Artifacts & Specimen

 Rare Lunar Meteorite Material! The Moon has captured the human eye for millennia. It hangs in the night sky as Earth's singular and beautiful natural satellite. Our moon is uncommonly large proportional to our planet, a fact owed to its likely origin as an asteroid. When we look up to it, we can see the light "terra" and dark "mare," both sections of igneous rock. Since our earliest days, our ancestors have been entranced by our lunar neighbor, transforming from crescent slivers to a full-bodied circle in the sky. Atmospheric conditions can tint the Moon into striking colors, one of the rarest of which is the blue moon.This necklace contains a hand-crafted pendant that contains lunar dust material. It comes from the lunar meteorite NWA 5000, which originated on the light colored highlands of the Moon. The material has been set against a beautiful blue background, capturing the essence of the blue moon phenomenon.

Read more less

After being bested in the race to the Moon, the Soviet space program turned its attention to space stations with the Salyut program. Salyut 7 was a part of a new generation of crafts, a low-earth-orbiting scientific laboratory complete with telescopes, cameras, and even a greenhouse.Once the Mir space station was online, Salyut 7 was abandoned to eventually burn up in the atmosphere, its pieces scattering over Capitán Bermúdez, Argentina. This specimen is a piece of the spacecraft, recovered after its impact.

Read more less

Above: Front of the Specimen Card The Space Shuttle Endeavour (OV-105) was the final of the orbiters to be built, replacing the Challenger shuttle. Named for Captain James Cook’s HMS Endeavour, the shuttle’s career included the first repair mission for the Hubble Space Telescope and the addition of the Unity Module to the ISS, the first American addition to the space station. The Endeavour also flew Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space. This specimen is a piece of insulation blanket that was part of Endeavour’s Thermal Control System. The TCS helped the ship withstand the extreme increase in temperatures during atmospheric reentry and the TCS blanket was applied to the inside of the shuttle to protect internal components and systems. Softgoods such as the blanket were a simple and efficient way to provide lightweight insulation to delicate items. NASA disposition paperwork received with this item indicates this particular blanket was removed after STS-99 which flew on 02/11/2000, which was this shuttle’s last solo mission. As pictured below, each hand-cut specimen is housed in an acrylic jar and ships in a classic, glass-topped riker display case. The specimens measure roughly 1x1cm though variations may occur. A small information card is also included, which serves as the certificate of authenticity. Special Handling Notice: It's very important to note that this was a multi-layer insulation blanket so we've elected to provide multiple layers with each specimen. All specimens will have a layer of aluminized Kapton foil and a layer of fibrous bulk material. It's also possible that there may be a fragment of the Dacron net separator, but we've tried to remove that as it is quite brittle. In any case, if you choose to open the specimen jar, take great care. The Kapton is very light and slightly brittle with age and use. It may fly away or even break into smaller pieces. More about Space Shuttle Program and Endeavour (OV-105) After the close of the Apollo program, NASA turned its focus from lunar landings to research and observation. The vessel for this new focus would be the Space Shuttle, a multi-use vehicle designed to carry astronauts and scientific equipment to and from Earth's orbit. Due to their reusable design, the orbiters were amazing tools for furthering our scientific understanding of the stars.  NASA's Space Shuttle program delivered 133 successful missions during its three decades in operation, beginning with Columbia's inaugural mission in 1981 and concluding with Atlantis' in 2011. Missions involved many vital tasks, such as maintaining the International Space Station, repairing the Hubble Space Telescope, and deploying satellites. Scientific experiments featured heavily in the rotation, using the reusable Spacelab developed by the ESA.  As noted above, the Space Shuttle Endeavour was the final of the orbiters to be built, replacing the Challenger shuttle. As a cost-saving measure, much of the shuttle was built from leftover parts from the other orbiters. Named for Captain James Cook’s HMS Endeavour, the shuttle’s career included the first repair mission for the Hubble Space Telescope and the addition of the Unity Module to the ISS, the first American addition to the space station. The Endeavour also flew Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space. Over its active years, Endeavour orbited Earth 4,671 times, traveling approximately 120 million miles. The shuttle weighed about 156 thousand pounds, boasting a wingspan of about 80 feet and a length of about 120 feet. Endeavour can now be seen at the California Science Center, where it is open for display to the public. Further Reading Lamoreux, James C., James D. Siekierski, and JP Nick Carter. "Space Shuttle thermal protection system inspection by 3D imaging laser radar." Laser Radar Technology and Applications IX. Vol. 5412. SPIE, 2004.PITTS, W., and D. KOURTIDES. "Ceramic insulation/multifoil composite for thermal protection of reentry spacecraft." 24th Thermophysics Conference. 1989.Linton, Roger C., Ann F. Whitaker, and Miria M. Finckenor. "Space environment durability of beta cloth in LDEF thermal blankets." LDEF Materials Results for Spacecraft Applications (1993).Harris, Richard, Michael Stewart, and William Koenig. "Thermal Protection Systems Technology Transfer from Apollo and Space Shuttle to the Orion Program." 2018 AIAA SPACE and Astronautics Forum and Exposition. 2018.Jenkins, Dennis R. Space shuttle: the history of the National Space Transportation System: the first 100 missions. DR Jenkins, 2001.Jenkins, Dennis R. Space Shuttle: Developing an Icon: 1972-2013. Specialty Press, 2016. Above: Back of the Specimen Card

