489 a
Edgar Mitchell

Lunar horizon over the javelin, a golf ball and station H, seen from the LM window

Apollo 14, January 31 - February 9, 1971, post EVA 2, 136:26:06 GET

Vintage chromogenic print on fiber-based Kodak paper, with “A Kodak Paper” watermarks on the verso, 18.4 x 18cm, margins trimmed to image, with NASA MSC caption numbered “AS14-66-9337” on the verso

489 b
Edgar Mitchell

Lunar equipment left on the lunar surface, seen from the LM window

Apollo 14, January 31 - February 9, 1971, post EVA 2, 136:26:06 GET

Vintage chromogenic print on fiber-based Kodak paper, with “A Kodak Paper” watermarks on the verso, 20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in) [AS14-66-9340]

489 c
Edgar Mitchell

The American flag at Fra Mauro Base seen from the LM window before liftoff

Apollo 14, January 31 - February 9, 1971, post EVA 2, 136:26:06 GET

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 AS14-66-9339” in red in top margin

489 d
Taken by the 16mm camera mounted to the LM window

Fra Mauro Base and the American flag seen from the LM during liftoff

Apollo 14, January 31 - February 9, 1971, post EVA 2, 141:45:45 GET

Vintage chromogenic print on fiber-based Kodak paper, 20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in), with “A Kodak Paper” watermarks on the verso, numbered “NASA S-71- 19500” (NASA MSC) in red in top margin
20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in)

489 d
Chaikin, Voices, p. 115; NASA SP-350, p. 243.

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Lot Essay

489 a
This photograph looking northwest shows the staff of the Solar Wind Collector that Mitchell threw like a javelin as well as one of the golf balls which Shepard sent in a crater northwest of the LM.
The ‘javelin’ is lined up with Turtle Rock in the distance at station H and with the golf ball, which is slightly closer than the ‘javelin’.
Dark colored trails are the results of tracks made by the lunar overshoes of the astronauts and the wheels of the Modular Equipment Transporter (MET).

From the mission transcript at the end of EVA 2 when Mitchell threw the ‘javelin’:

135:21:20 Shepard: Now, let’s see what we got left. (Pause as Mitchell gets set) There’s the greatest javelin throw of the century!
135:21:31 Mitchell: We’ll see if it is.
135:21:33 Shepard: Old Lefty, himself. (Mitchell makes his throw) Outstanding! Right in the middle of the crater.
135:21:39 Mitchell: Stayed up.
135:21:40 Shepard: Stabilized spin!
135:21:41 Mitchell: Wasn’t bad at all.
135:21:42 Shepard: Beautiful. Beautiful!

489 b
The photograph shows the MET (Modularized Equipment Transporter) and the Gold stereo 35mm camera as well as footprints and the shadow of the S-band antenna (cut off at the extreme right).
Mitchell’s Hasselblad and RCU bracket is visible on a tray at the back of the MET.

From the mission transcript as the exhausted astronauts in the LM shared their experience to Fred Haise at Mission Control:

138:41:46 Mitchell: There are so many things we’d like to have done, so many things to do, so many interesting things to look at here; and we didn’t even have the chance to scratch the surface. We hope we’ve brought back something that you can sort out, as time goes on.
138:42:05 Haise (Mission Control): Well, it’s a little better than that sandpile out behind the training building anyway, though, isn’t it?
138:42:12 Shepard: Oh, man!
138:42:13 Mitchell: Don’t you know it!
138:42:14 Shepard: It really is. It’s fantastic up here.

489 c
Mitchell took this picture after he and Shepard jettisoned the PLSSs (Portable Life Support System) in preparation for launch. One of the PLSS is visible (cut off at the left of the shadow of the US flag). Footprints and MET tracks lead to the lunar-science station just out of shot at the top left of image. Near the upper right corner are the ‘javelin’ and golf ball. The shadow of the umbrella-like S-band antenna is at the lower right.

489 d
The LM ascent stage lifts off the lunar surface and the powerful LM engine causes a brief force of wind which scatters gold-colored foil covering the LM, and disturbs the U.S. flag.

“There was really not any worry; it’s just the apprehension, the anticipation of waiting for it to go,” recalled Ed Mitchell. “And since we’d never experienced that liftoff, we didn’t know what we were going to feel. It was a pretty severe shock. It staggers you... it makes you sag” (Chaikin, Voices, p. 114).

141:45:30 Shepard: Okay. The abort stage is set. Ascent Engine is Armed. 6, 5, 4...
141:45:38 Mitchell: Pro(ceed with the ignition program)
141:45:38 Shepard: ...3, 2, 1, 0...
141:45:42 Mitchell: Ignition.
141:45:43 Shepard: We have ignition...
141:45:44 Mitchell: What a lift-off!
141:45:45 Shepard: ...And Lift-Off.