CHALLENGER STS-51L: DICK SCOBEE, MICHAEL J. SMITH, RONALD McNAIR, ELLISON ONIZUKA, JUDY RESNIK, GREG JARVIS and CHRISTA McAULIFFE This official NASA photograph is a crew photo of the ill-fated Challenger mission STS-51L, which exploded in midair on Jan. 28, 1986 and was the deadliest accident in NASA history until the destruction of the Columbia in 2003. This rare photograph contains the signatures of all seven crew members of STS-51L, who are shown in flight suits and holding their helmets. All seven people in this photo died in the Challenger disaster. Accompanied by unsigned Spaceport USA permit, commemorative envelope and patch, all honoring the Challenger mission. 4 items. Photograph Inscribed and signed:"El Onizuka", "S. Christa/McAuliffe", "Greg Jarvis", "Judy/Resnik", "Mike Smith", "Dick/Scobee" and "Ron McNair". Color, 10x8 overall, image 9¼x6¾ (one surface). NASA publicity photo with NASA logo in upper left corner. read more...

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...

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...

WALTER M. SCHIRRA One-piece Flight Training Suit worn by Wally Schirra as he trained for the Apollo 7 space mission, accompanied by a typed letter of authentication signed by the astronaut. Comprises: (1) TLS: "Walter M. Schirra", 1 page, 8½x11. Rancho Santa Fe, California, 2002 May 3. To Who it may concern. In full: "I, Walter Schirra, attest to the fact that this is my original Flight Training Suit, worn by me while training for the Apollo 7 space mission." Fine condition. (2) The one-piece light blue training suit worn by Schirra. Zips completely down the front and has two original patches: Schirra's U.S. Navy leather ID patch on its right and the colorful cloth Apollo 7 patch on its left. There are a number of small circular oil stains on the seat, otherwise, the suit is in fine condition. Apollo 7 was the first manned flight of the Apollo spacecraft, with astronauts Walter Schirra, Jr., Donn Eisele and Walter Cunningham aboard. The primary objectives of the Earth orbiting mission were to demonstrate Command and Service read more...

ABOUT HIS ROCKET TO THE MOON. ROBERT H. GODDARD. Historically Important TLS: "R.H. Goddard", 1p, 8¼x11. Clark College, Worcester, Mass., 1921 March 7. To William L. Straus, Jr., Baltimore. On stationery listing Goddard and C.E. Melville as Professors in the Department of Physics of Clark College. In full: "In reply to your letter of March 3, I might say: 1) The work at present is confined to the construction of a small model and there is no immediate prospect of financing anything more than this. 2) Regarding your second question, I admit that there is no oxygen in the atmosphere on the moon, but beg to call attention to the fact that any of the commercial flash powders contain an oxygen-carrying compound, which is usually potassium chlorate. The experiment which has been given considerable publicity took this fact into account, the flashes being exploded in a glass container in which the pressure had been reduced to about 1/60 of atmospheric pressure." Goddard began experimenting with rockets in 1908, when he demonstrated that rockets could operate in a vacuum. In 1914, Goddard received two U.S. patents. One was for a rocket using liquid fuel. The other was for a two or three stage rocket using solid fuel. read more...

CHARLES A. LINDBERGH "Lucky Lindy" talks about flying Jennies and why he dislikes reunions, ceremonies and dinners. TLS: "Charles", 1p, 8½x11. Germany, 1963 March 19. To Joe. On blue light-weight stationery. In full: "This is an awfully late answer to your January letter. My mail is always hopelessly stacked up, literally, and I have taken taken (sic) some of it abroad with me in the hope of catching up a bit at least with the letters I want most to write. It is really good of you to invite me to the reunion of the 110th Observation Squadron, and I do have a very close feeling toward the Squadron -- I often think of the old days flying 'Jennies' at Lambert Field. But Joe, I think reunions are for those who like them (and may God bless them). To me, reunions are pretty awful; they always detract from qualities of memory which I prefer to leave to the past where I think they belong and have the greatest value. Also, I like to live quietly and to concentrate on my work and interests. I realized, many years ago, that this kind of life was simply not compatible with ceremonies and dinners, for one led to another and there seemed to be no end. read more...

AL WORDEN Spanish flag (6¼x4), flown to the moon on Apollo 15, signed on the yellow stripe by Command Module Pilot Worden, accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity, also signed by Worden Flag signed: "Flown to the Moon on Apollo 15 - Al Worden CMP", 6¼x4 red, yellow and black Spanish flag, signed on the center yellow stripe. Accompanied by Typed Letter signed: "Al Worden", 1 page, 8½x11, Certificate of authenticity dated June 18, 2010 on Apollo 15 letterhead. In full: "I hereby certify that this flag from Spain (1945-1977) included with this letter went to the moon aboard Apollo 15 in the spacecraft 'Endeavor'. It remained in the command module during the lunar orbit phase of the flight. Apollo 15 was the fourth lunar landing mission, carrying for the first time a lunar rover and a Scientific Instrument Bay in the Service Module. The flight was launched on July 26 and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on August 7, 1971, logging flight time of 295.2 hours and a distance of over 1.4 million miles. Dave Scott and Jim Irwin explored the region of Hadley Rille for three days while I conducted scientific experiments in orbit. 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 "EL" S. ONIZUKA, JUDITH A. "JUDY" RESNIK, GREG JARVIS and CHRISTA McAULIFFE Collection framed in the Gallery of History style to 42x28. Four of the astronauts signed envelopes postmarked the day they died Comprises: (1) DICK SCOBEE, JUDY RESNICK and RON McNAIR. Envelope signed: "Dick Scobee", "Judy Resnik" and "Ron McNair", 6¼x3½. 22¢ Abigail Adams stamp affixed. Postmarked Kennedy Space Center, FL, January 28, 1986 (the day of the Challenger tragedy). Typed at left margin: "Space Shuttle 51-L". The names of five members are typed below the heading. Scobee, Resnick and McNair have signed to the right of their names. Fine condition. (2) MICHAEL J. SMITH. Commemorative Envelope signed: "Michael J Smith", 6¼x3½. 15¢ stamp affixed, postmarked Pearlington, MS, May 20, 1980. read more...