Category Archives: Space Collecting

Own a black hole simulated with carbon nanotubes

Here’s an opportunity to buy a “black hole” for display at home or office:  SINGULARITY – A simulated black hole by Singularity designs — Kickstarter

The display is “constructed from a carbon nanotube array which absorbs 99.9% of light in the visible spectrum”:

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Telescopes and Binoculars at Amazon

Sotheby’s space auction includes Moon rock from Soviet Luna 16 mission

[ Update: The Moon rocks sold near the top of the expected range of bids: Soviet robot-retrieved moon rocks sell for $855,000 at Sotheby’s | collectSPACE

Sotheby’s on Thursday (Nov. 29) auctioned the only known pieces of Earth’s natural satellite to be collected from the lunar surface and be legally sold for $855,000. The three tiny pebbles were among a small cache of moon material that was brought back by the former Soviet Union’s Luna 16 robotic probe in 1970.

The same moon rocks — which were originally presented to Nina Ivanovna Koroleva, the widow of Sergei Korolev, the “Chief Designer” of the Soviet space program — were sold by Sotheby’s in December 1993 for $442,500. With inflation, Thursday’s sale in New York City reflected an increase of about $87,500.

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Sotheby’s is holding a Space Exploration auction in New York today. The space collectibles and memorabilia items on sale include actual material obtained from the Moon’s surface:

The top lot in the sale was originally sold in the 1993 Russian Space History Sale here at Sotheby’s – a sample of lunar rocks returned to Earth by the Russian Luna-16 unmanned mission. It was the first time a piece of another world had ever been offered for sale to the public. It remains to this day, the only known legal sale of moon rocks to have ever occurred. We look forward to once again offering this tremendously rare and historic artifact to the public.  

“Three samples of lunar rock from Luna-16, the first automated sample retrieval from the moon, encased under glass within a 2 by 2 inch metal block positioned below an adjustable lens, the whole secured to a 6½ by 3½ inch metal base labeled “ЧАСТИЦЫ ГРУНТА ЛУНЫ-16” [SOIL PARTICLES FROM LUNA-16]. Central fragment consisting of basalt with feldspar crystals visible, adjoining larger fragments consisting of finely structured vesicular agglutinates, showing glass coatings caused by age-old meteorite impact.” – Sotheby’s
In addition there is

a wide variety of material from both the American & Soviet space programs — from lunar & space photography, original artwork by artists such as Chesley Bonestell and Alan Bean, flown mission artefacts and hardware, items from the personal collections of astronauts, autographed items, maps & charts, signed books, models, spacesuits, and much more, with material suited for both new and seasoned collectors.

“A complete Gemini spacesuit with helmet, gloves made for Pete Conrad, and boots made for Frank Borman, 1963-65…G-2C-4 full high altitude pressure suit, including inner pressure suit and outer cover layer, complete with GH-2C-7 helmet, GG-2C-16 gloves made to fit Pete Conrad, and GB-5C-9 boots made to fit Frank Borman, all manufactured by the David Clark Company for NASAS between 1963-1965.” – Sotheby’s

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A Nice Place to Visit” – acrylic painting by Alan Bean, an Apollo astronaut who walked on the Moon and a talented artist.

See also

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Check out the Best Selling Electronics at Amazon

Decron Club to sell space-flown collectible coins

The new company Decron Club will soon begin selling collectible coins made from metals flown in space:

Rocket Launch Flight SL-11 leads to the Launching of the Opportunity
to Touch Space with Your Own Hands

On the day when the world learned the name of the first private lunar passenger, who paid a hundred million dollars for the honor, new American startup Decron Club made a step realizing towards thousands of dreams “to touch Space for a dollar.”

SPACEPORT AMERICA, NM – On Monday, September 17th at 08:09 a.m. MT, Up Aerospace successfully launched the SL-11 sound rocket from launch pad #1 in the New Mexico desert.

Together with NASA’s experimental payloads aboard, Decron Club integrated it’s own precious metals ingots (1 kg Silver 999, 1 kg Copper, 2 Gold 999 ingots (200 grams), 3 Platinum 999 ingots (220 grams) in the nose cone sections of NC 1 and NC 2.

