Apollo 8

A piece of the first spacecraft to journey to the Moon

This lucite was made by Howard E Spencer, a member of the North American Rockwell recovery team. The lucite contains a photo of Spencer standing next to the Apollo 8 CM, as well as an ablator plug which he removed after the flight.

Coming home to Earth after visiting another world

Description from the individual we received this item from:
"During the mid-1960s, I was fortunate enough to be Director of Advanced Systems at North American Aviation, Inc. Space and Information Systems Division in Downey California. During that time I received many models, paintings and publications related to our company’s historic work on the Apollo Moon landing program, and the visionary work we were doing on what space exploration would follow it. Most of what I received were company property and were rightly left for my successor. But a few items were specifically personal gifts, albeit from those whose "day-jobs" often involved the space race. Here is one such item. A framed, 18" X 36", oil painting on tempered masonite representing the Apollo Command Module returning to Earth from the Moon and beginning its fiery atmospheric descent. The artist is and has been unknown to me. It was done on his own time, and is unsigned (although there are a few areas that look as if they could be a name, but undecipherable to me). This painting has hung in my home office for more than 40 years, bringing me awe and excitement every time I glance at it. "