X-15 PILOTS A piece of space flight history, this 11x14 photograph of the powerful X-15 has been signed by eight of it's twelve pilots; Peter Knight, Milt Thompson, Bob White, Joe Engle, Bill Dana, Scott Crossfield, and first man on the moon Neil Armstrong! Photograph signed: "Peter Knight", "Milt Thompson", "Bob White", "Neil Armstrong", "Joe Engle", "Bill Dana", "Scott Crossfield", 11x14. The X-15 was an experimental rocket-powered aircraft operated by the US Air Force and NASA as part of the X-plane series. The X-15 set a large list of records, including 13 different flights that exceeded the altitude of 50 miles, making the 8 flight pilots qualified for USAF astronaut status. There were a total of 12 pilots for the powerful aircraft, including NEIL ARMSTRONG (altitude 39.2 miles), SCOTT CROSSFIELD (altitude 15.3 miles), BILL DANA (altitude 58.1 miles), JOE ENGLE (altitude 53.1 miles), PETE KNIGHT (altitude 53.1 miles), MILT THOMPSON (altitude 40.5 miles), and BOB WHITE (altitude 59.6 miles). read more...

CHARLES A. LINDBERGH Lindbergh's driver's license application signed by him twice and notarized, only three months before the kidnapping of his infant son. In the year after the kidnapping, with the baby found dead but no suspect yet apprehended, the New Jersey Motor Vehicles Commissioner (and future Governor) Harold Hoffman sent this application to a radio station which was closely following the case. Hoffman, later unmasked as a criminal himself, meddled extensively in the kidnapping case. Document signed twice: "C. A. Lindbergh", 2 pages (front and verso), 3¾x5. Mercer County, New Jersey, 1931 December 29. New Jersey Automobile Driver's Renewal Application, filled out by Lindbergh himself, giving his address (Hopewell, New Jersey) and physical description. He gives New York City as his place of (self) employment, and attests that he has never had his license revoked or suspended, nor had he been refused a license. Signed and attested as truthful by Lindbergh on verso and notarized by "Edward R. Whitehead". Light vertical crease at center (not affecting signatures). Signatures slightly smudged (still legible). Lightly worn at edges. Otherwise, fine condition. read more...

NEIL ARMSTRONG Two years before his first spaceflight, and five years before he set the first human foot on the moon, Armstrong fills out a flight plan, preparing to pilot a NASA jet from Ohio to Texas. Document signed twice: "N. A. Armstrong", 1 page, 8x12¾. Port Columbus, Naval Air Station [Ohio], 1964 June 25. Department of Defense flight aircraft clearance form. Details filled in by another hand, including mileage, transponder code, and equipment, but Armstrong has penned this notation: "Request radar vector climb on course." Armstrong plans to pilot a T-33 ("Shooting Star") aircraft from Port Columbus to Ellington Air Force Base in Texas, by way of Dayton. The co-pilot is J. F. Stegall, another NASA employee. Civilian Neil Alden Armstrong (1930-2012) had entered the U.S. space program as a senior NASA research pilot in 1962. A fan of aviation from the age of nine, Armstrong had his pilot's license by the age of 16, and, after studying aeronautical engineering at Purdue for two years, went to Pensacola, Florida for Navy flight training. Serving in Korea at the age of 21, Armstrong flew 78 combat missions and won three Air Medals. read more...

BUZZ ALDRIN He signs a flag which journeyed with him into space on the Gemini XII mission. Flag signed: "Buzz Aldrin, Flown on Gemini XII16 ½ x11. Signed on white stripe. Aldrin, a 1951 West Point graduate, had flown 66 missions in Korea, winning the Distinguished Flying Cross. He flew F-100s in Germany before persuading the Air Force to send him to M.I.T. for a doctorate. Aldrin's first space voyage was on Gemini XII, along with James Lovell (of later Apollo XIII fame). The mission included a successful manual rendezvous with an Aegina target vehicle and three space walks (EVAs) by Aldrin. These tethered trips outside the spacecraft, totaling 5½ hours, proved that astronaut's could perform successfully outside their spacecraft for long periods. During the Apollo 11 mission, Aldrin piloted the Lunar Excursion Module, Eagle, and became the second man to walk on the Moon (July 20, 1969). The Gemini XII capsule, which carried the flag signed here, is now on display at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago. Slight bleeding of  ink. Fading of blue at right edge between two top stars. read more...

