Boston, MA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/30/2014 --RR Auction is pleased to announce its 7th Space and Aviation Autograph and Artifact Auction, scheduled to take place from May 15 to May 22, 2014. Artifacts from NASA’s Apollo lunar missions will be highlights in the upcoming online auction, spanning the length of human aviation and space exploration history. In all, more than 600 items will be up for sale.

Two of the rarest, lunar surface flown and used spacecraft artifacts in the May Auction include the following lots originating from the personal space collection of Apollo 15 Commander David R. Scott:

- Complete Apollo 15 Lunar Module “Falcon” rotational hand controller and housing used by mission Commander Scott to fly and land his spacecraft at the Hadley Rille landing site of the moon.

- Amazing Apollo 15 Lunar Module “Falcon” flown Crewman Optical Alignment Sight (COAS), used by Commander Scott for mission critical activities during the lunar module phases of the mission such as rendezvous, docking, star sightings, and horizon alignment.

“In many cases, items such as these were often abandoned by the crew after use, or lost forever to history as disposable equipment when sent tumbling back to the lunar surface in the spent, empty lunar module to be vaporized upon impact with the surface,” said Bobby Livingston, Executive Vice President at RR Auction.

“Objects coming directly from Moon walkers and that have been in their private collections since returning to Earth— are unquestionably the most sought after,” said Livingston.

“Demand far outstrips supply for truly rare, and unique, lunar surface artifacts from the Apollo lunar landing missions, and these items represent the pinnacle of Apollo-era flown material,” said Richard Jurek, co-author of Marketing the Moon: The Selling of the Apollo Lunar Program (MIT Press, 2014). “While risking their lives during the most critical and historic phases of their mission, these are the items that the astronauts personally selected to retain as mementos from arguably the greatest technological and engineering achievement of the 20th Century.”

Among other historic museum quality pieces to be featured:
Buzz Aldrin Apollo 11, NASA-issued lunar ‘comfort’ glove worn at Tranquility Base during the first lunar landing.

Mercury-era hand controller presented by Gordon Cooper to fellow Mercury astronaut Gus Grissom, as a gesture of support to a friend and fellow astronaut at a time when Grissom was the subject of official inquiries and reviews, After the loss of Grissom’s Liberty Bell 7.

America’s crowning achievement—the Declaration of Independence, flown to the moon onboard Apollo 11, by Michael Collins. Flown printed miniature reproduction of the Declaration of Independence on parchment paper.

A backpack strap from Charles Conrad’s PLSS (Personal Life Support System), used on the lunar surface during both of his moonwalks during the Apollo 12 mission.

In addition this special offering features a unique blend of signed material and flight-flown objects—a dazzling array of over 600 items – from maps and patches, to autographed photos, documentation, and even full space suits.

“Our space and aviation auctions have consistently set world record prices in many categories of the genre,” added Livingston. “Also included are quintessential pieces for anyone seeking to build a space history collection.”

For more information
For more information on this historic auction, including how to order a catalog, how to bid online, and to see the full 600+ lot description preview, please go to the RR Auction website at www.rrauction.com.