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Secret stash of Moon artifacts found hidden in Neil Armstrong's closet
Sploid ^ | 2/7/15 | Jesus Diaz

Posted on 02/08/2015 6:07:13 AM PST by Kartographer

After Neil Armstrong's death, his widow, Carol, discovered a white cloth bag in a closet, containing what were obviously either flight or space related artifacts. She contacted Allan Needell, curator of the Apollo collection at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, and provided photographs of the items. Needell, who immediately realized that the bag—known to the astronauts as the Purse - and its contents could be hardware from the Apollo 11 mission, asked the authors for support in identifying and documenting the flight history and purpose of these artifacts. After some research it became apparent that the purse and its contents were lunar surface equipment carried in the Lunar Module Eagle during the epic journey of Apollo 11.

(Excerpt) Read more at sploid.gizmodo.com ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; History; Science
KEYWORDS: allanneedell; apollo11; carolarmstrong; maninspace; moon; moonartifacts; nasa; neilarmstrong; smithsonian; souvenirs
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To: Moonmad27
Guys in the comments thank the resident for a law letting them keep these artifacts. All praise to Zero? The resident can’t write his own laws — yet.

My recollection is that the law(s) on astronauts keeping artifacts from their spaceflights were on the books quite some time ago, and are pretty restrictive.

Specifically, they're still considered to be national property, just in the care of the astronauts. They can't be sold and (I think) can only be passed along to relatives. Otherwise they need to be returned to NASA.

There are some exceptions. I think I read somewhere that Alan Bean (Apollo XII LM Pilot, 4th man to walk on the moon) mixes small amounts of moon soil into the pain for his artwork. Which is really phenomenal stuff, if anyone would like to go out to the internet and take a look at it. One of my prized-possessions is a first edition copy of "Apollo : An Eyewitness Account By Astronaut/Explorer Artist/Moonwalker" autographed by Bean, Pete Conrad and Dick Gordon.
21 posted on 02/08/2015 6:47:37 AM PST by tanknetter
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To: Kartographer
“He was also the very definition of modesty.”

Absolutely. Met him at a formal function in London a few years back. Genuine nice guy and modest. True gentleman.

Contrast Neil with “Buzz” Aldrin. Now THERE is an over-sized ego. Dealt with him a time or two and his ego is bruised from being the SECOND guy on the moon and feels slighted.

Heck, go to Buzz's website and see the arrogance (and money-making T-shirt selling activities). http://buzzaldrin.com/

The guy won't sign autographs without you paying him for the privilege. Yes, sports guys and other celebs do the same thing, but come on, an Astronaut?

I am not impressed with Buzz. . if you couldn't tell. . .just MHO.

22 posted on 02/08/2015 6:47:54 AM PST by Hulka
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To: tanknetter

Paint, not pain ...


23 posted on 02/08/2015 6:48:29 AM PST by tanknetter
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To: oh8eleven

And landed under sniper fire in Boznia and tried to enlist in the Marines, too.


24 posted on 02/08/2015 6:49:35 AM PST by Hulka
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To: Kartographer

I always wanted an endangered species kabob grilled over moon rocks.


25 posted on 02/08/2015 7:18:16 AM PST by RedStateRocker (Nuke Mecca, deport all illegal aliens, abolish the IRS, DEA and ATF.)
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To: Hulka

I’m not defending the fellow but it could be that he’s found his autograph being sold on EBay.


26 posted on 02/08/2015 7:40:27 AM PST by InvisibleChurch (http://thegatwickview.tumblr.com/ http://thepurginglutheran.tumblr.com/)
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To: kinsman redeemer

I agree. Let his family keep ‘em.


27 posted on 02/08/2015 7:41:17 AM PST by Savage Beast (The left doesn't recognize the difference between good and evil or rather has it backward.MtnClimber)
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To: Kartographer

The fact that this historic camera (quite possibly the most famous of all time) was evidently not missed and unaccounted for seems very strange. Why did no one in the vast bureaucracy of offices within the space program not ask where it was? One would think that at least the Air and Space Museum would have inquired about it before. It seems like such an obvious artifact of interest.


28 posted on 02/08/2015 7:45:50 AM PST by Starboard
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To: MeshugeMikey

Yea,but his stuff is from Mars.


29 posted on 02/08/2015 7:48:01 AM PST by Farmer Dean (stop worrying about what they want to do to you,start thinking about what you want to do to them)
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To: EQAndyBuzz; BobL
Sir. Edmund Hillary Armstrong Clinton.

Not too far fetched. Bubba liked the name idea so much he used say "Neal" every time Monica came into the Oral Office.

30 posted on 02/08/2015 7:51:14 AM PST by llevrok (I fear the US government more than I do al Qaeda)
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To: a fool in paradise

Can she can produce these copies?

No.

The Clinton liegacy continues.


31 posted on 02/08/2015 8:00:02 AM PST by onedoug
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To: onedoug

“What difference does it make at this point in time, anyhoo???”


32 posted on 02/08/2015 8:08:35 AM PST by a fool in paradise (Shickl-Gruber's Big Lie gave us Hussein's Un-Affordable Care act (HUAC).)
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To: oh8eleven

Rick would have called in his expert. And then low balled him.


33 posted on 02/08/2015 8:10:42 AM PST by bgill (CDC site, "we still do not know exactly how people are infected with Ebola")
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To: Hulka

In his defense, it says the proceeds from his tshirt sales go to his non-profit for kids.


34 posted on 02/08/2015 8:18:22 AM PST by same old song
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To: Kartographer

I wonder if this conversation ever happened:

“So where are you and your friends off to now?”

“To the moon, Carol, to the moon! Bang, zoom!”


35 posted on 02/08/2015 8:19:44 AM PST by Larry Lucido
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To: EQAndyBuzz

Sir Edmund Hillary Armstrong Brian Williams Clinton.


36 posted on 02/08/2015 8:21:15 AM PST by kiltie65
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To: Kartographer

37 posted on 02/08/2015 8:23:22 AM PST by nascarnation (Impeach, convict, deport)
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To: MeshugeMikey
Brian Williams claims to have a similar stash

Didn't you hear?

Williams keeps a summer place up there.

38 posted on 02/08/2015 8:36:44 AM PST by Fightin Whitey
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To: Starboard

My impression is that everybody thought it had been left aboard the lunar lander, which eventually crashed on the moon surface after the mission. From the collection of stuff, it looks like Neil basically grabbed everything that wasn’t “nailed down” and didn’t functionally *have* to be left behind.


39 posted on 02/08/2015 8:37:20 AM PST by M1903A1 ("We shed all that is good and virtuous for that which is shoddy and sleazy... and call it progress")
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To: Fightin Whitey

The funny part is that he thinks NBC is bringing him back.


40 posted on 02/08/2015 8:45:29 AM PST by eyedigress
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