With luxury space travel still on hold (intergalactic passport issues, we can only assume), why not bring the best of space exploration to you?
Marking the 50th anniversary of NASA’s Project Gemini which took place on April 8, 1964, today sees Bonham’s auction house sell a bounty of astronaut related artefacts which range from an Apollo 12 strap containing genuine moon dust to a pack of chewing gum that went up to the Moon on Apollo 15.
The real gem taking centre stage, however, is the Mercury-era space suit and accompanying fibre glass helmet. Originally designed to protect the first Mercury astronauts in the event their space capsule suddenly lost air pressure, it's up for grabs at a price of £4,800 upwards.
Other treats within the 296 lots include the Mir control panel that flew on the Soviet-era space station, Soviet surface-to-air missile engine, flags, medallions, patches, stamps flown on Gemini and Apollo campaigns, telescopes, mission photography and dehydrated tea and coffee packed in their original containers.
Also going on sale are large model rockets, with the Vostok launcher and capsule, Saturn IB rocket, Mercury Atlas rocket, Mercury Redstone, booster used for unmanned tests of the Apollo spacecraft, and Gemini Titan just some of the beauties available to bid on.
You're going to need a bigger mantlepiece.
See more at Bonhams.com
[ via Gizmag ]
