"We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one we intend to win, and the others, too."
- President John F. Kennedy, September 12, 1962
Welcome to the Moon!
For over a decade, we’ve had the incredible privilege of sharing objects from across space and time. But among all the journeys we've explored, few have captured the world’s imagination quite like the Apollo missions.
The Apollo program was conceived during President Dwight D. Eisenhower's administration and later dedicated to President John F. Kennedy's goal of "landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth" within a decade.
Yet even after all these years, it’s impossible not to feel a sense of wonder about these incredible missions.
Apollo Program
ℹ️ More about the Apollo Program Collection
The Apollo program was conceived during President Dwight D. Eisenhower's administration and later dedicated to President John F. Kennedy's goal of "landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth" within a decade.
Yet even after all these years, it’s impossible not to feel a sense of wonder about these incredible missions.
The Apollo program was conceived during President Dwight D. Eisenhower's administration and later dedicated to President John F. Kennedy's goal of "landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth" within a decade.
President Kennedy proposed this bold agenda during an address to the United States Congress on May 25th, 1961. On July 20, 1969, NASA fulfilled the mission when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to land on the Moon. This was the 11th flight of the Apollo program, and the success was broadcast live to the entire world.
Piloted by astronaut Michael Collins, Command Module Columbia orbited the Moon while fellow astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin explored the surface. The craft carried all three astronauts safely back to Earth, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969.
The technological and scientific breakthroughs associated with the Apollo program were vast and long-lasting, but it is the human achievement that has held our imaginations for so many years.
📸 The Apollo 11 Command Module at splashdown
What is Kapton Foil? Is it Gold or Silver?
Kapton "foil" is aluminized polyimide film. The polyimide film is semi-transparent, so the shiny gold appearance is really light reflecting off the aluminum on the other side.
The entire surface of Columbia was coated with many layers of this foil, with the outermost layers installed aluminized side out to provide maximum reflection of radiation.
📸 Several Apollo Foil Specimens
What are our specimens?
Mini Museum is proud to offer fragments of mission-flown kapton foil, which provided thermal protection for the astronauts aboard the Apollo 11 Command Module.
Our material is acquired at auction, much of which comes from the personal collection of retired NASA Production Control Engineer William R. Whipkey. Among space collectors, Whipkey is considered the most reliable source for kapton foil because he oversaw the decommissioning of the Command Modules from multiple missions. He was also responsible for making most of the commemorative displays for astronauts, VIPs, and others who worked on the Apollo Program.
We are excited to share these pieces of space history with the world in an accessible and educational way!
Buzz Aldrin's Apollo 11 Foil
Our rarest Apollo 11 Specimens come from a different source: the collection of astronaut Dr. Edwin Eugene "Buzz" Aldrin.
Dr. Aldrin personally acquired this material aboard the USS Hornet (CVS-12) just hours after Apollo 11’s splashdown on July 24, 1969. Over the years, small sections of this mission-flown Kapton foil have appeared at auction, and through these rare opportunities, we’ve secured a small reserve of this extraordinary piece of space history.
Libyan Desert Glass Pendant
Space Shuttle Columbia - Flown HRSI Tile Fragment
Space Shuttle Columbia - Flown HRSI Tile Fragment
Space Exposed Tomato Seeds
