Beschreibung:

Flown Apollo 14 camera lens dust brush, metal handle, 8 inches long. A red cord is wrapped around one end of the brush, next to an identification part number ("P/N SEB 33100402-301"). The bristles 1½ inches long. Mounted onto a wooden presentation board with a plaque reading: "Apollo 14, Jan. 31 - Feb. 9, 1971. To Fred, From Al, Stu, & Ed." A DUST BRUSH CARRIED TO, AND USED ON, THE LUNAR SURFACE DURING THE TWO EVAS OF APOLLO 14, AND PRESENTED TO FRED HAISE AFTER THE FLIGHT. Apollo 14 included the longest-distance lunar surface EVA entirely on foot during the Apollo Program. Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell stayed nearly 34 hours on the moon's surface. They made two surface explorations which NASA defined as extravehicular activities or EVAs. The first EVA lasted nearly 4 hours and 50 minutes with Shepard and Mitchell spending most of this time deploying the ALSEP (Apollo Lunar Surface Experiment Package). These experiments were left on the moon and automatically returned scientific data to Earth for several years. This dust brush was used during the EVA to ensure that camera lenses were free of lunar dust prior to photographs being taken of the US flag-raising, experiment deployments, and selective lunar sample gathering. These lunar surface cameras consisted of two space suit chest-mounted 70mm Hasselblad's, a 35mm stereo clasp camera, and a 16mm Maurer motion picture camera. The last two were mounted onto the Modularized Equipment Transporter (MET) which was essentially a two-wheeled hand-cart used to carry scientific and geologic sampling equipment. The second EVA had the astronauts outside for just over 4 hours and 30 minutes. They made a nearly ¾-mile trek to the vicinity of Cone Crater. The objective was to reach the rim of Cone, but steep slopes, numerous smaller craters, and boulder fields slowed their progress. Uncertain if they could reach the Cone rim and still have time to collect and document lunar samples, they were directed by Mission Control to stop their march to Cone. They were surrounded by multiple boulders of varying sizes and shapes, with varying hues of brown to gray colors. Shepard and Mitchell knew that most of these boulders had originated from the debris created when Cone Crater was formed. Since the MET had wheels, lunar dust was easily disturbed and could coat important equipment despite the fender dust guards. Scrambling up and down steep slopes, the astronauts sent additional dust flying. This dust brush was a simple but vital tool for keeping the camera lenses clean. While it was being used to clean the lenses, lunar dust would become embedded in the bristles. Accompanied by a TYPED LETTER SIGNED BY FRED HAISE, which reads in part: "The lunar camera lens dust brush which accompanies this letter was carried aboard Lunar Module Antares on the Apollo 14 flight. It was used outside on the lunar surface during both EVAs by Commander Alan Shepard and Lunar Module Pilot Edgar Mitchell. It proved to be a simple but important tool to make sure the cameras had dust-free lenses to record all the historic and scientific activities during this third manned lunar landing. My Apollo 13 flight was originally planned to land at the Fra Mauro site. An oxygen tank explosion in our Service Module some 56 hours into the flight caused the Apollo 13 lunar landing mission to be canceled and conduct an emergency return to earth. With Apollo 14 targeted again to land at Fra Mauro and with my extensive EVA training for that region including Cone Crater, it made sense for me to be CAPCOM for the second EVA during Apollo 14. My voice communications provided them with the change of plans Mission Control decided upon to balance reaching the rim of Cone verses collecting important samples. Al and Ed, along with Command Module Pilot Stuart Roosa, gave me this brush as a thank-you for my efforts supporting their Apollo 14 flight."