Miles Bennett
On February 6, 1971, Alan Shepard, an astronaut and golfer, became the first and only person to hit golf balls on the Moon. Before leaving the lunar surface, Shepard, who was part of the Apollo 14 mission, attached a 6-iron golf club head to the shaft of a lunar soil sampler and hit two golf balls, with the second one travelling a considerable distance.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of golf balls on the moon | 2 |
| Name of the astronaut | Alan Shepard |
| Mission | Apollo 14 |
| Date | February 6, 1971 |
| Type of club used | 6-iron |
| Type of club head | Wilson Staff Dyna-Power 6-iron |
| Club shaft | Foldable shaft of a lunar soil sampler |
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What You'll Learn
Alan Shepard left two golf balls on the moon
Alan Shepard, an astronaut and commander of the Apollo 14 mission, is the only person to have hit golf balls on the Moon. Before leaving the lunar surface, Shepard attached a 6-iron golf club head to the shaft of a lunar soil sampler and hit two golf balls, which he left behind on the Moon.
Shepard's decision to play golf on the Moon was not just a whimsical stunt. He had to get approval from senior management at NASA, who were concerned that the idea would look frivolous and embarrass the agency. Shepard agreed not to play if the mission encountered any problems. He also paid for the modified golf club and the two golf balls himself, assuring NASA that it would be "at no cost to the taxpayer".
Shepard's main motivation for playing golf on the Moon was to demonstrate the Moon's gravitational pull, which is one-sixth that of Earth. He also expressed pride in how his stunt avoided commercialisation. He and NASA refused to name the manufacturer of the golf balls.
Shepard hit the two golf balls just before he and his crew left the Moon on February 6, 1971. He took four swings in total, with the first being a miss that kicked up some dust. The second swing moved the ball a short distance, while the third sent the first ball about 200 metres. On his final swing, Shepard hit the second ball, which he declared went “miles and miles and miles". This was an exaggeration, but the ball did travel a significant distance. According to recent calculations, it went about 40 yards (120 feet).
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Shepard hit the balls with a makeshift golf club
On February 6, 1971, Alan Shepard, an astronaut and golfer, hit two golf balls with a makeshift golf club on the moon. Shepard was the commander of the Apollo 14 mission and the first American astronaut in space. He is also known for being the first and only person to play golf on the moon.
Shepard's makeshift golf club was a Wilson Staff Dyna-Power 6-iron head attached to a sampling tool. The club had to be modified to fit into the cramped quarters of the Apollo lunar lander. Jack Harden, the pro at River Oaks Country Club in Houston, made the clubhead, and NASA's technical services division also assisted with the construction. The golf club had to meet the same strict safety requirements as other spacecraft payloads.
Shepard took a few moments during the Apollo 14 landing to show off his hobby during a live broadcast from the lunar surface. He took two shots at two balls, with the second ball going "miles and miles and miles," he said on-camera. However, this was an exaggeration, and the ball actually travelled a much shorter distance. Recent high-resolution scans and modern image enhancement techniques have helped identify the location of the second ball, and by comparing these images to more recent satellite images, image specialist Andy Saunders was able to measure the distance of Shepard's second shot as 40 yards (120 feet).
Shepard's golf balls have likely acquired some lunar camouflage over the years due to radiation and micrometeorite impacts, which would have cracked, pitted, and darkened their surfaces. This space weathering makes it pretty easy to lose a golf ball on the moon.
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The Apollo 14 mission was a scientific endeavour
The Apollo 14 mission, which occurred from January 31 to February 9, 1971, marked a significant milestone in the United States' Apollo program, showcasing a strong commitment to scientific exploration. This mission was unique in that it prioritized scientific endeavours over the mere feat of landing on the Moon. Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell, the mission's astronauts, spent a considerable amount of time conducting experiments and collecting samples that would provide valuable insights into the Moon's composition and history. One of the primary objectives of Apollo 14 was to study the Moon's geology. The astronauts were tasked with collecting a variety of rock and soil samples from the Fra Mauro formation, a region on the Moon that was believed to contain ancient lunar highlands. These samples would help scientists back on Earth better understand the Moon's geological history and formation.
During their two moonwalks, Shepard and Mitchell deployed several scientific instruments, including a Solar Wind Composition experiment and a Suprathermal Ion Detector, which provided data on the composition and velocity of particles in the solar wind. They also set up a Laser Ranging Retro-Reflector, which allowed scientists to precisely measure the distance between the Earth and the Moon and continues to be used to this day. The Apollo 14 mission also saw the first use of a Modular Equipment Transporter (MET), a small, hand-pulled cart used to carry tools and equipment during the moonwalks, making it easier to transport scientific equipment over longer distances.
