Vance Brand Autographs, Memorabilia & Collectibles
NASA ASTRONAUT (Former)
PERSONAL DATA: Born in Longmont, Colorado, May 9, 1931. Married to the former Beverly Ann Whitnel. Two daughters and four sons. Enjoys running to stay in condition, hiking, skiing, and camping.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Longmont High School, Longmont, Colorado; received a bachelor of science degree in Business from the University of Colorado in 1953, a bachelor of science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from there in 1960, and a master's degree in Business Administration from the UCLA in 1964.
ORGANIZATIONS: Fellow, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Society of Experimental Test Pilots, and American Astronautical Society. Registered Professional Engineer in Texas. Member, Sigma Nu.
SPECIAL HONORS: JSC Certificate of Commendation (1970); NASA Distinguished Service Medals (1975 & 1992); NASA Exceptional Service Medals (1974 & 1988); Zeta Beta Tau's Richard Gottheil Medal (1975); Wright Brothers International Manned Space Flight Award (1975); VFW National Space Award (1976 & 1984); Sigma Nu Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award (1976); Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) Yuri Gagarin Gold Medal (1976); University of Colorado Alumnus of the Century (1 of 12) (1976); AIAA Special Presidential Citation (1977); American Astronautical Society's Flight Achievement Award for 1976 (1977); AIAA Haley Astronautics Award (1978); JSC Special Achievement Award (1978); Harmon Trophy (Astronaut) (1993); FAI De La Vaulx Medal (1983); NASA Space Flight Medals (1983, 1984, 1992); Distinguished Visiting Lecturer at University of Colorado (1984); De Molay Hall of Honor (1989); FAI Komarov Awards (1983 & 1991); University of Colorado George Norlin Award (1991); De Molay Legion of Honor (1993). International Space Hall of Fame (1996), U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame (1997). Meritorious Executive, U.S. Senior Executive Service (1997); Honorary Doctor of Science Degree from University of Colorado (2000); International Aerospace Hall of Fame (2001); Oklahoma Aviation and Space Hall of Fame (2005); Russian Republic Tsiolkovski Award (2005) and ASE Crystal Helmet Award (2005).
EXPERIENCE: Military. Commissioned officer and naval aviator with the U.S. Marine Corps from 1953 to 1957. Military assignments included a 15-month tour in Japan as a jet fighter pilot. Following release from active duty, Brand continued in Marine Corps Reserve and Air National Guard jet fighter squadrons until 1964.
Pre-NASA Civilian: Employed as a civilian by the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation from 1960 to 1966, he worked initially as a flight test engineer on the Navy's P3A aircraft. In 1963, Brand graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and was assigned to Palmdale, California as an experimental test pilot on Canadian and German F-104 programs. Just prior to selection to the astronaut program, Brand worked at the West German F-104G Flight Test Center at Istres, France as an experimental test pilot and leader of a Lockheed flight test advisory group.
Flight Experience: 9,669 flying hours, which includes 8,089 hours in jets, 391 hours in helicopters, 746 hours in spacecraft, and checkout in more than 30 types of military aircraft.
NASA EXPERIENCE: One of the 19 pilot astronauts selected by NASA in April 1966, Brand initially was a crew member in the thermal vacuum chamber testing of the prototype Command Module and support crewman on Apollo 8 and 13. Later he was backup command module pilot for Apollo 15 and backup commander for Skylabs 3 and 4. As an astronaut he held management positions relating to spacecraft development, acquisition, flight safety and mission operations. Brand flew on four space missions; Apollo-Soyuz, STS-5, STS 41-B, and STS-35. He has logged 746 hours in space and has commanded three Shuttle missions. Mr. Brand departed the Astronaut Office in 1992 to become Chief of Plans at the National Aerospace Plane (NASP) Joint Program Office at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio. In September 1994, he moved to California to become Assistant Chief of Flight Operations at the Dryden Flight Research Center, then Acting Chief Engineer, Deputy Director for Aerospace Projects and finally Acting Associate Center Director for Programs. Mr. Brand retired from NASA in January 2008.
SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: Apollo Soyuz: Brand was launched on his first space flight on July 15, 1975, as Apollo command module pilot on the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) mission. This flight resulted in the historic meeting in space between American astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts. Other crewmen on this 9-day Earth-orbital mission were Thomas Stafford, Apollo commander, Donald Slayton, Apollo docking module pilot, cosmonaut Alexey Leonov, Soyuz commander; and cosmonaut Valeriy Kubasov, Soyuz flight engineer. The Soyuz spacecraft was launched at Baikonur in Central Asia, and the Apollo was launched 7 1/2 hours later at the Kennedy Space Center. Two days later Apollo accomplished a successful rendezvous and docking with Soyuz. The linkup tested a unique, new docking system and demonstrated international cooperation in space. There were 44 hours of docked joint activities which included 4 crew transfers between the Apollo and the Soyuz. Six records for docked and group flight were set on the mission and are recognized by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale. Apollo splashed down in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii, on July 25, and was promptly recovered by the USS New Orleans. Mission duration was 2l7 hours.
STS-5: Brand was commander of Columbia for STS-5, the first fully operational flight of the Shuttle Transportation System, which launched on November 11, 1982. His crew comprised Colonel Robert Overmyer, pilot, and two mission specialists, Dr. Joseph Allen and Dr. William Lenoir. STS-5, the first mission with a four man crew, demonstrated the Shuttle as operational by the successful first deployment of two commercial communications satellites from the Orbiter's payload bay. The mission marked the Shuttle's first use of an upper stage rocket, the Payload Assist Module (PAM-D). The satellites were deployed for Satellite Business Systems Corporation of McLean, Virginia, and TELESAT of Ottawa, Canada. Two FAI records for mass to altitude were set on the mission. Numerous flight tests were performed to ascertain Shuttle performance. STS-5 was the last flight to carry the Development Flight Instrumentation package to support extensive flight testing. The STS-5 crew concluded the 5-day orbital flight of Columbia with the landing approach through a cloud deck to Runway 22 at Edwards Air Force Base, California on November 16, 1982. Mission duration was 122 hours.
STS 41-B: Brand commanded Challenger with a crew of five on the tenth flight of the Space Shuttle. The launch was on February 3, 1984. His crew included Commander Robert Gibson, pilot, and 3 mission specialists, Captain Bruce McCandless, II, Dr. Ronald McNair, and Lt. Col. Robert Stewart. The flight accomplished the proper shuttle deployment of two Hughes 376 communications satellites which failed to reach desired geosynchronous orbits due to upper stage solid rocket failures. This mission marked the first flight checkout of the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) and the Manipulator Foot Restraint (MFR) with McCandless and Stewart performing two spectacular extravehicular activities (EVA's). Shuttle rendezvous sensors and computer programs were fligh
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VANCE BRAND The accomplished astronaut inscribes this color photo to a fan Inscribed Printed Photograph signed in Ink: "To Arthur/ - Best wishes/ Vance Brand". Color, 8x10. A veteran test pilot, Vance Brand (b. read more...
Sale Price $252.00
$280.00
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VANCE BRAND The astronaut is shown wearing a space suit with his hands on a globe in this signed color photo Inscribed Printed Photograph signed Ink: "To Edward Jones with best/ regards!/ Vance Brand". Color, 8x10. A veteran test pilot, Vance Brand (b. read more...
Sale Price $198.00
$220.00
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VANCE BRAND The astronaut pens his name on this card containing information on the Apollo-Soyuz mission Printed Card signed in Ink: "V Brand" 2p (front and verso), 6¼x3¼ printed card. read more...
Sale Price $108.00
$120.00
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VANCE BRAND The space shuttle Commander is shown in this official NASA photograph Printed Photograph signed in Ink: "Vance Brand". Color, 8x10. Official NASA photo. A veteran test pilot, Vance Brand (b. read more...
Sale Price $198.00
$220.00
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Three NASA astronauts from the historic Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, the first American-Russian joint flight, pen their names on this 14x11 image read more...
Sale Price $510.00
$600.00
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Color 14x11 publicity photograph of an artist's rendering of the docking of the two-man Soviet Soyuz and the three-man U.S. Apollo capsule read more...
Sale Price $450.00
$500.00
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APOLLO-SOYUZ AMERICAN CREW: THOMAS P. STAFFORD, DONALD SLAYTON and VANCE BRAND Signature of the Americans involved in the first joint United States-Soviet Union space mission Commemorative Envelope signed: "Tom Stafford", "D.K. read more...
Sale Price $337.50
$375.00
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APOLLO-SOYUZ CREW: THOMAS P. STAFFORD, DONALD SLAYTON, VANCE BRAND, ALEXEI LEONOV and VALERI N. KUBASOV Space travelers from the joint U.S.-U.S.S.R. mission sign this 14x11 certificate Document signed: "Tom Stafford", "V. Brand", "D.K. read more...
