Posted on 06/30/2011 2:41:09 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. government has sued a former NASA astronaut to recover a camera used to explore the moon's surface during the 1971 Apollo 14 mission after seeing it slated for sale in a New York auction.
The lawsuit, filed in Miami federal court on Wednesday, accuses Edgar Mitchell of illegally possessing the camera and attempting to sell it for profit.
In March, NASA learned that the British auction house Bonhams was planning to sell the camera at an upcoming Space History Sale, according to the suit.
The item was labeled "Movie Camera from the Lunar Surface" and billed as one of two cameras from the Apollo 14's lunar module Antares. The lot description said the item came "directly from the collection" of pilot Edgar Mitchell and had a pre-sale estimate of $60,000 to $80,000, the suit said.
Mitchell was a lunar module pilot on Apollo 14, which launched its nine-day mission in 1971 under the command of Alan Shepard. The sixth person to walk on the moon, Mitchell is now retired and runs a website selling his autographed picture.
He has made headlines in the past for his stated belief in the existence of extraterrestrial life.
"All equipment and property used during NASA operations remains the property of NASA unless explicitly released or transferred to another party," the government suit said, adding NASA had no record of the camera being given to Mitchell.
The suit said the government had made repeated requests to Mitchell and his lawyer to return the camera but received no response.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Talk about stupid public relations. Do they really want to tussle with an elderly astronaut who went to the moon?
He can sell the camera, after he pays the shipping charges from the Cape to the Moon, and back. /s
Well, obviously....yes.
While Rome burns...
Well, at least Mitchell didn’t LOSE the camera, like NASA seems to do.
“Do they really want to tussle with an elderly astronaut who went to the moon?”
The really need the cash... to help fund the Muslim outreach programs.
He’s not one of THEIR people though.
There's some show my wife like where these people go find old Hollywood movie props and sell them at auction. Last night the car from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (sp) went for $800k. Some letter went for $200k.
And a camera that was on the moon goes for $80k.
I guess I'm just totally out of step in the hero department.
Mitchell should just claim to be in the country illegally. Obama would then give him the camera, pay for additional film and pick up the tab for auction fees.
Just stop Moochelle from flying to Spain and Africa. Voila! there’s the money!
Careful. He might send them a “moon shot” they don’t want.
Well, whatever his motivation... he needs to donate the camera to the Smithsonian. It belongs in a museum ~ and unless NASA gave it to him, it should have been there all along.
All Mitchell needs to do is to show the court the documentation that proves that NASA gave him the camera.
If not, Mitchell is screwed.
It’s not our NASA anymore.
These were amazing people. Special people. People that could and still can whip out a slide rule and conjure up whatever you want. The did things nobody every tried before. They developed technology that benefited all of us. They should be respected.
I guarantee you that there was loads of stuff that walked out of NASA with the blessing of the powers that be. This was a very different time. We were better back then.
In the words of a famous for one day reporter (today) I say that whoever is hassling this great American is a dick!
“Mitchell’s lawyer, Donald Jacobson, said NASA management was aware of and approved Mitchell’s ownership of the camera 40 years ago.
“Objects from the lunar trips to the moon were ultimately mounted and then presented to the astronauts as a gift after they had helped NASA on a mission,” Jacobson said.”
My father knew a number of the original astronauts from their days as test pilots for Lockheed and Vought projects.
An amazing group of people.
We were a lot better back then.
(I still have my dad’s slide rule)
Every time I watch Antiques Roadshow, I sort of feel that the economy can’t be that bad..or that there are so many stupid people with lots of $$$ eager to spend it on crapola..
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