Facebook.\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M9 8h-3v4h3v12h5v-12h3.642l.358-4h-4v-1.667c0-.955.192-1.333 1.115-1.333h2.885v-5h-3.808c-3.596 0-5.192 1.583-5.192 4.615v3.385z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"social-icon social-icon-linkedin\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nasa.gov%2Fhistory%2F50-years-ago-apollo-14-launches-to-the-moon%2F\" aria-label=\"Share on LinkedIn.\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M4.98 3.5c0 1.381-1.11 2.5-2.48 2.5s-2.48-1.119-2.48-2.5c0-1.38 1.11-2.5 2.48-2.5s2.48 1.12 2.48 2.5zm.02 4.5h-5v16h5v-16zm7.982 0h-4.968v16h4.969v-8.399c0-4.67 6.029-5.052 6.029 0v8.399h4.988v-10.131c0-7.88-8.922-7.593-11.018-3.714v-2.155z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"social-icon social-icon-rss\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"\/feed\/\" aria-label=\"Subscribe to RSS feed.\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 800 800\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M493 652H392c0-134-111-244-244-244V307c189 0 345 156 345 345zm71 0c0-228-188-416-416-416V132c285 0 520 235 520 520z\"\/><circle cx=\"219\" cy=\"581\" r=\"71\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"heading-14\">Details<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row margin-bottom-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading\">Last Updated<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-8\">Sep 21, 2023<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\"><div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black \"><div class=\"margin-bottom-2\"><h2 class=\"heading-14\">Related Terms<\/h2><\/div><ul class=\"article-tags\"><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/\">NASA History<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/former-astronaut-alan-shepard\/\">Alan B. Shepard Jr.<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission\/apollo-14\/\">Apollo 14<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/mitchell_edgar.pdf?emrc=2c3b40\">Edgar D. Mitchell<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/roosa_stuart.pdf?emrc=c77483\">Stuart A. Roosa<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-0 hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-related-articles\">\t\t<section class=\"hds-related-articles padding-x-0 padding-y-3 desktop:padding-top-7 desktop:padding-bottom-9\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"w-100 grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0 text-align-left\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-4\"><h2 style=\"max-width: 100%;\" class=\"width-full w-full maxw-full\">Explore More<\/h2><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/flag-day-2024-one-small-flags-incredible-journey\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=300,225 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=768,576 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=400,300 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=600,450 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=900,675 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">7 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">Flag Day 2024 \u2013 One Small Flag\u2019s Incredible Journey<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t1 day ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/55-years-ago-manned-orbiting-laboratory-cancellation\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"212\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg 424w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg?resize=300,212 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg?resize=400,283 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">10 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">55 Years Ago: Manned Orbiting Laboratory Cancellation<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t3 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/55-years-ago-star-trek-final-episode-airs-relationship-with-nasa-endures\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"217\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?resize=300,217 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?resize=768,555 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?resize=400,289 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?resize=600,434 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">15 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">55 Years Ago: Star Trek Final Episode Airs, Relationship with NASA Endures<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t1 week ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The third Moon landing mission began on Jan. 31, 1971, with the launch of Apollo 14. A giant Saturn V rocket lifted off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) with the crew of Commander Alan B. Shepard, Command Module Pilot Stuart A. Roosa, and Lunar Module Pilot Edgar D. Mitchell strapped [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":443,"featured_media":269678,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2671,3703,2928,3642,3685],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[12664,11995],"coauthors":[11996],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"50 Years Ago: Apollo 14 Launches to the Moon","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/50-years-ago-apollo-14-launches-to-the-moon\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/50-years-ago-apollo-14-launches-to-the-moon\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/9309376\/9309376~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1832&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/9309376\/9309376~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1832&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint"},"articleSection":"NASA History","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"John Uri"}],"creator":["John Uri"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["Humans in Space","Astronauts","Former Astronauts","Stuart A. Roosa","NASA History","Alan B. Shepard Jr.","Apollo 14","Edgar D. Mitchell"],"dateCreated":"2021-02-01T20:41:00Z","datePublished":"2021-02-01T20:41:00Z","dateModified":"2023-09-21T18:53:13Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"50 Years Ago: Apollo 14 Launches to the Moon\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/50-years-ago-apollo-14-launches-to-the-moon\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/9309376\/9309376~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1832&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2021-02-01T20:41:00Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"NASA History\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"Humans in Space,Astronauts,Former Astronauts,Stuart A. Roosa,NASA History,Alan B. Shepard Jr.,Apollo 14,Edgar D. Mitchell\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"John Uri\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":12,"time_ago":"3 years","featured_image":{"id":269678,"file":"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/9309376\/9309376~large.jpg","title":"Saturn Apollo Program","alt":"The Apollo 14 astronauts walk out to the transfer van on launch day.","caption":"Apollo 14 Mission Commander, Alan B. Shepard, Jr., waves to well-wishers as he and astronauts Stuart A. Roosa, Command Module pilot; and Edgar D. Mitchell, Lunar Module pilot, walk to the transfer van during the countdown demonstration test. The Apollo 14, carrying the crew of three lifted off from launch complex 39A at KSC on January 31, 1971. It was the third manned lunar landing, the first manned landing in exploration of the lunar highlands, and it demonstrated pinpoint landing capability. The major goal of Apollo 14 was the scientific exploration of the Moon in the foothills of the rugged Fra Mauro region. The lunar surface extravehicular activity (EVA) of astronauts Shepard and Mitchell included setting up an automated scientific laboratory called Apollo Lunar Scientific Experiments Package (ALSEP), and collecting a total of about 95 pounds (43 kilograms) of Moon rock and soil for a geological investigation back on the Earth. Apollo 14 safely returned to Earth on February 9, 1971."},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168453"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/443"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=168453"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168453\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":515258,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168453\/revisions\/515258"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/269678"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=168453"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=168453"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=168453"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=168453"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=168453"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}