This specimen is an actual, mission-flown fragment of expansion joint material from the Apollo 8 Command Module thermal protection system. This material kept Apollo astronauts Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders safe on their journey from Earth to orbit around the Moon and back. Salvaged after splashdown, this is a unique collectible from an incredible mission that paved the way for the first mission to set foot on the lunar surface.
Limited Supply!
This specimen comes from the personal collection of post-flight test conductor Jerald B. Wilken, who worked on the inspection and testing of the Apollo 8 Command Module 103 at the North American Rockwell Facility in Downey, California. It was purchased at public auction several years ago and is now officially part of the Mini Museum collection.
The red expansion joint specimen is enclosed in an acrylic cube with a magnified lid and includes a glass-topped display case, information card, and certificate of authenticity. The information card showcases images from the Apollo 8 mission, details about the journey, and a die-cut square that matches the size of the acrylic cube. The material was part of Apollo 8's thermal protection system, which was crucial to surviving the intense heat of atmospheric reentry.
Due to the age and elastic nature of this material, specimens will vary in shape and size. The approximate surface area measures 1-2mm x 2-5mm.
Even by our standards, material from Apollo 8 is extremely rare. So, we do not expect the Apollo 8 specimen to stay available for long, though we are committed to making it accessible to as many people as possible. Our goal, as always, is to make it an affordable collector's item compared to similar memorabilia on the market. This is an excellent choice for space enthusiasts who want to own or share a piece of history at a great price.
The specimen is enclosed in an acrylic cube with a magnified lid for easy viewing. The acrylic cube is housed inside a padded, glass-topped riker box display case measuring 5 1/2" x 6 1/2".
The display includes an information card with a centerline die-cut square matching the dimensions of the acrylic cube. The card has four unique faces, including images from Apollo 8, details about the mission, and a certificate of authenticity. The die-cut design allows you to showcase the specimen inside the display case with any one of four different designs.
