View of Apollo 14 on its way to launch pad Courtesy of NASA

Astronauts Alan Shepard, Stuart Roosa, and Edgar Mitchel were launched from Earth on Jan. 31, 1971 aboard Apollo 14. Their mission was to land on the Moon and carry out experiments on it surface, similar to those of Apollo 12.

Four days later, the Apollo 14 lunar module touched down in Fra Mauro, which had been the destination of the ill-fated Apollo 13 spacecraft. Astronauts Shepard and Mitchell stayed on the lunar surface for a day and a half, performing two space walks and making use of a newly designed handcart. The handcart made it easier for them to transport equipment and collect larger amouts of soil and rock.

Apollo 14 safely returned to Earth on Feb. 9, 1971.