Buzz Aldrin Apollo 11 Command Module Gold Pendant
Buzz Aldrin Apollo 11 Command Module Gold Pendant
This pendant, handmade here at Mini Museum, contains an actual, mission-flown fragment of Kapton foil from the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia, previously held in the collection of Dr. Edwin Eugene "Buzz" Aldrin. This material helped protect Apollo astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins on their journey from Earth to the Moon and back. Salvaged after splashdown, this is a unique collectible from one of the greatest achievements in human history.
This new Kapton selection comes from Buzz Aldrin's personal collection and as such it is extremely limited! The foil square measures 2mm x 2mm, and is set into black resin and encased with a 10mm glass cabochon top. A small amount of mica powder has been used to emulate the starry void the Command Module swam through on its trip to the Moon and back. Also included is a folding Apollo 11 Information Card, small Apollo 11 Jewelry Card, and a certificate of authenticity.
The Apollo 11 Command Module Pendant is an exclusive collector's item. It is a fantastic statement piece that captures an incredible achievement of humankind.
📸 A Closeup view of the Gold Apollo 11 Aldrin pendant
Mission Flown Kapton Foil from Buzz Aldrin's Collection
As noted above, this pendant contains a fragment of mission-flown Kapton foil, which provided thermal protection for the astronauts aboard the Apollo 11 Command Module.
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.
While we do have pendants with Apollo 11 foil from other sources available, this is currently the only Apollo 11 Pendant we've with this exclusive material sourced from Dr. Aldrin's collection!
The specimen measures approximately 2mm x 2mm and is enclosed in a glass cabochon set into a gold backing for easy viewing.
The foil is set against black resin, with small amounts of mica powder to create an out-of-this-world backdrop. The entire piece is strung on an 18-inch gold chain and comes packaged in a hinged black jewelry box. An informational authenticity card is also included behind the box's interior padding. In addition, this special pendant also ships with one of our Apollo 11 Buzz Aldrin specimen display cards, featuring stunning Apollo 11 imagery and key mission details, along with a signed certificate bearing our seal of authenticity.
Every pendant has been handmade here at Mini Museum by our jewelry crafter and each is a unique work of art.
More material from Apollo 11 and other missions can be found in the collection below. Additional information on the Apollo program can also be found further on in this page.
FRONT OF THE INFORMATION CARD
INSIDE LEFT OF THE INFORMATION CARD
INSIDE RIGHT OF THE INFORMATION CARD
BACK OF THE INFORMATION CARD
LAUNCH: July 16, 1969 - LUNAR LANDING: July 20, 1969 - SPLASHDOWN: July 24, 1969 - TOTAL DISTANCE: 953,054 Miles
Apollo 11
"Beautiful view... Magnificent desolation" ~ Buzz Aldrin
Tranquillityite
Buzz Aldrin Apollo 11 Command Module Gold Pendant
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 and Service Modules (CSM) as photographed from the Lunar Module (LM)
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.
As pictured, we've elected to display the material "gold" side out as it accurately depicts the way it was found on recovery. If you prefer the aluminized side, you can easily flip it over, but do be extremely cautious as the kapton foil floats away at the slightest breeze.
Please Note: The magnified lid is secured to the acrylic cube with special tape, but the specimen inside is directly accessible. If you choose to remove the lid to examine the specimen, please use extreme caution.This cannot be stressed enough. Kapton foil is very light and can easily escape. In addition, due to the delicate nature of the material, fragments can vary in shape.
Kapton foil was used on both the Lunar Module (LM) and the Command Module (CM). NASA Technical Note D-7564 "Apollo experience report: Thermal protection subsystem " (1974), describes the usage in this way:
"This low ratio is achieved with a pressure-sensitive Kapton polyimide tape that is coated with aluminum and oxidized silicon monoxide and that is applied over the entire external surface of the ablator. The installation of a boost protective cover over the conical portion of the CM prevents contamination of the thermal-control coating and the CM windows by aerodynamic heating during boost and by the tower jettison engine plume." (See Page 5, Fig. 4)
