Bob Harvey NASA memorabilia to auction next month

The NASA memorabilia collection will be sold by the wife of technician Bob Harvey, who died mysteriously

A superb collection of space memorabilia is to be sold by the widow of NASA technician Bob Harvey, killed in mysterious circumstances at Cape Canaveral.

Why were Bob's shoes returned in pristine condition weeks after his death?

The September 19 auction will be held in Kent, UK and is set to reignite interest in the unexplained death. In 1997 Harvey, a rocket fuel technician for the NASA space programme, was found dead on a platform near the top of a Titan rocket with a six-inch gash to the back of his head.

What exactly happened on that day has never been fully explained despite Yvonne Harvey, Bob's widow, attempting to get to the bottom of her husband's death.

Following the incident, all of Bob's clothes were returned, except for his shoes, which were only presented to Yvonne weeks later with the help of her lawyer. They were returned in pristine condition, which is thought to be a vital clue in the mystery surrounding the death, which the auction house describes as "either incompetence or a cover up to avoid the large sums in compensation for negligence that would have been due".

Bob Harvey is commemorated by a brick in the Spacewalk of Honour in Florida.

Key items from Harvey's collection include a US flag flown for the launch of the shuttle Columbia, which was presented to Yvonne by NASA employees at Bob's funeral.

Also featuring is a photograph of the Gemini 11 lift-off in 1966, which has been signed and dedicated to Bob Harvey in thanks for his contribution by the third man on the Moon, Pete Conrad, and fellow crew member Richard Gordon.

Charles "Pete" Conrad was originally due to be the first man on the Moon, but a delay in completing the lunar module caused the flights to be switched and Neil Armstrong was then sent in his place.

Paul Fraser Collectibles has a fantastic collection of Apollo 12 signed photographs, which includes an excellent shot of Pete Conrad - the first man to dance on the Moon.

Those wishing to commemorate the tragic passing of Neil Armstrong on August 25 by investing in his remarkable legacy will want to view our stunning collection of his memorabilia. We are currently offering a 1969 cover of Life magazine, signed by all three members of the Apollo 11 crew. We even have the scissors and comb used by Neil Armstrong's barber, as well as authentic strands of his hair.

Recent and related articles

·  Top 5: Collectible astronauts | 28 August 2012

·  Michael P Wright's space collection | 25 July 2012

·  Apollo 13 mission collectibles - what is their long term value? | 25 July 2012

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Images: Grand Auctions