Space Mission
Apollo 14, January 31 – February 9, 1971, EVA 2, 135:09:03
Photographer
Taken by the TV camera mounted on the lunar surface
Photo Description
Vintage chromogenic print on fiber-based Kodak paper, 20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in), with NASA MSC caption and “A Kodak Paper” watermarks on the verso, numbered “NASA S-71-20784” in red in top margin
20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in)
Essay
[NASA caption] Alan Shepard can be seen preparing to swing at a golf ball during a television transmission near the close of the second EVA at the Apollo 14 Fra Mauro landing site. Shepard is using a real golf ball and an actual six iron, attached to the end of the handle for the contingency sample return. Edgar Mitchell looks on. Also visible in the picture is the erectable S-Band antenna (left foreground) and the LM (left background).
135:08:17 Shepard: (Facing the TV) Houston, while you’re looking that up, you might recognize what I have in my hand is the handle for the contingency sample return; it just so happens to have a genuine six iron on the bottom of it. In my left hand, I have a little white pellet that’s familiar to millions of Americans. I’ll drop it down. Unfortunately, the suit is so stiff, I can’t do this with two hands, but I’m going to try a little sand-trap shot here. (Pause)
135:08:53 Mitchell: You got more dirt than ball that time.
135:08:58 Shepard: Got more dirt than ball. Here we go again. [Al’s second swing pushes the ball about 2 or 3 feet, mostly along the line toward the TV camera, rather than along the line of the swing.]
135:09:01 Haise: That looked like a slice to me, Al.
135:09:03 Shepard: Here we go. Straight as a die; one more. (Long Pause) [Al’s third swing finally connects and sends the ball off camera to the right, apparently on a fairly low trajectory. He drops a second ball, which rolls left and toward the TV camera. Al gets himself in position and connects again. The trajectory of this shot appears to be similar to the previous one.]
135:09:20 Shepard: Miles and miles and miles.