Led by the bag used by astronaut Neil Armstrong to collect the first lunar samples, the sale also traces the personal story of the first man in space and offers the documentation used to bring Apollo 13 back to Earth.
The auction opens with a series of lunar photographs, followed by shots of five unmanned spacecraft launched by NASA, all taken between the mid-1850s and the late 18s. A shot of Aristarchus crater, photographed on August 1967, 100, is a prime example of the lunar photograph that will be offered and represents only one of two known copies (estimate $125.000/XNUMX).
In 1961 Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin made history when he managed to circumnavigate the planet aboard the Sputnik – Vostok spacecraft, before returning to Earth unharmed.
The collected testimony of the first flight made by the Soviet citizen Yuri Gagarin which took place on April 12, 1961 - The official report in English of the first man in space - evidently prepared to be presented to the Federation Aéronatique Internationale - faithfully documents this journey, with a pre- auction of $50/80.000; the lot will be offered 21 years after the first debut at Sotheby's in New York in March 1996.
The US has been following the development of the Gemini project with particular attention, a project that helped pave the way for the historic spacewalk, which took place with the Apollo missions.
The Gemini G1C space suit thermal jacket made for Gus Grissom by the David Clark Company in 1962, accentuates the importance of this item (estimate: $40/60.000). Capable of guaranteeing versatility, safety and comfort, this special suit has long been kept in the collection of the Air and Space Museum.
For many, Apollo 11 represented the pinnacle of space exploration. The July auction includes a variety of items associated with this questline. The lunar bag certainly stands out. Nearly all of the equipment from this mission is now housed in the US National Collection, making this object the only artifact available for private ownership (estimate: $2-4 million - see separate press release attached).
Another crucial piece for the Apollo 11 mission: the Flight Plan. This auction features two different flight plan sheets: the first contains several notes, by both Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin about their last full day in space, until guided re-entry to Earth (estimate: $25/35.000). Coming from the collection of the pilot Buzz Aldrin, it is accompanied by a letter from Aldrin himself with the inscription: "iThe flight plan was the most important document connected to the success of the mission".
Another iconic moment from the famous spacewalk will be offered this July: a photograph autographed by Buzz Aldrin and valued at $3/5.000.
As with Apollo 11, the Apollo 13 flight plan also represents another defining moment in human history (estimate: $30/40.000). Signed by lunar module pilot Fred Haise, commander Jim Lovell and command module pilot Jack Swigert, the document is an important testimony of the actions taken by the crew also following the explosion, but above all, a faithful report of one of the most painful and dramatic Apollo missions.
