Ep 9: For Miles and Miles

From the Earth to the Moon: A Retrospective Podcast on The Apollo Program

In 1964, while riding high on his fame as America's first man in space and his expected command of the first Gemini mission, Alan Shepard is suddenly struck with Ménière's disease, characterized by vertigo and nausea. Flight operations director Deke Slayton must ground him, but offers him the job of chief astronaut, effectively making Shepard Slayton's assistant as supervisor of all the astronauts. A few years later, a surgeon tries an experimental surgery which cures Shepard's symptoms, and he is returned to the flight rotation, commanding Apollo 14 in early 1971, which accomplishes Apollo 13's failed Fra Mauro landing. Shepard brings a six-iron golf club head on board, which he fastens to a soil-collecting tool handle and uses to hit a ball "for miles and miles".

Episode 9 links:

Hacking the Lunar Module

FTETTM Landing scene with computer hack

FTETTM Apollo 14 golf scene

Apollo 14 onboard camera footage-very nice

Apollo 14 Landing PDI to Touchdown

Flag on moon on Apollo 14 (corrected speed, very clear)