# The Pen That Saved Apollo 11 Astronauts Goes to Auction Historic space artifacts hit the auction block in New York. - **Source:** [Popular Science](https://brifing.si/source/cc3d313a-759c-4802-b881-fc8585f35ef9) - **Published:** 2026-07-14 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/e5ddfdd0-ae41-4dc2-8513-f03b55bb1c1a ## Apollo 11's Critical Moment During the 1969 moon landing, Buzz Aldrin accidentally broke a circuit breaker that could have ended the mission. He jammed a pen into the panel to create a makeshift switch, saving the crew. Armstrong later called this move 'a little insurance.' ## Flag from First American Spacewalk The silk American flag flown on Gemini IV mission symbolizes Edward White's first spacewalk. Signed by mission commander Jim McDivitt, this artifact represents a pivotal moment in space exploration history. ## First Window Cleaning in Space During Gemini XII, Buzz Aldrin used a cloth to wipe mysterious yellow substance from the spacecraft window. NASA later identified it as propellant exhaust from the Titan II launch vehicle. ## Heat Shield from First Moon Mission Apollo 8's ablative heat shield plug played a crucial role in humanity's first journey to the moon in 1968. This artifact protected the command module during re-entry. ## Cold War Diplomatic Gesture Buzz Aldrin carried a USSR flag to the moon alongside the US flag during Apollo 11. This act symbolized that space achievement transcended national boundaries. ## Tangible Legacy of Space History These auction items represent milestones in human space exploration. Each artifact embodies engineering triumphs and international cooperation that pushed technological boundaries. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.popsci.com/science/apollo-11-pen-auction/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._