481 a
Alan Shepard

Edgar Mitchell losing his way on the Moon, station B1

Apollo 14, January 31 - February 9, 1971, EVA 2, 132:50:31 GET

Vintage gelatin silver print on fiber-based paper, 20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in) [NASA AS14-64-9089]

481 b
Edgar Mitchell

Alan Shepard standing beside a large boulder, station B2

Apollo 14, January 31 - February 9, 1971, EVA 2, 132:57:39 GET

Vintage gelatin silver print on fiber-based paper, 20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in), numbered “NASA AS14-68-9414” (NASA MSC) in black in top margin
20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in)

481 a
Jacobs, p. 94; Chaikin, Space, p. 117; Reynolds, p. 157; NASA SP-350, p.242.

481 b
Jacobs, p.95

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Lot Essay

481 a
A frame from the panoramic sequence taken by Shepard at station B1, located 645 m east north east from the LM.

EVA 2 was a planned geological traverse to Cone Crater, with the objective of sampling material east north east from the rim of this crater.
Anonymous undulating terrain with smooth hills over ten feet high hid the landmark craters and made it very difficult for the astronauts to find their way to Cone Crater.

Mitchell moves across the lunar surface as he looks over a traverse map, trying to puzzle out where they are. Lunar dust can be seen clinging to the boots and legs of Mitchell’s spacesuit.

“This photograph, symbolic of the traverse as a whole, is one of the better known pictures taken during the Apollo program” (ALSJ caption for AS14-64-9089).

132:48:09 Mitchell: Why don’t we pull up beside this big crater.
132:48:12 Shepard: Okay.
132:48:13 Mitchell: Take a break, get the map, and see if we can find out exactly where we are. Press on from there. This one should be distinctive enough.
132:48:19 Haise: And, Al and Ed. While you’re stopped here, we could use a photo pan.
132:48:28 Mitchell: Yeah, going to suggest that. (Pause) If you’ll take the pan, Al, I’ll grab the map and get over here and see if we can find...

481 b
On their way to Cone Crater the crew made a stop for photography only near the first really good-sized boulder they’d come to (0.6 m high and about 1.5 m long) referred to as Big Rock. This station B2 was located 130 m east north east from station B1.

Shepard’s chest-mounted Hasselblad camera with CDR (Commander) written on the side is visible, as well as the tongs under his hoses. His boots and knees are dust-covered.

132:56:33 Shepard: Okay. You want to rest here by this rock?
132:56:34 Mitchell: Okay.
132:56:36 Shepard: This is the first big boulder we’ve seen, Houston. I think it’s worthwhile taking a picture of it with the close-up. Go ahead and keep going.
132:56:45 Mitchell: I’ll pull on up. We probably ought to take a pan to locate everything here, while you’re taking a closeup (with the Gold Camera).
132:56:54 Haise: Okay. I understand, Al. You’re shooting a close-up shot of a big boulder. (Pause) About what’s the size of this one, Al?
132:57:09 Shepard: Okay. The shot’s been taken on the close-up counter number 317. Sun angle was 8 o’clock. This particular one is only about 12-feet long by about 4-feet wide. It’s about one-third buried. It’s old, very weathered. There are some evidences of some crystal shining through some of the fractures.
132:57:39 Mitchell: And I’ve taken a Hasselblad of the rock and will take a pan now from this location. Help document our course going to the top of Cone Crater.