Sale Price $765.00
$900.00
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APOLLO-SOYUZ CREW: DONALD K. SLAYTON and VANCE BRAND Two American members of the first joint U.S.-U.S.S.R. space mission sign this first day cover First Day Cover signed: "D.K. Slayton" and "V Brand" 6½x3½. read more...
Sale Price $270.00
$300.00
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APOLLO-SOYUZ CREW: TOM STAFFORD, DONALD SLAYTON, VANCE BRAND, ALEXEI LEONOV and VALERI KUBASOV Signatures of the explorers who participated in the first joint U.S.-U.S.S.R. mission in space Booklet signed: "V. read more...
Sale Price $637.50
$750.00
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GERALD R. FORD and APOLLO-SOYUZ AMERICAN CREW In his first month in office, the President greets the Apollo-Soyuz read more...
Sale Price $510.00
$600.00
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S. DAVID GRIGGS, ROBERT OVERMYER and VANCE BRAND The three space explorers sign this envelope honoring the Grumman Gulfstream II Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA) Commemorative Envelope signed: "S.D. Griggs", "Bob Overmyer" and "V. read more...
Sale Price $531.25
$625.00
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S. DAVID GRIGGS and VANCE BRAND The two astronauts sign this commemorative envelope honoring the Grumman Gulfstream II Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA) Commemorative Envelope signed: "S.D. Griggs" and "V. Brand" 6½x3½. read more...
Sale Price $432.00
$480.00
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S. DAVID GRIGGS and VANCE BRAND Both sign this commemorative envelope honoring the Grumman Gulfstream II Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA) Commemorative Envelope signed: "S.D. Griggs" and "Vance Brand" 6½x3½. read more...
Sale Price $432.00
$480.00
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SPACE SHUTTLE CHALLENGER 41B CREW: RONALD McNAIR, BRUCE McCANDLESS II, VANCE BRAND, ROBERT L. "HOOT" GIBSON and ROBERT L. "BOB" read more...
Sale Price $531.25
$625.00
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SPACE SHUTTLE CHALLENGER STS-11 CREW: ROBERT L. "BOB" STEWART, RONALD E. McNAIR, BRUCE McCANDLESS II, VANCE BRAND and ROBERT L. "HOOT" GIBSON read more...
Sale Price $467.50
$550.00
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CHALLENGER STS-11/41B CREW: BRUCE McCANDLESS II, RONALD E. McNAIR, ROBERT L. "BOB" STEWART, VANCE BRAND and ROBERT L. "HOOT" GIBSON All five crewmembers sign an envelope postmarked on the day their mission launched Commemorative Envelope signed: "Vance Brand", "Robert L. read more...
Sale Price $552.50
$650.00
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SPACE SHUTTLE CHALLENGER STS-41B CREW: VANCE BRAND, ROBERT L. GIBSON, BRUCE MCCANDLESS II and ROBERT L. "BOB" STEWART Commemorative envelope signed by four crew members Commemorative Envelope signed: "Vance Brand", "Robert L. read more...
Sale Price $467.50
$550.00
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SPACE SHUTTLE CHALLENGER STS-41B CREW: VANCE BRAND, ROBERT L. "HOOT" GIBSON, BRUCE McCANDLESS II and ROBERT L. "BOB" STEWART read more...
Sale Price $467.50
$550.00
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CHALLENGER STS-11/41B CREW: ROBERT L. "BOB" STEWART, RONALD E. McNAIR, BRUCE McCANDLESS II, VANCE BRAND and ROBERT L. GIBSON Official NASA photo of the crew of read more...
Sale Price $467.50
$550.00
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SPACE SHUTTLE COLUMBIA STS-35 CREW: VANCE BRAND, GUY GARDNER, MIKE LOUNGE, SAMUEL DURRANCE and RONALD PARISE Five crewmembers sign this commemorative envelope honoring the 1988 Earth stamp Commemorative Envelope signed: read more...
Sale Price $270.00
$300.00
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SPACE SHUTTLE COLUMBIA STS-5 CREW: VANCE BRAND, ROBERT OVERMEYER, JOSEPH ALLEN and WILLIAM LENOIR Commemorative envelope signed by all four crewmembers Commemorative Envelope signed: read more...
Sale Price $432.00
$480.00
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SPACE SHUTTLE COLUMBIA STS-5 CREW: VANCE BRAND, ROBERT OVERMEYER, JOSEPH ALLEN and WILLIAM LENOIR Commemorative envelope signed by all four crewmembers Commemorative Envelope signed: "V Brand", "Bob Overmeyer", "Joe Allen" and "W. read more...
Sale Price $432.00
$480.00