Charles Conrad’s flown tie-down strap that was carried to the moon’s surface and exposed to the vacuum of space while in use inside the Lunar Module Intrepid during the historic Apollo 12 mission. The beta cloth strap, 10.5″ in length, with parts tag, “P/N SEB 33100015-302, S/N 1140,” features snap fasteners to the middle section and ends, the right side bearing a single swatch of Velcro; of extreme interest is the strap’s once-crisp white parts tag that now features evidence of embedded lunar dust, its grayed complexion the result of the moon's fine dust floating into the Intrepid during EVA transfer. The strap is mounted to a certificate of authenticity signed in black felt tip, “Charles Conrad, Jr., Cdr. Apollo XII,” who states, in part: “I hereby certify that the attached ‘Tie-Down Strap’…was used inside the Apollo 12 Lunar Module "Intrepid" on The Ocean of Storms, Moon, during the Apollo 12 lunar landing of November 18-19, 1969, mankind's historic second landing on the surface of another world. This strap, then, spent nearly two days securing items inside the Lunar Module in the one-sixth gravity environment of the Moon. During our voyage, it spent 10 days in space, traveled over a half-million miles, moving at speeds approaching 25,000 mph during our acceleration from Earth into deep space, and once again during our fiery reentry into Earth's atmosphere. It is from my personal collection of Apollo 12 artifacts returned from the Moon.” Archivally framed together to an overall size of 17.75″ x 23.25″. In fine condition. Accompanied by an image of Conrad taken at the time of signing.
Apollo XII was the first lunar landing to perform two extensive surface explorations where Conrad and Bean accumulated a large amount of lunar dust on their space suits and flight equipment. During their 31-hour surface stay, this strap was exposed to lunar dust carried into the LM by the crew.
From the lifetime collection of noted space collector Jim Ruddy.
