1971-01-31 USA Apollo 14

Apollo 14 crew-signed launch cover with the mission insignia cachet, signed by Alan Shepard, Stuart Roosa and Edgar Mitchell, postmarked KSC dated January 31, 1971. - RegencyStamps
Photo: Apollo 14 crew (left to right) Alan Shepard, Edgar Mitchell and Stuart Roosa at news conference, January 9, 1971. AP Wirephoto.
Photo: "Moon Cart. Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar D. Mitchell demonstrates the twenty pound cart for lunar exploration in Washington recently. The cart will carry seventy pounds of equipment, including six core tubes, a trenching tool, two geology scoops, four rock bags, a portable magnetometer to measure the moon's magnetic field and five cameras. Astronauts Mitchell and Shepard will take turns pulling the cart during their second moon walk from the lunar module to cone crater. Launching is scheduled from Cape Kennedy on January 31, 1971. Central Press Photos, November 2, 1970."
Photo: Testing the digital clock which counts hours, minutes and seconds to blastoff.
Photo: Apollo 14 crew reviewing the mission plan on the day before their scheduled flight.
Apollo 14 backup crew signed launch cover. Signed by Gene Cernan, Ron Evans and Joe Engle, postmarked KSC dated January 31, 1971.
A flawless launch and subsequent upper-stage burns sent Apollo 14 en-route to the Moon as planned. But then came the first major problem: command module pilot Stu Roosa made 5 attempts to dock with the lunar module, but the latches on the docking assembly would not lock into place. After nearly 2 hours of consulting with mission control, Roosa made a final attempt to dock and it worked.
Apollo 14 KSC mailer's postmark permit cancelled on launch day, 31 January, 1971.
Apollo 14 crew signed moon landing cover. NASA Manned Spacecraft Center Stamp Club cacheted cover signed by the complete crew of Apollo 14 - Alan Shepard, Ed Mitchell & Stu Roosa, together with a MSC Stamp Club mimeographed letter. - RegencyStamps
Photo: The moon surface where Apollo 14 landed.
"First Man On The Moon" (Scott #C76) plate block of four stamps that flew to the surface of the moon on Apollo 14, January 31 - February 9, 1971. Originally presented to Mrs. Ann Sakowitz by Alan Shepard. On the wide selvage, the Mission Commander has written in black ink: "Landed Frau Mauro/ in Antares- 2/5/71/ Alan Shepard". On the narrow selvage are the signatures in blue ink: "Ed Mitchell" and "Stuart A Roosa". This came from the collection of Robert T. Sakowitz. - Heritage Auctions
Photo: USS New Orleans, the prime recovery ship for Apollo 14.
Apollo 14 Ekas stamped cachet cover, postmarked USS New Orleans on February 9, 1971.
Apollo 14 Beck printed cachet cover B861, signed in black ink and felt tip by Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell. - RRAuction
USS New Orleans recovery ship cover with Beck rubber stamped cachet, signed by the pilot of the recovery helicopter, Cdr. W. E. Walker, co-pilot Lt. Thomas F. Finley, AWC Davey and AW3 Lipich.
Apollo 14 recovery cover cancelled aboard the USS New Orleans on February 9, 1971, signed by Houston Mayor Louie Welch, with a letter of transmittal from him. Hand-addressed and signed by the popular Houston mayor to Mrs. Ann Sakowitz; the letter reads "For your collection!", even the mayor knew of her passion for stamps and covers. This cover was previously owned by Robert T. Sakowitz. - Heritage Auctions
Cover from Press Pool member with Beck rubber stamped cachet applied, postmarked USS New Orleans, February 9, 1971
Photo: USS New Orleans Commanding Officer, Captain Robert E Moore, presenting a giant cake to the Apollo 14 astronauts on behalf of his ship's crew.
USS New Orleans LPH-11 Apollo 14 Prime Recovery Ship cover, signed by the ship's commanding officer Captain Robert E Moore, postmarked USS New Orleans, February 9, 1971.
KSC Exchanged cover postmarked USS New Orleans with an unusual PM time slug, only one such cover observed.
Apollo 14 Orbit Covers with Beck rubber stamped cachet.
Photo: Apollo 14 crew, Edgar Mitchell and Alan Shepard, looking at the largest rock that they brought back from the moon.
(Reference from Apollo 14 Reaching the lunar highlands)