posted 03-19-2019 02:45 PM               

RR Auction is excited to share the latest installment in our Space & Aviation series, currently on preview. This auction features an incredible array of space collectibles, highlighted by Apollo hardware, astronaut autographs, and mission-flown artifacts. Among the highlights are an Apollo Lunar Module control panel, Michael Collins's Apollo 11 flown Robbins medallion, and a DSKY from MIT's simulator used to verify code that allowed Apollo 14 to land on the moon.

posted 03-20-2019 05:10 AM               

So the question is, is this an insurance-type cover or a true insurance cover?

About a year ago I was selling an Apollo 12 cover from the personal collection of mission CapCom Ed Gibson and it was the consensus of this community that my cover that was signed in crew quarters at the same time as all of the insurance covers should not be advertised as an insurance cover as it was never retained by a member of the prime crew even though it was retained by a member of the support team.

posted 03-20-2019 05:48 AM               

In some cases that I know of, after a crew had returned from their lunar voyage, it was not uncommon for crewmen to give away some of their family-held insurance covers to same mission backup/support astronauts along with some close friends as personal gifts.

I'll even go a step further, if you don't mind me saying, that even before a crew launch to the moon...some of the exact-same insurance covers had been gifted to others within crew quarters. Such covers in this category were not common, however, it was at the discretion of its new owner if they wanted to later apply a launch day postal cancel or not. Some of the original Type 1 insurance covers for Apollo 11 and 13 had no postal cancels on them.

While those covers were not retained by a crew family throughout the moon voyage, on the other hand, they had indeed been a part of those original crew insurance cover intentions and owned by the flight crew astronauts early on.

Therefore, does this make them any less of a true crew insurance cover just because they had not been in the possession of a family member during the mission?

posted 04-03-2019 05:45 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by ilbasso:
Item 5121, which is listed as a core memory module from the RCA 110A launch computer systems for Apollo, is not what it is described to be.

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In discussions with the consigner, he confirmed his personal involvement in removal of the listed component as well as others from a scrapped RCA 110A.

The item also includes an MSFC drawing number and production date (which while not in and of itself is authentication of provenance) are not inconsistent with specified application. It is therefore our intent to leave the lot description unmodified, and we will seek a written letter of provenance from the consignor if desired by the successful bidder.

posted 04-19-2019 10:03 AM               

The DSKY that sold last night is a perfect example of how an item's backstory and provenance can really enhance its appeal and value.

For a "normal" DSKY, I thought the estimate was spot-on. The story (read: history) on that particular piece really sold it.

posted 04-19-2019 01:16 PM               

MIT Computer DSKY that saved Apollo 14 Moon landing sold for $210,261 at auction

A historically significant Apollo Guidance Computer Display and Keyboard (DSKY) sold for $210,261 according to Boston-based RR Auction.

During Apollo 14, a loose ball of solder floating inside the abort switch of the Lunar Module Antares caused an intermittent short circuit, threatening to accidentally activate the switch and rocket the module back into orbit during its landing sequence.

In order to prevent that scenario, MIT computer programmer Don Eyles, a developer of the AGC's source code, was asked to hack his own software to find a workaround. This represented the most dramatic moment for MIT's programmers throughout the entire Apollo program, as they had just three to four hours to work out a fix, test it, and relay it to the astronauts in time for Powered Descent Initiation. Eyles accomplished his task in just two hours, developing a 26-command sequence to be entered into the DSKY that reprogrammed the AGC to ignore the abort button.

The DSKY unit from the MIT Instrumentation Laboratory, used by Don Eyles and Sam Drake to verify the software patch needed to avoid an abort during the Apollo 14 lunar landing sequence.

Accompanied by a detailed letter of provenance from the present owner, who was employed at the MIT Instrumentation Laboratory to design, build, and maintain the Control Module and Lunar Module cockpit simulators. He retained the DSKY in 1978 when the Lunar Module cockpit simulator was dismantled and discarded.

The DSKY was the astronaut's interface to the Apollo Guidance Computer developed by MIT, and was critical to every aspect of the mission.

Each program had a two-digit code and commands were entered as two-digit numbers in a verb-noun sequence. The device permitted the astronauts to collect and provide flight information necessary for the precise landings on the moon.

"I am not surprised this DSKY achieved a likely world record price, considering the historically significant role it played in saving the Apollo 14 mission " said Bobby Livingston, Executive VP at RR Auction.

Highlights from the sale include, but are not limited by:

• Mercury Program Earth Path Indicator sold for $99,208.
  
• Vance Brand's A7LB Suit TMG Assembly sold for $88,586.
  
• Dave Scott's Apollo 15 surface Lunar Surface-Used Lunar Module Data Card Book sold for $88,580.
  
• Apollo Program pressure helmet sold for $62,220.
  
• Dave Scott's Lunar Surface-Flown Apollo 15 Lunar Module Contingency Checklist sold for $43,751.
  
• Buzz Aldrin's Apollo 11 Flown Lunar Surface Checklist sold $37,500.
  
• Al Worden's Apollo 15 Flown Spacesuit Patch sold for $33,218.

The Space & Aviation Auction from RR Auction began on April 11 and concluded on April 18.