Read more less

Above: Front of the Specimen Card With a career that spanned nearly three decades from 1984 to 2011, the Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103) accrued more space flights than any other craft in the program. Discovery orbited the Earth 5,830 times, traveling approximately 150 million miles. This specimen is a fragment from a mission-flown payload liner of the Discovery. Made of fire-resistant beta cloth, this material covered insulation and kept the payload area clean and pristine. NASA disposition paperwork received with this item indicates this particular piece of the payload liner was removed after Discovery’s mission to deploy numerous science instruments (STS-85), which flew on August 7, 1997. As pictured below, each hand-cut specimen is housed in an acrylic jar and ships in a classic, glass-topped riker display case. Specimens measure roughly 1x1cm in size though variations may occur. As pictured, some specimens will have black seams while others will be completely white. A small information card is also included, which serves as the certificate of authenticity. More about Space Shuttle Program and Discovery (OV-103) After the close of the Apollo program, NASA turned its focus from lunar landings to research and observation. The vessel for this new focus would be the Space Shuttle, a multi-use vehicle designed to carry astronauts and scientific equipment to and from Earth's orbit. Due to their reusable design, the orbiters were amazing tools for furthering our scientific understanding of the stars.  NASA's Space Shuttle program delivered 133 successful missions during its three decades in operation, beginning with Columbia's inaugural mission in 1981 and concluding with Atlantis' in 2011. Missions involved many vital tasks, such as maintaining the International Space Station, repairing the Hubble Space Telescope, and deploying satellites. Scientific experiments featured heavily in the rotation, using the reusable Spacelab developed by the ESA.  As noted above, Discovery had a long career spanning nearly three decades from 1984 to 2011. During this time, the orbiter accrued more space flights than any other craft in the program. Discovery orbited the Earth 5,830 times, traveling approximately 150 million miles. The shuttle weighed about 170 thousand pounds, boasting a wingspan of about 80 feet and a length of about 120 feet. Among its many missions, the Discovery carried the Hubble Telescope into orbit (STS-31) and took on the hundredth shuttle mission (STS-92).  Today, the Discovery can be found at the Smithsonian’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Fairfax County, Virginia. Coincidentally, this is very close to Mini Museum HQ so the Discovery holds a special place in our hearts! Further Reading Mullane, Mike. Riding rockets: the outrageous tales of a space shuttle astronaut. Simon and Schuster, 2007. Lamoreux, James C., James D. Siekierski, and JP Nick Carter. "Space Shuttle thermal protection system inspection by 3D imaging laser radar." Laser Radar Technology and Applications IX. Vol. 5412. SPIE, 2004.PITTS, W., and D. KOURTIDES. "Ceramic insulation/multifoil composite for thermal protection of reentry spacecraft." 24th Thermophysics Conference. 1989.Linton, Roger C., Ann F. Whitaker, and Miria M. Finckenor. "Space environment durability of beta cloth in LDEF thermal blankets." LDEF Materials Results for Spacecraft Applications (1993).Harris, Richard, Michael Stewart, and William Koenig. "Thermal Protection Systems Technology Transfer from Apollo and Space Shuttle to the Orion Program." 2018 AIAA SPACE and Astronautics Forum and Exposition. 2018.Jenkins, Dennis R. Space shuttle: the history of the National Space Transportation System: the first 100 missions. DR Jenkins, 2001.Jenkins, Dennis R. Space Shuttle: Developing an Icon: 1972-2013. Specialty Press, 2016. Above: Back of the Specimen Card

