The Apollo Guidance Computer (AGC) was among the most groundbreaking developments of the space race.
It enabled astronauts to directly control the flight pattern and landing of the shuttle and was among the first computers to run off a single integrated chip.
The Apollo Guidance Computer gave astronauts fine control of the mission
On Friday, a display and keyboard (DSKY) interface to one of those computers (signed by Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmidt) sold for $47,500 in Heritage Auctions’ Space Exploration sale in Dallas.
The lot is a mock-up, built for training purposes and never flown.
The auction house comments: “It is impossible to overestimate the importance of the DSKY interface and the AGC to the Apollo moon-landing program.
“[This is] a very rarely offered piece of Apollo equipment.”
An Apollo 8 flown Robbins medallion, from the collection of Command Module pilot James Lovell, realised $30,000.
Robbins medals are hugely popular collectors' items
Robbins medals were commissioned by the crews of US space flights from Apollo 7 and have been made for every manned spaceflight since. They’re fashioned from silver and display unique designs.
The present lot is one of only 300 carried on the mission.
As you might expect, they’re highly collectible. Specimens flown on Apollo 11 and Apollo 13 are the most sought after, however this latest sale represents a new record for one from Apollo 8.
It suggests the price point for Robbins medals has increased.
We have a wealth of space memorabilia for sale.
Please sign up to our free newsletter to receive exciting news about space and aviation memorabilia auctions.
