Two painted cut-sections of the American flag removed from the fuselage of the Space Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis, which flew a total of 33 missions, beginning with STS-51-J on October 3, 1985, and ending with STS-135 on July 21, 2011. The patriotically colored sections, measuring .75 x 2 and 1.25 x 2.5, originate from an Orbiter vehicle flag that was painted on a Nomex felt blanket attached to the mid-fuselage area (above the upper left wing) of the Atlantis. The flag was painted with a Dow Corning 3140 silicon base material colored with added pigment; essentially the same paint used to coat automobile engines and aircraft, which can withstand temperatures in space of up to 800 degrees Fahrenheit. The pieces are attached to a presentation sheet prepared and signed by aerospace memorabilia specialist Ken Havekotte, which is matted and framed with NASA and American flag patches to an overall size of 13 x 19. In overall fine condition.
