Piece Of Historic Spacecraft Up For Grabs

A piece of the first spacecraft to land on the moon is expected to fetch up to £1,200 at auction. The scrap of Kapton Foil from the Apollo 11 will come with a signed endorsement from crew member Buzz Aldrin.

The gold-like tape was attached to the module from the Apollo 11 mission which put the first men on the moon in 1969.

Restored Nasa photo of the 1969 landing watched live by millions back on earth

Coated with aluminium and oxidised silicon monoxide, it protected the command module during its re-entry into the earth's atmosphere on July 24 1969.

Although most of it burnt off, members of the spaceshuttle recovery team collected bits as souvenirs.

A letter, typed on an "Apollo XI" letterhead, talks about the role of the fragile Kapton Foil, most of which burned away during the 25,000mph re-entry.

Buzz Aldrin on the moon

The letter, signed in black ink by Aldrin, states: "A small portion of it survived and was salvaged by the North American Recovery team on board the aircraft carrier Hornet, and carefully preserved for posterity."

With an estimated value of between £900 and £1,200, it will be sold at auction on November 14 by Henry Aldridge and Son, in Devizes, Wiltshire.

A signed photograph of the crew of the Apollo 12, the second manned mission to land on the moon, will also be offered for sale. ( sky.com )