Space auction promises the moon: Astronauts sign on, suit up for charity

COURTESY PHOTO Auction item lot 6: Fly High with Astronaut Sam Gemar in a 1942 Bi-Plane. Ever wanted to shoot the breeze with a legendary moonwalker? Own a genuine relic of space travel from an astronaut’s personal collection? Don a real astronaut flight suit? Now’s your chance to bid on these and other cool space artifacts in the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation’s seventh annual Astronaut Experiences and Memorabilia Auction at www.astronautscholarship. org/auction.

Like no auction around, this one offers unique lots like Diamond Seats at an Astros’ Baseball Game with the last man to walk on the moon, Gene Cernan; dinner with Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell; an American flag that flew to the moon; and the first female space shuttle pilot and commander’s NASA training shirt.

“Every last penny raised from this auction will go directly to support college students pursuing degrees in science and technology,” said Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke. “There are only so many space artifacts out there, so this is a way for folks to obtain an authentic space item while helping a great organization.”

Mr. Duke is one of 70 astronauts from the Mercury to Space Shuttle programs, who have donated an artifact, signature or time to this cause. Twelve of the 50 auction lots are one-on-one experiences with hero astronauts, while the others boast autographed memorabilia, items flown into space and astronauts’ personal relics.

All the lots are available for viewing now at www.astronautscholarship.org/ auction. The launch window for bidding closes Nov. 7 at 10 p.m. Winning bids, over fair market value, should be considered a charitable donation.

All auction proceeds go directly to support the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, a 501(c)(3), nonprofit organization established in 1984 by the six surviving members of America’s original Mercury astronauts. Its mission is to aid the United States in retaining its world leadership in science and technology by providing scholarships for college students who exhibit motivation, imagination, and exceptional performance in these fields. Today, more than 80 astronauts from the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Space Shuttle and Space Station programs have joined in this educational endeavor and in all, have disbursed $2.8 million to students nationwide. For more information, call (321) 455-7015 or visit www.AstronautScholarship.org. 