Apollo 13 mission commentary could bring $43,000 to Christie's

The mission commentary from the near-disastrous Apollo 13 mission is one of the unusual highlights in Christie's recently announced Out of the Ordinary sale.

Apollo 13 mission transcript
The Apollo 13 mission almost ended with the death of its crew after an oxygen tank burst



The sale will be held on September 3, with the lots on show at Christie's London from August 4 up until the day of the auction. A portion of the lots will be offered online, with bidding open until September 10.

The mission commentary, a fascinating insight into one of the most intriguing space ventures in NASA history, is estimated at £15,000-25,000 ($25,750-42,920).

The transcript begins even before the lift-off and continues through to the launch on April 11, as well as recording the now-famous "Houston, we've had a problem" line at 9pm on April 13.

The mission's failure was due to an oxygen tank exploding, with the crew enduring limited power, loss of cabin heat, water shortages, and having to use considerable ingenuity to jury rig their equipment.

Further space highlights include a pen used on the Apollo 17 mission, helping astronauts complete scientific research. Sharing an identical estimate to the Apollo 13 transcript, the pen will face fierce bidding, with any item flown to the Moon much coveted by collectors.

A meteorite discovered by Spanish explorers in Argentina in 1572 will also sell, estimated at £10,000-15,000 ($17,165-25,750). It fell to Eath between 6,000 and 4,000 years ago, but is thought to be around 14m years old.

See our space & aviation memorabilia for sale and take home a new addition to your collection.


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