Shepard and Mitchell's work on the Moon was not without its challenges. During the first moonwalk, Shepard accidentally damaged the cable connector of the Lunar Module's TV camera, rendering it unusable. This meant that the astronauts had to rely solely on their still photography and verbal descriptions to convey the lunar landscape to the scientists back home. Despite this setback, they successfully collected and returned a wealth of scientific data and samples.
The Apollo 14 mission yielded important scientific results. The astronauts collected 94 pounds (43 kilograms) of lunar samples, including basalt and breccia rocks, core samples, and soil from the Fra Mauro formation. These samples revealed insights into the Moon's volcanic history and the impact processes that shaped its surface. The mission also provided valuable data on the effects of lunar dust, which clung to equipment and proved to be a nuisance, impacting the astronauts' ability to operate machinery and potentially posing health risks.
In conclusion, the Apollo 14 mission stands as a testament to the scientific focus of the Apollo program. Through the diligent work of Shepard and Mitchell, the mission advanced our understanding of the Moon's geology, provided new insights into its formation and composition, and paved the way for future lunar exploration. Their efforts contributed significantly to the body of scientific knowledge about our celestial neighbour, the Moon.
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Shepard's golf stunt avoided commercialisation
On February 6, 1971, Alan Shepard, an astronaut and commander of the Apollo 14 mission, became the first and only person to play golf on the Moon. Before leaving the lunar surface, Shepard attached a 6-iron golf club head to the shaft of a lunar soil sampler and hit two golf balls, with the second one reportedly flying for "miles and miles and miles".
Shepard's lunar golf moment was not initially supported by NASA, particularly by then-MSC director Bob Gilruth, who was concerned that the stunt would be seen as frivolous and embarrass the agency. However, Shepard eventually got approval for his plan, with the condition that it would be a non-commercial activity.
To avoid commercialisation, Shepard kept the brand of the golf balls a secret. This was a deliberate move to prevent any company from trying to profit from his lunar golf stunt. In addition, Shepard paid for the modified golf club head and the golf balls himself, ensuring that there was "no cost to the taxpayer".
Shepard's decision to keep the brand of the golf balls a secret was successful in avoiding commercialisation. To this day, the brand of the golf balls remains a mystery, with various speculations but no definitive answer. By prioritising the scientific and outreach value of his stunt, Shepard ensured that his lunar golf moment remained a unique and non-commercial achievement.
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The balls have likely been affected by space weathering
The golf balls hit on the Moon during the Apollo 14 and 17 missions in 1971 and 1972, respectively, have likely undergone significant space weathering over the past five decades. The Moon's harsh environment, devoid of an atmosphere and with frequent bombardment by micrometeorites and solar radiation, has undoubtedly left its mark on the balls' surfaces. Space weathering is a term used to describe the various processes by which the surfaces of objects in space, particularly airless bodies like the Moon, are altered over time. This can include micrometeorite impacts, solar wind bombardment, temperature extremes, and irradiation by cosmic rays and ultraviolet light.
The golf balls, being relatively small and lightweight, are particularly susceptible to the effects of space weathering. The micrometeorite impacts, though tiny, would have been constant and could have caused pitting and erosion of the balls' surfaces. The solar wind, a stream of charged particles from the Sun, may have also affected the golf balls' composition, as it is known to cause the deposition of a thin layer of glass-like material on exposed surfaces. This process, known as "solar wind gardening," could have altered the balls' appearance and possibly even their shape over time.
Additionally, the extreme temperature variations on the Moon could have caused the golf balls to expand and contract, leading to cracking or other forms of degradation. The Moon's surface experiences rapid and extreme temperature changes, with temperatures fluctuating by hundreds of degrees between day and night. These thermal cycles could have had a significant impact on the golf balls' integrity, especially if they occurred over many lunar days (each equivalent to about 29 Earth days).
Finally, the intense ultraviolet radiation and cosmic rays present on the Moon could have broken down the golf balls' materials, causing discoloration and further erosion. The lack of an atmosphere to protect against these high-energy particles means that any organic materials in the golf balls would have been subjected to intense radiation that could have altered their chemical composition. While it is impossible to know the exact state of the golf balls without examining them directly, it is safe to assume that they have been significantly weathered by the Moon's harsh environment.
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Frequently asked questions
There are two golf balls on the moon.
Alan Shepard, an astronaut and commander of the Apollo 14 mission.
Shepard wanted to demonstrate the moon's gravitational pull, which is one-sixth that of Earth.
February 6, 1971, just before the crew of Apollo 14 left the lunar surface.
Shepard used a makeshift golf club, attaching a 6-iron head to the foldable shaft of a lunar soil sampler.
