In Pictures: Spaced out tech auction - 8 vintage space items go on the block - Slideshow

Saturn V Launch Vehicle Digital Computer (LVDC) Memory Module It’s not often that vintage space memorabilia becomes available, but if you have any money left after paying your taxes or that refund is burning a hole in your pocket, starting April 16th you might want to check out RR Auction’s Online Space Exploration Auction. They’ve got stuff that’s been in orbit and to the moon and back. What’s that piece of hardware? It’s the Saturn V Launch Vehicle Digital Computer (LVDC) Memory Module, which has a starting bid of just $500! So, here’s some insanely cool space stuff that you probably didn’t know existed and never thought would be available.
Dave Scott’s Apollo 15 Lunar Rover Map The map was mounted on the Lunar Rover throughout the three days of surface excursions. The map contains traces of lunar dust surface and was exposed to the temperature extremes, radiation, and solar wind on the surface of the Moon. How cool is that! This may actually be my favorite, though that memory module is tempting … Opening bid: $1,000
Backpack strap used by Edgar Mitchell on the moon during the Apollo 14 Mission It may not look like much but this was the backpack strap on Ed Mitchell’s Primary Life Support System (PLSS) and was on the lunar surface for nine hours and 23 minutes. The PLSS was the system that allowed astronauts to conduct extravehicular activities without being tethered to the life support systems of the spacecraft. Opening bid: $1,000
Dave Scott’s Apollo 15 Lunar Surface-used Scissors These scissors were carried aboard the Apollo 15 by Commander David Scott. They are accompanied by a signed letter of provenance from Scott that states that they were used during launch, mission operations, and on the surface of the Moon … hopefully not for cutting their toenails. Although that would still be pretty cool. Opening bid: $1,000
Dave Scott’s Apollo 15 Lunar Surface License Plate This aluminum ‘lunar rover license’ plate, 1.3” x 0.8”, marked with the registration number “LRV 001” with “MOON” as the home state, the year 1971, and the NASA and Boeing logos in the corners was carried by Astronaut Dave Scott on all three lunar EVAs, including on the lunar rover. It was in space for 12 days, 7 hours from launch to splashdown and, more importantly, it spent nearly 67 hours on the moon, including 18 hours and 30 minutes of EVAs, and was carried on LRV itself for around 17 miles across the lunar surface. Opening bid: $500
Gene Cernan’s Apollo 17 Flown EVA/EXP Checklist This is amazing! It’s a 166-page (83 individual sheets) checklist used during the Apollo 17 flight stamped with flight certification and signed on the front cover in black felt tip by Gene Cernan. The checklist includes three pages of solar corona observation sketches: One features a large sketch with notations reading, in part: "This act 1 min prior to sunrise at act 5-1 sec prior to s.rise the streamers get much more predominant…radial light & dark lines very faint, unable to see until dark adapted…I think we missed the longest streamers as the red & blue & polarizing seg. ended act 7-10 sec prior to sun rise." Opening bid: $2,500
Gene Kranz’s Apollo 17 Launch Phase Flight Book A large binder full of Apollo 17 material used by Flight Director Gene Kranz while at his console in Mission Control for the launch phase of the last-ever Apollo mission. The binder is separated into sections labeled Systems, Performance, Mission Rules, Trajectory, Network, General and TLI-Go/ No Go. The best portion of the Systems section comprises six pages of: hand-colored and -notated schematic diagrams and typed notes; various documents pertaining to scheduling and timing of procedures during the mission; meeting agendas and memos concerning potential malfunctions, and handwritten notes. Opening bid: $500
Apollo CM DSKY An original Block II Apollo Guidance computer display and keyboard (DSKY) unit, intended for use onboard the Apollo Command Module and Lunar Module. The device measures 8” x 8” x 6.5”, and has 19 keys and a digital display. The back of the unit retains its NASA Raytheon Co. metal label that reads, “Apollo G & N System…Part No. 2003985-051, Serial No. RAY 12, NAS 9-497." A tag on top reads: "NASA Property, North American Aviation, Inc., F340463." This was the instrument that allowed the astronauts to communicate directly with the on-board guidance computer. Opening bid: $2,500