Substantial and well-documented segment from an outer perimeter section of heat shield from the Faith 7 capsule used for Gordon Cooper’s Mercury Atlas-9 flight, measuring approximately 2 x 2.25 x 1. Accompanied by a letter of authenticity from retired NASA production controller William R. Whipkey, in part: “Several sections of the heat shield were…examined to determine their performance during the re-entry phase of the flight which heated the ablative material to temperatures exceeding 2000 degrees fahrenheit. The aluminum honeycomb and fiberglass composite material clearly showed the stress of re-entry on its charred exterior surface. After the heat shield testing was completed several of those pieces were given to me to be made into presentations…Several sections of the heat shield were never used and have remained in my possession since 1963.” Additional documentation includes diagrams and schematics showing where this piece was located on the capsule. RR Auction COA.
