1971 in science

List of years in science (Table)
	… 1961 • 1962 • 1963 • 1964 • 1965 • 1966 • 1967 • ; 1968 • 1969 • 1970 – 1971 – 1972 • 1973 • 1974 •; 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 • 1980 • 1981 …
Related time period or subjects
	… 1968 • 1969 • 1970 – 1971 – 1972 • 1973 • 1974 …; … 1940s • 1950s • 1960s – 1970s – 1980s • 1990s • 2000s …; … 19th century – 20th century – 21st century …
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The year 1971 in science and technology involved some significant events, listed below.

[edit] Astronomy and space exploration

January 31 - Apollo program: Astronauts aboard Apollo 14 lift off for a mission to the moon.
February 5 - Apollo 14 lands on the Moon.
February 9 - Apollo program: Apollo 14 returns to Earth after the third manned moon landing.
May 19 - Mars probe program: Mars 2 is launched by the Soviet Union.
May 30 - Mariner program: Mariner 9 is launched toward Mars.
June 30 - The crew of the Soyuz 11 spacecraft are killed when their air supply leaks out through a faulty valve
July 26 - Apollo program: Launch of Apollo 15. On July 31 the Apollo 15 astronauts become the first to ride in a lunar rover a day after landing on the surface.
November 13 - Mariner program: Mariner 9 enters Mars orbit.

Francis G. Howarth discovers communities of specialized cave animals living in lava tubes at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park