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Lot 17: Apollo 13 Cover Set Signed by Astronaut Fred Haise

Each of the 3.5 x 6.5'' Official Commemorative Covers issued by the NASA Manned Spacecraft Center Stamp Club in this two-piece set has been signed by Apollo 13 Lunar Module Pilot Fred Haise. The first cover, ink-stamped "LAUNCH," features a large, full-color Apollo 13 mission insignia. It is postmarked Houston, Tex. on April 11, 1970, the date of Apollo 13's launch, and includes a six cent, Apollo 8 postage stamp displaying the Earth as viewed from the Moon and the words, "In the beginning God..."

The second cover also features the Apollo 13 mission insignia and has dual postmarks as well as a set of ink-stamps in red. Under "MISSION ABORTED" is a postmark dated April 13, 1970, the day Apollo 13 was forced to abort its mission after an oxygen tank exploded. The second postmark is dated April 17, 1970 and accompanies the stamp reading "SPLASHDOWN," as this was the day that Apollo 13 beat all odds and landed in the South Pacific.

Apollo 13, America's third lunar landing attempt, was forced to abort its mission when an oxygen tank exploded aboard Odyssey's Service Module more than 200,000 miles from Earth on its outbound journey. This caused the spacecraft to lose its electrical power, oxygen and water supplies. Astronauts Haise, James Lovell and Jack Swigert were forced to use the Lunar Module Aquarius as a lifeboat for the 500,000-mile voyage home. After a slingshot maneuver around the moon, the crew returned safely to Earth when their CM splashed down in the Pacific Ocean.

The covers have been professionally mounted together, with a black and gold double-matte and placed in a black frame using archival methods and materials. The overall size of this cover presentation is approximately 11 3/4 x 15 3/4".

A Certificate of Authenticity signed by Astronaut Scholarship Foundation Executive Director Linn LeBlanc accompanies this lot.

ASF reserves the right to disqualify the high bidder, to reject the high bid, and to accept a bid from a lower bidder, for any reason within their discretion, which shall be exercised in good faith.

Bid History

Bidding on this lot concluded on March 15, 2013 at 10:00 PM EDT.

Bidders: 11 Bids: 29 Winning Bid: $715

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