Read more less

  This specimen comes from a mission-flown, Space Shuttle nose landing gear tire which was removed from service after the Space Shuttle Columbia's 13th mission, STS-52. The specimen is encased in an acrylic specimen jar and housed in a 4" x 3" x 1" glass-topped riker box. A small information card is also included. The material is layered (in this case 20-ply) and highly irregular. Our target size is approximately 1x1 cm, but there will be variation in width, length, thickness, and texture. Some specimens may exhibit small metallic bands from the interior of the tire while others may be completely smooth. This makes each specimen absolutely unique.

Read more less

This specimen is a fragment of the black, reaction cured glass coating of the HRSI Space Shuttle Tile which appears in the Fourth Edition of the Mini Museum.  NASA disposition paperwork accompanying the tile indicates it was removed after the Space Shuttle Columbia’s 7th mission, STS-61-C, which flew on January 12, 1986. As pictured, the item is roughly the size of a standard Mini Museum specimen (4-5mm). The glass coating is very thin, so for protection, this item will be enclosed in an acrylic specimen jar. The jar is housed in a glass-topped riker display box measuring 4x3x1 (inches). A small information card will accompany the specimen, which also serves as the certificate of authenticity.

Read more less

Above: Front of the Specimen Card featuring NASA image STS07-32-1702. Taken on June 22, 1983, during STS-7. The Space Shuttle Challenger (OV-099) was the second of the space shuttles in the program to enter orbit, embarking on its maiden voyage on April 4, 1983. Over the course of its ten missions, the shuttle gathered scientific data, repaired satellites, and brought the first African-American to space, Guion Bluford. This specimen is a mission-flown tile fragment from the Space Shuttle Challenger. Known as a low-temperature surface insulation tile (LRSI), the tile is comprised of low-density silica. The tiles protected parts of the orbiter exposed to temperatures in excess of 1,200°F and below 0°F. Above: Space Shuttle Challenger LRSI Tile with typical NASA scrap tags. Each tile was unique, specifically designed to meet the exact shape, weight, and temperature resistance required at its location on the craft. NASA disposition paperwork received with this item indicates this particular tile was removed after the Challenger’s sixth mission (STS-41-G) which flew on October 5, 1984. Above: Closeup of the reverse side of the tile. The red coating is actually a silicone adhesive called RTV 560. This phenyl methyl silicone is filled with iron oxide, hence the red color. It has high heat conductivity and was used as the main TPS adhesive. You can read more about these adhesives and much more in the NASA Technical Report "Outgassing Products from Orbiter TPS Materials". It's not unusual to have tiles replaced as they are designed just for this purpose, but STS-41-G was unusual as a significant number of tiles were damaged during the mission. After careful review, NASA engineers discovered that faulty waterproofing used throughout the Thermal Protection System (TPS) allowed debonding of the tiles. To correct the problem, workers removed and replaced over 4,000 tiles. As pictured below, each hand-cut specimen is housed in an acrylic jar and ships in a classic, glass-topped riker display case. Specimens measure roughly, 6mmx5mm though variations in shape will occur as the material is rather difficult to cut. A small information card is also included, which serves as the certificate of authenticity. Above: Why yes, we do have an original NASA cafeteria tray at MMHQ. What else would we use for special luncheons? Special Handling Notice: We have not stabilized this material. So while the silica is not toxic, it will powder under pressure. If you choose to handle the specimen, please do so with extreme care. We also recommend using gloves as the silica will coat your fingers and can be irritating. More about Space Shuttle Program and Challenger (OV-099) "What are we doing here? We're reaching for the stars." ~ Christa McAuliffe (1948-1986) (Source: TIME Magazine February 10, 1986) Above: The first launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger (STS-6,  April 4, 1983). (Source Department of Defense image DF-SC-84-01865) After the close of the Apollo program, NASA turned its focus from lunar landings to research and observation. The vessel for this new focus would be the Space Shuttle, a multi-use vehicle designed to carry astronauts and scientific equipment to and from Earth's orbit. Due to their reusable design, the orbiters were amazing tools for furthering our scientific understanding of the stars.  