Heritage Auctions – Space Exploration
Signature Auction | December 6-7
View All Lots and Bid at HA.com/6304

DALLAS, TEXAS — An out-of-this-world collection of flown space memorabilia — arguably the world’s finest ever assembled by anyone other than an astronaut — will touch down in Heritage’s Space Exploration Signature Auction December 6-7.

The 113 lots in this auction come from the family collection of Jacques Bracke and are but a portion of the treasures gathered over the last several decades by the Belgian collector.

“The collection Jacques Bracke put together is absolutely incredible, and there will be more to come in future auctions at Heritage,” said Brad Palmer, director of space exploration at Heritage Auctions. “This auction focuses on items in the collection that actually flew into space, many of which have not reached the collecting market in decades. He built his collection through many avenues, including through previous auctions, but he also bought some directly from the astronauts themselves. The breadth and quality of his collection — he has flags, medallions, patches and even a star chart from Apollo 11 — is simply astounding.”

Among the top attractions is an Apollo 11 flown American flag on a crew-signed presentation certificate that is signed by the mission’s three astronauts. The 6-by-4-inch flag is mounted on a 10-by-12-inch certificate with the following printed text: “This Flag Traveled to the Moon with Apollo 11, the First Manned Lunar Landing, July 20, 1969/ APOLLO 11/ July 16-24, 1969/ Armstrong – Collins – Aldrin” and is signed beneath the printed mission insignia: “Neil Armstrong,” “M Collins” and “Buzz Aldrin.” Printed at the very bottom are the words Armstrong said in what is the most famous line in the history of space exploration: “One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”

One of the inarguably fascinating lots in the auction from the collection is an Apollo 11 flown command/service module trans-lunar coast star chart originally from the personal collection of mission lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin, which comes with a signed certificate of authenticity. Titled “CSM TLC STAR CHART (B)/ LAUNCH JULY 21,” it was specifically designed for use in the Command Module Columbia during the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. This museum-worthy chart, which has been in Bracke’s collection since 2009, displays the Sun and planets as colored dots, standing out vividly against the star field to make them readily identifiable by the astronauts.

An Apollo 17 flown Robbins sterling silver medallion, originally from the personal collection of Astronaut Joe Kerwin, was flown aboard Apollo 17, the 11th manned space mission in the NASA Apollo program. With a crew of commander Eugene A. Cernan, command module pilot Ronald E. Evans and lunar module pilot Harrison H. “Jack” Schmitt, it also was the first night launch and the sixth and final lunar landing mission of the Apollo program. A total of 300 were minted to commemorate the mission but just 80 were flown, making this the rarest of all Apollo silver Robbins medals.

The auction features a pair of flown space suit patches from astronaut John Young. Thanks to his position aboard several Gemini and Apollo missions, as well as the Space Shuttle, Young is acknowledged as one of the most prolific of all American astronauts. One of the lots is a signed, framed display of four flown space suit patches from Apollo 10 that includes (top to bottom) a US flag measuring 5¾ by 3¾ inches, a NASA logo on Beta cloth (worn on the right chest), an Apollo 10 mission insignia on Beta cloth (worn on the left chest) and his “J. YOUNG” Beta cloth name patch (worn on middle chest). Also in play is a signed, framed display of three flown space suit patches from Gemini 10, a prize that includes (top to bottom) a 5¼-by-4-inch US flag, an embroidered Gemini 10 mission insignia patch and Young’s “J.W. YOUNG” name patch (worn on right chest). Patches that come directly from an astronaut’s space suit are coveted by collectors because of the difficulty in acquiring them. Both of these lots fit that criteria and come from Young’s personal collection.

Items that have been to space and owned by astronauts always generate significant interest among collectors, and that holds true with the auction’s 20 lots from personal collection of Fred Haise. If not for a nearly catastrophic explosion, crew members Haise and James Lovell — would have had their names added to the list of 12 who have walked on the moon. A little more than two days into the mission — and more than 200,000 miles from home — Haise was completing a routine stirring of the oxygen tanks when members of the crew heard an explosion from the service module’s oxygen tank, the ramifications of which included an interruption for several seconds of communication back to Earth. With oxygen in short supply, the decision was made to bring the vessel home, shortening the trip by some 36 hours and canceling the lunar landing.

Among the lots in the auction from Haise’s collection is an Apollo 13 Lunar Module Aquarius flown Translation Control Assembly T-Handle Controller. The Translation Control Assembly (TCA) allowed for precise manual control of the lunar module’s translation-its linear movements along the X, Y and Z axes during spaceflight, utilizing a series of thrusters for positioning. This specific controller was operated by the astronauts to command reaction control system (RCS) jets for pitch, yaw, roll and linear translation, allowing the lunar module to maneuver during docking, undocking, descent and ascent phases. Following the service module oxygen tank explosion, the crew’s ability to manually control the LM Aquarius became critical, and the lunar module was repurposed as a “lifeboat” to support the crew of Apollo 13.

For information, 214-409-1699 or www.ha.com

Buzz Aldrin’s Flown Gemini 12 Space Suit Patches in Framed Display
Apollo 10 Command Module Pilot John Young’s Flown Space Suit Patches (Four) Originally from his Personal Collection, Certified and Signed on Display Frame
Apollo 10 14K Gold Lunar Module Snoopy Flown Robbins Medal Jewelry Piece with Diamond Originally from the Personal Collection of Mission Commander Tom Stafford with Signed Letter of Authenticity
Apollo 11 Lunar Module Flown Piece of the Wright Flyer Propeller, Flown as Part of the First Successful Powered Flight in History at Kitty Hawk in 1903 as well as the First Manned Lunar Landing in 1969, Originally From The Armstrong Family Collection™, CAG Certified
INQUIRIES: 877-HERITAGE (437-4824)
Brad Palmer I Ext. 1185 I BradP@HA.com
HERITAGE AUCTIONS
Paul R. Minshull #16591. BP 15-25%; see HAcom 79034