Buzz Aldrin's Apollo 11 Mission-Saving Pen Up For Auction

Buzz Aldrin's felt-tip pen, instrumental in saving the Apollo 11 mission, is set to be auctioned at Sotheby's in New York on Wednesday. This Duro Rocket pen, used by Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, was crucial in repairing a broken circuit breaker, preventing Neil Armstrong and Aldrin from being stranded on the lunar surface in 1969. The pen, described as dented silver plastic, comes from Aldrin's personal collection and is expected to achieve a sale price between $800,000 and $1.2 million. The auction will also include the broken piece of circuit breaker that Aldrin repaired.

Sotheby's has estimated the value of the pen, highlighting its historical significance as a tool that ensured the safe return of the Apollo 11 astronauts. The Apollo 11 mission, which took place in July 1969, marked a pivotal moment in space exploration, with Aldrin and Armstrong becoming the first humans to land and walk on the Moon. The successful repair of the circuit breaker with the pen is a testament to the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the astronauts during critical mission phases.

The pen's inclusion in the auction underscores the enduring fascination with space exploration artifacts and the Apollo program. Items directly associated with such historic missions often command significant interest from collectors and institutions. The sale offers a unique opportunity for a bidder to acquire a tangible piece of history that played a direct role in one of humanity's greatest achievements.