The flight surpassed the Karman line, the border between the Earth and space, reaching an altitude of 357,800 feet (109 km) at a speed of 6 times higher than the speed of sound – 2058 meters per second. After floating in zero gravity the payloads were safely returned back to the Earth.

“It’s the great conclusion of the flight. We’ve been working on this payload for NASA for a long time. It’s nice to finally get it flown. We look forward to getting all the data from NASA and posting our analysis”

– said Jerry Larson, the president of the UP Aerospace company.

The launching of flight SL-11 involves much more than the pride of a successful Up Aerospace program, as it also includes one giant leap for Decron Club company, who has diligently worked to produce products that only a few imagined possible. Decron Club is one step from mass production of unique coins. Also, scientific research is going to be conducted to see how the physical and chemical metal structure changes after being in space.

S-Series Gold Coin

With the help of Decron Club, people across the world will be able to grasp things in the palms of their hands that they wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity. Decron Club works to deliver treasures from out of this world to you and your homes.

“The First Space Coin will become not a coin about space, but a part of it. Space is in its DNA. Today Decron Club became the first non-space company that made space affordable to thousands of people without paying a fortune for it”

– said Dennis Rudenko, CEO of Decron Club.

With these items paving the way into a new era in the evolution of collectible coins, products are expected to go fast as a result of the high demand to hold a piece of space in their hands.

Coin sales will start in October of 2018, with options consisting of platinum, gold and silver. For  pre-orders check updates on the company’s official website Decron Club. Decron Club also welcomes customers to follow its social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

The Sally Ride forever stamp released by US Post Office

American astronaut Sally Ride is commemorated with a new US postage stamp:

Sally Ride Stamp Launches Tomorrow
America’s First Female Astronaut to Soar on Forever Stamp 

Sally Ride, America’s first woman in space, a pioneering astronaut, brilliant physicist and dedicated educator who inspired the nation, will be commemorated on a Forever stamp tomorrow [May 23, 2018]. Followers of the U.S. Postal Service’s Facebook page can view the 8 p.m. EDT, ceremony live at Facebook.com/USPS. Share the news using the hashtags #SallyRideForever and #AstronautStamps. (PRNewsfoto/U.S. Postal Service)
SAN DIEGO, May 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Sally Ride, America’s first woman in space, a pioneering astronaut, brilliant physicist and dedicated educator who inspired the nation, will be commemorated on a Forever stamp tomorrow. Share the news using the hashtags #SallyRideForever and #AstronautStamps.

The Sally Ride Forever stamp 5 p.m. PDT dedication ceremony, free and open to the public, will take place at the Price Center, University of California San Diego . Ride served as a professor of physics at the university, which also is home to Sally Ride Science @ U C San Diego, a non-profit organization she co-founded to inspire young people in science, engineering, technology and math (STEM) and to promote STEM literacy.

Followers of the U.S. Postal Service’s Facebook page can view the ceremony live at Facebook.com/USPS. The stamps may be pre-ordered now at this link for delivery shortly after tomorrow’s issuance.

“Sally Ride’s history-making journey has made it easier for young girls to dream of one day being an astronaut, an engineer, a physicist or a mathematician. Today, girls don’t just dream. Because of trailblazers like Sally Ride, they have been empowered to do!”

said U.S. Postal Service Chief Information Officer and Executive Vice President Kristin Seaver.

Scheduled to join Seaver are Pradeep K. Khosla, chancellor at UC San Diego; Becky Petitt, vice chancellor for equity, diversity and inclusion at UC San Diego, who will serve as master of ceremonies;  Billie Jean King, tennis legend, champion of social justice and Ride’s friend; Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman in space, director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, and another friend of Ride; and Tam O’Shaughnessy, co-founder and executive director of Sally Ride Science @ U C San Diego and Ride’s widow.

“Sally started collecting stamps when she was a girl, and she continued to do so her whole life —especially stamps of the Olympics and space exploration,” said O’Shaughnessy. “Sally would be deeply honored to have her portrait on a U.S. stamp.

