Apollo 14
January 31, 1971 was the launch of a nine-day mission to the Moon and the eighth mission of the Apollo program. Three astronauts were on board, and each of them was assigned a specific scientific study task while visiting the Moon. Two of the scientists spent over 33 hours on the moon, conducting experiments such as hitting golf balls with makeshift clubs. The third scientist took hundreds of seeds into space, and stayed in the shuttle. He tested what the effect of zero gravity would have on them. The 'Moon Trees' germinated on the return to Earth. All three of the astronauts safely landed in the Pacific Ocean on February 9th. The astronauts were very brave. Alan Shepard, Command Module pilot Stuart Roosa, and Lunar Module pilot Edgar Mitchell made up the trio. Alan Shepard, the oldest astronaut aboard, was part of the original Mercury Seven. As of 2011, only Mitchell is still alive. Roosa died of pancreatitis, and Shepard of Leukemia.