Space & Astronomy

Neil Armstrong's collection to go up for auction

By T.K. Randall
July 21, 2018

Image: Buzz Aldrin on the Moon During the Apollo 11 Mission
Credit: Neil Armstrong / (PD) NASA When the Saturn V rocket carrying Apollo 11 and its crew first took off from the Kennedy Space Center on July 16th, 1969, the whole world watched with bated breath as three men took to the heavens on the most daring mission ever undertaken.

A mere four days later, Neil Armstrong emerged from the lunar lander, descended the ladder on the outside of the spacecraft and left the first ever footprints in the lunar soil as he uttered the immortal words "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

Now, almost half a century later, it has been revealed that some of Armstrong's personal belongings - including items that he brought back from the Moon with him - are to be sold at auction in Dallas.The items include a US flag, a collection of gold and silver medallions and a wing and propeller from the 1903 Wright Brothers Flyer - the first successful heavier-than-air powered aircraft.

His son, Mark Armstrong, stated that his father never mentioned what he wanted doing with the items.

"I don't think he spent much time thinking about it," he said. "He did save all the items, so he obviously felt they were worth saving."

The first set of items are due to be auctioned off in November.

Source: Phys.org

Tags: Neil Armstrong, Moon, Apollo 11