• History
  • Space

Rare Space Artifacts on the Auction Block on Anniversary of Moon Landing

2 minute read
A rare vintage test model of the Sputnik-1 satellite, with a still operational live transmitter (just provide your own 12v battery!).
A rare vintage test model of the Sputnik-1 satellite, with a still operational live transmitter (just provide your own 12v battery!). New York auction house, Bonhams, is offering up a number of rare space artifacts from Apollo 11 and Soyuz missions on the anniversary of the moon landing, 47 years ago on July 20th, 1969. Items up for auction include astronaut training equipment, spacesuits, original documents signed by Buzz Aldrin, full size models of satellites, navigation aids used in space, and photographic prints of fascinating moments in space exploration history.Bonhams New York
By Marisa Gertz

It was 47 years ago, on July 20, 1969, that astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin of the Apollo 11 mission landed on the moon.

This year, on that anniversary, New York auction house Bonhams is holding a Space History auction, an occasion that offers a rare peek at some fascinating artifacts from the space age, including some from the Apollo 11 flight and Soyuz missions.

Items up for auction include astronaut training equipment, spacesuits, original documents signed by astronauts, full size models of satellites, navigation aids used in space and photographic prints.

It is only recently that such artifacts have become available in this way. Ownership of artifacts from government-run space missions could be unclear, with some saying they were the property of the individual and some saying that the federal government had the rights to them. That changed four years ago, as Bonhams points out, when President Obama signed into law a bill clarifying that Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo crew members, dating through the completion of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, would “have full ownership of and clear title to” artifacts received during their missions, and that the Federal Government would have no claim to such artifacts “transferred, sold, or assigned to a third party by an astronaut described in subsection.”

A rare vintage test model of the Sputnik-1 satellite, with a still operational live transmitter (just provide your own 12v battery!).
A rare vintage test model of the Sputnik-1 satellite, with a still operational live transmitter (just provide your own 12v battery!). New York auction house, Bonhams, is offering up a number of rare space artifacts from Apollo 11 and Soyuz missions on the anniversary of the moon landing, 47 years ago on July 20th, 1969. Items up for auction include astronaut training equipment, spacesuits, original documents signed by Buzz Aldrin, full size models of satellites, navigation aids used in space, and photographic prints of fascinating moments in space exploration history.Bonhams New York
A collection of plaster casts of the right hands of 15 NASA astronauts, including Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. The molds were used to make each astronaut's space suit gloves.
A collection of plaster casts of the right hands of 15 NASA astronauts, including Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. The molds were used to make each astronaut's space suit gloves.Bonhams New York
One of a collection of photographs relating to the development of the Lunar Rover, including photos of early prototypes, engineering mock-ups, and astronauts in training.
One of a collection of photographs relating to the development of the Lunar Rover, including photos of early prototypes, engineering mock-ups, and astronauts in training.Bonhams New York
Space suit worn by flight engineer Don Petit on his dramatic return to Earth aboard the Soyuz TMA-1, following the Columbia disaster.
Space suit worn by flight engineer Don Petit on his dramatic return to Earth aboard the Soyuz TMA-1, following the Columbia disaster.Bonhams New York
Navigational celestial globe used by cosomonaut Pyotr Klimuk on Soyuz 18 in 1975. Soviet Cosmonauts used navigational celestial globes on the Soyuz spacecraft to supplement their ground-based navigation systems. They would adjust the constellations on the globe to match the stars that they could see, which allowed them to determine their position. Instruments such as this were absolutely crucial to the cosmonauts, and were much more dependable than any computer systems, which were susceptible to system failure.
Navigational celestial globe used by cosomonaut Pyotr Klimuk on Soyuz 18 in 1975. Soviet Cosmonauts used navigational celestial globes on the Soyuz spacecraft to supplement their ground-based navigation systems. They would adjust the constellations on the globe to match the stars that they could see, which allowed them to determine their position. Instruments such as this were absolutely crucial to the cosmonauts, and were much more dependable than any computer systems, which were susceptible to system failure.Bonhams New York
A collection of small format lunar photographs including several from various Lunar Orbiters and a small group of Apollo 16 metric mapping photographs, as well as teaching materials, originating from the collection of a volcanologist involved in mapping lunar landing sites for the Apollo missions.
A collection of small format lunar photographs including several from various Lunar Orbiters and a small group of Apollo 16 metric mapping photographs, as well as teaching materials, originating from the collection of a volcanologist involved in mapping lunar landing sites for the Apollo missions. Bonhams New York
Motion picture ring sight used on the Moon during Apollo 15. This camera accessory was used by astronaut James B, Irwin on the 16mm camera inside the lunar module in 1971. It was on the lunar surface for 66 hours.
Motion picture ring sight used on the Moon during Apollo 15. This camera accessory was used by astronaut James B, Irwin on the 16mm camera inside the lunar module in 1971. It was on the lunar surface for 66 hours. Bonhams New York
Apollo 11 flight plan sheet from the crew's first day in space, signed by Buzz Aldrin.
Apollo 11 flight plan sheet from the crew's first day in space, signed by Buzz Aldrin. Bonhams New York
The Gemini 133P trainer assembly was used to train the Gemini astronauts at the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston. Essentially a duplicate of the display panels and instruments found inside the Gemini spacecraft, the system was used to learn the Attitude control and Maneuver Electronics System (ACME), the Orbit Attitude Maneuvering System (OAMS), and the Landing & Post Landing Procedures, amongst many other skills.
The Gemini 133P trainer assembly was used to train the Gemini astronauts at the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston. Essentially a duplicate of the display panels and instruments found inside the Gemini spacecraft, the system was used to learn the Attitude control and Maneuver Electronics System (ACME), the Orbit Attitude Maneuvering System (OAMS), and the Landing & Post Landing Procedures, amongst many other skills.Bonhams New York
One of a collection of photographs relating to astronaut training. Here, astronauts test a Slide Wire Egress System.
One of a collection of photographs relating to astronaut training. Here, astronauts test a Slide Wire Egress System.Bonhams New York
This "robotics chair" was used at Johnson Space Center during the early days of the space shuttle program to train astronauts on remote maneuvering systems operations. Many astronauts arrived at, or left, the International Space Station using the docking maneuvers practiced years before in this simulator.
This "robotics chair" was used at Johnson Space Center during the early days of the space shuttle program to train astronauts on remote maneuvering systems operations. Many astronauts arrived at, or left, the International Space Station using the docking maneuvers practiced years before in this simulator.Bonhams New York

More Must-Reads from TIME

Contact us at letters@time.com