Neil Armstrong’s wife found bag containing strange items that were supposed to be left on the moon
Experts were blindsided after Neil Armstrong's widow discovered a bag of technical items that were originally supposed to have been left on the Moon.
The historical items, which had been left in one of Neil's closets, might never have seen the light of day if she hadn't realised their significance and emailed a curator at the Smithsonian museum.
American astronaut and aeronautical engineer Neil died in August 2012 following a bypass surgery, aimed to relieve coronary artery disease.
Advert
Despite a successful procedure, the history-maker sadly passed away due to complications, aged 82.
After his passing, his widow Carol found a bag of his belongings when clearing out the closet of her Ohio home, the contents of which were intended for use in outer space.
The bag was full of power cables and utility clamps and she was initially unsure if they were of interest.
But realising they'd been hidden for over four decades, she was later informed that the items were 'priceless mementos' from her late other-half's space mission.
The Apollo 11 mission saw Neil become the first man to ever walk on the Moon on 20 July 1969.
Inside the bag Carol discovered were items previously carried in the Eagle lunar module to the Moon.
Neil's 16mm camera, a 10mm lens and a lens shade - believed to have filmed his descent onto the Moon's surface - were also discovered, along with some netting and a waist tether, the latter of which was used to help him plant the US flag.
The purse containing the items was named after Apollo 9 commander Jim McDivit, who developed the bag for astronauts to temporarily carry spare items.
Mr Needell said: “As far as we know, Neil has never discussed the existence of these items and no one else has seen them in the 45 years since he returned from the Moon.”
Armstrong had not mentioned the items to his biographer James Hansen.
According to reports, these items were originally supposed to have been left on the Moon, so as not to add extra weight to the spacecraft following its launch and return to planet Earth. But they eventually decided to take it back with them.
The items are said to have been 'of priceless historical value'. Museum curator Allan Needell told press of the importance of the find.
"Seeing such things with one’s own eyes helps us to appreciate that these accomplishments are not just books or movies, but involved real people and real things, and that they involved an extraordinary amount of detailed engineering and planning," he said.
"For a curator of a collection of space artefacts, it is hard to imagine anything more exciting."
Needell went on to claim that Neil had never discussed the existence of these items, and that 'no one else has seen them in the 45 years since he returned from the Moon'.
He continued: "Each and every item has its own story and significance, and they are described with photographs in extraordinary detail in an addendum to the Apollo Lunar Surface Journal."
Topics: Science, Space, Technology, US News
Rhianna Benson