Checklist that helped save Apollo 13 on auction

[November 23, 2011]  DALLAS (AP) -- A checklist upon which Apollo 13 commander James Lovell made calculations that helped guide the damaged spacecraft home in 1970 will be offered on auction Nov. 30.

A statement on Tuesday from Dallas-based Heritage Auctions says the item is part of a batch of U.S. space program artifacts being offered as part of a "Space Signature Auction."

Lovell used the checklist to move guidance data from the stricken Command/Service Module to the guidance system of the Lunar Excursion Module. The aim was to use the usually discarded lunar module's system to pilot the command module back to earth after it was crippled by a fuel cell explosion.

The Heritage statement says the checklist, now owned by Lovell, was expected to bring a winning bid exceeding $25,000.

[Associated Press]

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