Flown swatches of film carried to the lunar surface aboard the Lunar Modules Eagle and Challenger during the historic Apollo 11 and 17 missions. The Eagle swatch measures .25″ x .25″ and the Challenger swatch measures 1.25″ x .25″, both of which are individually affixed to 8.5″ x 11″ certificates of authenticity signed in ballpoint by Richard W. Underwood, Supervisory Aerospace Technologist at the Johnson Space Center. The certificates detail the chronology of the film from after liftoff until their return on board their respective command modules, Columbia and America. The Apollo 11 certificate features facsimile signatures of the full crew. In overall fine condition. Accompanied by a rare signed certificate of authenticity from Underwood, which affirms the flown status of both film swatches: “This constitutes both the FIRST and LAST film to be taken to the surface of the Moon by the Apollo Astronauts. I personally removed these small pieces of film from the unexposed, but processed portion of the ORIGINAL film in 1969 and 1973.” Underwood was responsible for developing the Apollo photographs—in fact, he was the first person to view every photograph from the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz, and the first 23 space shuttle missions.
