Each hand-cut specimen is housed in an acrylic jar and ships in a classic, glass-topped riker display case. The specimens measure roughly 1x1cm though variations may occur. A small information card is also included, which serves as the certificate of authenticity.

Special Handling Notice: It's very important to note that this was a multi-layer insulation blanket so we've elected to provide multiple layers with each specimen. All specimens will have a layer of aluminized Kapton foil and a layer of fibrous bulk material. It's also possible that there may be fragments of the Dacron net separator material.

If you choose to open the specimen jar, take great care. The Kapton is very light and slightly brittle with age and use. It may fly away or even break into smaller pieces.

Also, all thermal blanket specimens are look quite similar so we've marked the bottom of the specimen jar. This way you can tell them apart and get them back in the correct riker display case if you happen to have both out at the same time.

Please Note: References to disposition paperwork on the specimen card are for context only. All original paperwork resides in the Mini Museum Collection. See information on the original artifact below.

"Never be limited by other people's limited imaginations...If you adopt their attitudes, then the possibility won't exist because you'll have already shut it out . You can hear other people's wisdom, but you've got to re-evaluate the world for yourself." ~ STS-47 Mission Specialist Mae C. Jemison (November, 2009)

As noted above, this specimen is a piece of a mission-flown insulation blanket, which was part of Endeavour's Thermal Control System. The TCS helped the ship withstand the extreme increase in temperatures during atmospheric reentry and the TCS blanket was applied to the inside of the shuttle to protect internal components and systems.

Softgoods such as the blanket were a simple and efficient way to provide lightweight insulation to delicate items. NASA disposition paperwork received with this item indicates this particular blanket was removed after STS-99 which flew on 02/11/2000, which was this shuttle’s last solo mission.

Please Note: The item on offer is a fragment of this mission-flown thermal blanket. The original scrap tags and documentation remain in the Mini Museum collection. Photos here are provided for context only.

The Space Shuttle Endeavour was the final orbiter built, replacing the Challenger. As a cost-saving measure, much of the shuttle was built from leftover parts from the other orbiters. Named for Captain James Cook’s HMS Endeavour, the shuttle’s career included the first repair mission for the Hubble Space Telescope and the addition of the Unity Module to the ISS, the first American addition to the space station. The Endeavour also flew Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space.

While in service, Endeavour orbited Earth 4,671 times, traveling approximately 120 million miles. The shuttle weighed about 156 thousand pounds, boasting a wingspan of about 80 feet and a length of about 120 feet. Endeavour can now be seen at the California Science Center, where it is open for display to the public.