NASA's Space Shuttle program delivered 133 successful missions during its three decades in operation, beginning with Columbia's inaugural mission in 1981 and concluding with Atlantis' final mission in 2011. Missions involved many vital tasks, such as maintaining the International Space Station, repairing the Hubble Space Telescope, and deploying satellites. Scientific experiments featured heavily in the rotation, using the reusable Spacelab developed by the ESA. Above: Challenger hitches a ride on NASA's Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), NASA 905. The ferry flight took the orbiter to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for its first launch. (NASA Image EC82-21135 July 4, 1982) As noted above, the Space Shuttle Challenger was the second of the space shuttles in the program to enter orbit, embarking on its maiden voyage on April 4, 1983. Over the course of its ten missions, the shuttle gathered scientific data, repaired satellites, and brought the first African-American to space, Guion Bluford. However, despite Challenger’s many achievements, it is remembered in history for its tragic final flight. Above: STS-51L crew members Michael J. Smith, front row left, Francis R. "Dick" Scobee, Ronald E. McNair; Ellison S. Onizuka, back row left, S. Christa McAuliffe, Gregory B. Jarvis, and Judith A. Resnik. (NASA Image S85-44253 November, 1985) On January 28, 1986, Challenger began its final flight (STS-51L), disintegrating 73 seconds after takeoff. The explosion was caused by the failure of O-ring seals in the shuttle’s rocket booster, which allowed pressurized gas to burn through to the booster’s fuel tank. This horrific event ended with the deaths of all onboard crew members, which led to a brief suspension of shuttle flights and an overhaul of both the program itself and NASA’s organizational structure. In 2021, John Uri of the NASA Johnson Space Center posted this touching retrospective of the crew from STS-51L on the 35th anniversary of the disaster. We invite you to read more here: "35 Years Ago: Remembering Challenger and Her Crew". Further Reading McDonald, Allan J., and James R. Hansen. Truth, Lies, and O-rings: inside the space shuttle challenger disaster. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2009.Vaughan, Diane. The Challenger launch decision: Risky technology, culture, and deviance at NASA. University of Chicago Press, 1996.Lamoreux, James C., James D. Siekierski, and JP Nick Carter. "Space Shuttle thermal protection system inspection by 3D imaging laser radar." Laser Radar Technology and Applications IX. Vol. 5412. SPIE, 2004.PITTS, W., and D. KOURTIDES. "Ceramic insulation/multifoil composite for thermal protection of reentry spacecraft." 24th Thermophysics Conference. 1989.Linton, Roger C., Ann F. Whitaker, and Miria M. Finckenor. "Space environment durability of beta cloth in LDEF thermal blankets." LDEF Materials Results for Spacecraft Applications (1993).Harris, Richard, Michael Stewart, and William Koenig. "Thermal Protection Systems Technology Transfer from Apollo and Space Shuttle to the Orion Program." 2018 AIAA SPACE and Astronautics Forum and Exposition. 2018.Jenkins, Dennis R. Space shuttle: the history of the National Space Transportation System: the first 100 missions. DR Jenkins, 2001.Jenkins, Dennis R. Space Shuttle: Developing an Icon: 1972-2013. Specialty Press, 2016. Above: Back of the Specimen Card

Read more less

 Rare Lunar Meteorite Material! The Moon has captured the human eye for millennia. It hangs in the night sky as Earth's singular and beautiful natural satellite. Our moon is uncommonly large proportional to our planet, a fact owed to its likely origin as an asteroid. When we look up to it, we can see the light "terra" and dark "mare," both sections of igneous rock. This necklace contains a hand-crafted pendant which contains lunar dust material. It comes from the lunar meteorite NWA 5000 which originated on the light colored highlands of the Moon. The pendant was created based off a LiDAR scan of the Moon's surface, which gives it a unique and scientifically accurate look. We’ve captured the Moon’s craters, valleys, and mountains in all their lunar glory, and put them right on your neck!

Read more less

The Allende meteorite landed on our planet in 1969, but its origin goes all the way back to the birth of the Sun. Encased in resin with a glimmering shine, this specimen is a piece of the building blocks of our solar system.4.6 billion years ago, the solar system was a cloud of gas, dust, and heat. Over time, this material accumulated into asteroids, planets, and our star. Geologic processes melted and reformed much of the original material of our solar system, but some small pieces from that time remained in chondritic meteorites like Allende.This item contains authentic meteorite dust from the Allende meteorite. The specimen contains an artistic glitter pattern to represent the formation of our solar system from dust and gas.

Read more less