Golf ball hit by first US astronaut found 50 years ago in lunar images

According to the astronaut, the ball flew “for miles and miles”. Recently restored images, however, suggest his coup may not have been as successful.

Alan Shepard became the first American to travel to space in 1961, as one of the members of NASA’s Mercury Seven group. After his career was cut short by an inner ear disease for 10 years, Shepard returned to become the fifth man to set foot on the moon as commander of the Apollo 14 mission.

But it did more than walk on Earth’s satellite. On February 6, 1971, the American astronaut played wave on the surface of the moon. Shepard took out two golf balls from his spacesuit pocket, which he kept with the knowledge of NASA management.

“In my left hand I have a white ball that is known to millions of Americans,” Shepard told the Space Agency’s control panel in Houston.

Using a moon monster digging tool such as a golf club, Shepard made several attempts to hit the ball. One of the balls didn’t fly far and ended up in a crater, but the other was said flew “miles and miles”, at least according to the astronaut.

Apparently Shepard was exaggerating the distance of the golf ball’s flight. Experts have estimated it to be 200 yards (182 meters) for years, given the degree to which the astronaut’s movement was limited by his own spacesuit.

However, recently restored images of the Apollo 14 hallucination site suggest that his coup may not have been as successful as he initially thought.

To mark the 50th anniversary, British image specialist Andy Saunders gave a more accurate account of the events. The expert, who is working on a book called “Apollo Remastered,” placed both balls on the surface of the moon. And using digital enhancement techniques and video stacking, he revealed that the first ball landed 24 meters away (22 meters), while the second at 40 yards (36 meters).