Description: Apollo XI

Buzz Aldrin Superb TLS with Original Piece of Kapton Foil from the Apollo XI Moon-Bound Command Module"


1p TLS signed by American astronaut Edwin ""Buzz"" Aldrin (born 1930) as ""Buzz Aldrin" in black felt-tip pen at lower left. A Kapton foil fragment is secured under a square of plastic film at center. On gilt embossed personal letterhead. In near fine condition. 8.5"" x 11"". Accompanied by a photocopy of the certificate of authenticity originally signed by North American Rockwell Apollo Launch Team commander Robert E. Miner.

Buzz Aldrin, the former pilot of the Apollo 11 lunar module, wrote:

""On July 20, 1969, mankind's eternal dream of standing on another world was realized as Neil Armstrong and I became the first two human beings in history to walk on the Moon, during the historic voyage of Apollo 11.

The spacecraft which carried Neil and me to the Moon was known at the 'Command Module' and bore the symbolic name Columbia. To protect our fragile craft from the extreme environment of deep space, a thin layer of material known as Kapton Foil, gold-colored on the front and with a silver backing, was attached to the outside skin of the Columbia. This delicate foil played a critical role by reflecting the sun's intense heat off the ship, helping us to maintain comfortable temperatures within. Because the foil was attached to the outside skin of the Columbia, its gold-colored side was directly exposed to deep space.

Due to the extremely fragile nature of the foil, most of it burned off the ship during our fiery 25,000 mph re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere on July 24, 1969. However, a small portion of it survived, salvaged by the North American Rockwell Recovery Team on board the aircraft carrier Hornet, and carefully preserved for posterity.

When reflecting on the epochal voyage of Apollo 11, I often think of the plaque left behind on the moon at Tranquility Base. It bears the inscription HERE MEN FROM THE PLANET EARTH FIRST SET FOOT UPON THE MOON. WE CAME IN PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND. JULY 1969 AD. The voyage of Apollo 11 was a defining moment in human evolution, when mankind lifted itself from its Earthly cradle, and began its long journey into the universe.""

Outstanding Apollo 11 content from one of America’s pioneering astronauts!


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