Category Archives: History

Buzz Aldrin says he is not selling anything at Bonhams space auction

March 24, 2013 TopSpacer

I previously mentioned here and here the Bonhams Auction of space memorabilia that is scheduled for this Monday in New York City. The 300 item lot holds some Apollo 11 related materials from Buzz Aldrin, including some documents taken to the lunar surface. However, he says these items came to the market via his ex-wife and he is not selling any of his remaining Apollo program items: Buzz Aldrin refutes space sale, states he is keeping his moon memorabilia – collectSPACE

“I am not offering any items for sale from my current collection of Apollo 11 articles in the Bonhams auction,” astronaut Buzz Aldrin clarified in a written statement sent to collectSPACE.com on Saturday. “The Apollo 11 items being auctioned on Monday are being resold from auctions that took place in 2007 or earlier at the instigation of my ex-wife and her daughter who acted as my attorney and business manager.”

History, Space Collecting

Bonhams space auction on BBC

March 23, 2013 TopSpacer

The BBC has this video report on the Bonhams Auction (see earlier post) in New York City on March 25th of space memorabilia: Apollo space memorabilia to be auctioned – BBC –

Activism, History

A brief history of the British Interplanetary Society

March 22, 2013 TopSpacer 1 Comment

Kelvin Long provides a historical review of the British Interplanetary Society, one of the oldest space advocacy organizations: The British Interplanetary Society at 80 Years – Centauri Dreams.

He discusses some of the early technical studies put forth by members of the BIS including the BIS Moonship in 1939, the Megaroc man-carrying rocket proposal in 1946, and the Lunar Space-Suit in 1949.

When discussing the BIS, I always like to point out that the prestigious American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) can be traced back to the American Interplanetary Society. (See AIAA History.)