[Ochoa said, ]

“I admired Sally for her intellect that she applied as a scientist, her focus and passion for STEM education, and her astounding competence in so many areas, including her critical contributions to NASA and the nation,” … “As much in demand as she was, she always made time to meet with young women who dreamed of becoming astronauts. I am thrilled to be part of the Sally Ride Forever stamp dedication, continuing her legacy of inspiring people across the country, and indeed around the world.”

The stamp art features a colorful portrait of Ride in her light blue space suit with a dramatic depiction of a space shuttle lifting off in the background. Sketched first in charcoal and then rendered in oil paint, artist Paul Salmon of Burke, VA, reflects her positivity and confident spirit, as well as the excitement and danger of space travel. Art director Ethel Kesslerof Bethesda, MD, designed the stamp.

Her Legacy
Ride galvanized the country with her pioneering space flight and inspired generations of students as a physicist, astronaut and champion of science education.

After completing her doctorate in physics, Ride joined NASA’s 1978 class of astronaut candidates for the agency’s new space shuttle program. She was the first woman to serve as a capsule communicator for Columbia’s second flight in 1981, communicating from the ground with both the shuttle crew in space and the flight director at Mission Control. In spring 1982, NASA assigned her to her first flight crew as a mission specialist.

On June 18, 1983, at 7:33 a.m., Ride realized her ultimate adventure when she launched through Earth’s atmosphere aboard space shuttle Challenger, becoming the first American woman to reach space. For six days, she worked closely with her four male crewmates, proving to the world below that women were as adept as men in the final frontier. She completed a second successful trip to space the next year, breaking another barrier as a member of the first flight crew with two women.

Ride was the only person to sit on the investigative panels for both the Challenger and Columbia accidents. As a professor, she used her experiences in space to explain complicated physics concepts. She also co-authored six children’s books about science with O’Shaughnessy. In 2001, Ride and O’Shaughnessy joined three friends to start a science education company, Sally Ride Science, with the goal of narrowing the gender gap in science, technology, engineering and math.

The Sally Ride stamp is being issued as a Forever stamp. This Forever stamp will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Stamp ideas welcome
The public is encouraged to submit stamp suggestions. Visit the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee website for details on the stamp selection process and instructions for submitting suggestions in writing. Due to the time required for research and approval, ideas for stamp subjects should be received at least three years prior to the proposed release. Each submission should include pertinent historical information and important dates associated with the subject.

Ordering first-day-of-issue postmarks
Customers have 120 days to obtain first-day-of-issue postmarks by mail. They may purchase new stamps at Post Office locations, at The Postal Store usps.com/shop or by calling 800-782-6724. Customers must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes to themselves or others and place them in larger envelopes addressed to:

FDOI – Sally Ride Forever Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO  64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for postmarks up to a quantity of 50. For more than 50, customers are charged 5 cents each. All orders must be postmarked by September 23, 2018.

Ordering first-day covers
The Postal Service also offers first-day covers for new stamps and stationery items postmarked with the official first-day-of-issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the USA Philatelic publication and online at usps.com/shop. Customers may register to receive a free USA Philatelic publication online at usps.com/philatelic.

Philatelic products
The following Philatelic products are available at usps.com/shop.

  • 477306, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $90
  • 477310, Digital Color Keepsake, $11.95.
  • 477316, First-Day Cover, 94-cents.
  • 477321, Digital Color Postmark, $1.65.
  • 477330, Ceremony Program, $6.95.

You may view many of this year’s other stamps on Facebook at facebook.com/USPSStamps or via Twitter @USPS. All postage stamps are available for purchase at Post Office locations, online at usps.com and by toll-free phone order at 1-800 STAMP-24.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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Master Replicas Group captures Tycho Crater and Olympus Mons in resin

Master Replicas uses 3D printing, hand painting, and other techniques to produce finely detailed models. Here is a video on how they created a replica of the Moon’s Tycho Crater, the first in their Space Terrains line:

Other space related products

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