ORVILLE WRIGHT. Photograph signed: "Orville Wright". B/w, 6¼x4½ overall, image 5x3¼ (one surface). Captioned at lower margin: "First Man-Flight, December 17, 1903/Kitty Hawk, N.C." Orville Wright (1871-1948) and his brother, Wilbur (1867-1912), made aviation history with their Flyer in Kitty Hawk, on North Carolina's Outer Banks, on December 17, 1903. While the Wrights had been testing their gliders on Kill Devil Hill for a number of years, this was their first test of their motorized, heavier-than-air flying machine. At 10:35 a.m., Orville Wright was at the controls of the 21-foot biplane with the 40.3-foot wingspan. The 605 pound craft, powered by a 12-horsepower engine that had four piston cylinders and revved to 1,090 rpm, left the ground, staying aloft for 12 seconds and covering 120 feet at an altitude of ten feet. Later that day, during one of their three test flights, Wilbur also manned the controls, traveling 852 feet in 59 seconds. In 1905, Wilbur and Orville decided to stop flying and tried to market their machine, first offering it to the U.S. government and then flying it in France. read more...

CHRISTA McAULIFFE Very distinctive color photo inscribed to NASA food specialist Dr. Charles Bourland, who is shown giving her an orientation to "space food." Photograph inscribed and signed: "Dr. Bourland -/Thanks! /S. Christa/McAuliffe". Color, 8x10. SHARON CHRISTA McAULIFFE (1948-1986) taught junior high school in Maryland (1970-1978) and Concord, New Hampshire (1978-1979) and high school in Concord (1980-1985) before being selected as the primary candidate for the NASA Teacher in Space Project on July 19, 1985. She was a payload specialist on Challenger STS-51L which was launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, at 11:38 AM on January 28, 1986. McAuliffe and her six colleagues were killed when Challenger exploded 73 seconds after launch. DR. CHARLES T. BOURLAND, shown in this photo inscribed to him, researched and designed food for astronauts from the Mercury program to the International Space Station. Here is a shown giving McAuliffe an edible orientation. After retiring from NASA in 2000, Bourland wrote The Astronaut's Cookbook and taught a read more...

CHRISTA McAULIFFE Seven year old Christa Corrigan, who would grow up to be ill-fated "Teacher in Space" Christa McAuliffe, completed and signed with pencil this school worksheet in 1955. Accompanied by NASA photo of McAuliffe and by Challenger mission decals Document signed: "Christa Corrigan/September 29, 1955"" in pencil, 1 page, 8½x11. Elementary school mimeographed worksheet, with answers circled by her in pencil and figures colored by her in crayon. Teacher's check marks in red ink show McAuliffe's successful completion of each part of the worksheet. Accompanied by: Color 8x10 official NASA photograph of McAuliffe in mission uniform and 2 decals, one each of the Challenger-51 mission and of the Teacher in Space project. Sharon Christa McAuliffe (born Carrigan,1948-1986), attended public schools in Framingham, Massachesetts and graduated from Framingham State College. Marrying high school sweetheart Stephen McAuliffe, she taught junior high school in Maryland (1970-1978) and Concord, New Hampshire (1978-1979) and high school in Concord (1980-1985) before being selected (over 113 other semi-finalists) as the primary candidate for the NASA Teacher in Space Project on July 19, 1985. read more...

CHALLENGER STS-51L: FRANCIS R. "DICK" SCOBEE, MICHAEL J. SMITH, RONALD E. "RON" McNAIR, ELLISON S. "EL" ONIZUKA, JUDITH A. "JUDY" RESNIK, GREG JARVIS and CHRISTA McAULIFFE Official NASA photograph of the crew of the ill-fated Challenger mission STS-51L. Challenger exploded in midair on January 28, 1986, making it the deadliest accident in NASA history until the destruction of the Columbia in 2003. This rare photograph contains the signatures of all seven crewmembers of STS-51L, who are shown in flight suits and holding their helmets. All seven people in this photo perished in the Challenger disaster Inscribed Photograph signed: "Dot - Best Wishes" (unknown hand),"El Onizuka", "S. Christa/McAuliffe", "Greg Jarvis", "Judy/Resnik", "Mike Smith", "Dick/Scobee" and "Ron McNair". read more...

MERCURY 7 ASTRONAUTS A Salute to Project Mercury by America's Original Space Pioneers Comprises: (1) Photograph signed: "Scott Carpenter", "Gordon Cooper", "John Glenn", "Wally Schirra", "Alan Shepard" and "Deke Slayton". B/w, 10x8. Official NASA photo. Fine condition. (2) Commemorative Envelope signed: "Virgil I. Grissom", 6½x3½, honoring Project Mercury, 7-cent U.S. Air Mail stamp affixed, postmarked Port Canaveral, FLA., July 21, 1961. He has also penned: "7:20 EST". Fine condition. GUS GRISSOM signed and revised the facts of his July 21, 1961 "Man Shoot No. 2" on this commemorative cover; during this mission, he manned the Mercury-Redstone 4 Liberty Bell 7 and became the second American in space. The event occurred only two months after the Project Mercury team successfully launched a man into space and safely returned him to Earth. ALAN SHEPARD became the first American hurled into space during his flight aboard Mercury's first manned capsule, the Mercury-Redstone 3 Freedom 7, on May 5, 1961. read more...