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  History of Apollo 11 kapton foil lucite

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Author Topic:   History of Apollo 11 kapton foil lucite
randyc
Member

Posts: 947
From: Highlands Ranch, CO USA
Registered: May 2003

posted 08-05-2025 04:05 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for randyc   Click Here to Email randyc     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I thought fellow Apollo 11 artifact collectors might be interested in seeing an item I recently acquired.

It’s a piece of Kapton foil with the RTV that was used to secure it on the Command Module in a Command Module shaped lucite similar to the lucites that North American Aviation made. It almost looks like it was made by one of the NAA employees with the typed paper inside, but if it was it used the same Command Module shaped Lucite that the 'official' lucites used.

I also like that it has foil with RTV; most Kapton foil Lucites don’t have the RTV.

The back of the lucite has a felt pad and it's mounted to a 5.25 inch by 4.75 inch piece of lucite. This is the first time I have seen a display like this.

If any member of collectSPACE has a similar item and/or knows the history of this item please let me know. Thanks.

MartinAir
Member

Posts: 471
From:
Registered: Oct 2020

posted 08-05-2025 04:25 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for MartinAir   Click Here to Email MartinAir     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Appears similar to the liner foil in the Apollo 17 lucites, which also contain the RTV. The liner foil was used as an insulation, for example, under the heat shield.

randyc
Member

Posts: 947
From: Highlands Ranch, CO USA
Registered: May 2003

posted 08-06-2025 12:06 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for randyc   Click Here to Email randyc     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks for pointing out that it looks like the foil that's in the Apollo 17 lucites. It definitely looks like foil and not Kapton tape.

All times are CT (US)

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