BOSTON, MASS.- RR Auction's spring Space and Aviation sale brings 700+ items to the auction block, including many offered publicly for the first time with online bidding April 15 through April 22.

The auction is headlined by Apollo 15 CMP Al Worden's collection, filled with flown items, personal mementos, and autographs.

Born and raised on a farm outside Jackson, Michigan, Al Worden (1932–2020) made history as the Command Module Pilot on Apollo 15, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this summer. On that mission—deemed the 'most scientific' of all Apollos—Worden famously performed the first-ever deep space extravehicular activity, exiting the spacecraft at a distance of more than 196,000 miles away from Earth to retrieve film canisters from the Service Module.

Highlights from the Al Worden collection include; a flown "IV Crewmen Tether" attached to Lunar Module Pilot Jim Irwin's spacesuit during the Apollo 15 mission's record-breaking 'deep space' spacewalk on August 5, 1971.

The mission's final extravehicular activity occurred when Worden, on the 11th day of the mission, exited out through the main hatch of the command and service module Endeavour and moved to the SIM (Scientific Instrument Module) bay to retrieve film magazines from the panoramic and mapping cameras and to visually inspect the bay. Over the span of 38 minutes, Worden performed a series of three trips along the SIM bay, while LMP Irwin, wearing his lunar surface EVA suit, performed a 'stand-up' EVA from the CSM hatch. Irwin's role was to monitor his CMP and receive the two film canisters Worden removed from the cameras; to do so safely, Irwin was secured to the spacecraft by the tether offered here. (Estimate: $30,000+)




Al Worden's 18K gold medallion carried by Commander Dave Scott to the lunar surface on Apollo 15. This exceedingly rare piece was one of four created and flown on the mission, and carried in Dave Scott's space suit pocket during his lunar EVAs. Created by Italian fashion designer Emilio Pucci, the Apollo 15 mission insignia features three stylized birds in red, white, and blue soaring over the Hadley-Apennine region of the lunar surface. (Estimate: $25,000+)

Rare Collier Trophy awarded to Apollo 15 crew for "man's most prolonged and scientifically productive lunar mission. "Established in 1911 by publisher and air sports pioneer Robert J. Collier, the Collier Trophy is considered to be one of the most prestigious honors in the aerospace field. (Estimate: $10,000+)

Other highlights include a 'stowaway' plaque flown on Apollo 12 that spent 7 hours on the lunar surface, stashed inside the Lunar Television Camera by a Westinghouse engineer. (Estimate: $60,000+)

A remarkable charm bracelet with flown pendants from the wife of Wally Schirra. The one-of-a-kind charm bracelet belonging to Jo Schirra, containing flown pendants from each manned Mercury mission and Gemini 6, highlighted by an astounding gold Apollo 7 Robbins Medal serial numbered "1." (Estimate: $45,000+)

And a flown Lunar Module checklist page from Buzz Aldrin's collection. The Important flown double-sided page from the Apollo 11 Lunar Module Activation Checklist, detailing initial steps taken to prepare for the lunar landing. The page details some initial steps taken to activate the Lunar Module for the lunar landing, including the configuration of the hi-gain antenna, drogue and probe installation, hatch closure, helmet donning, and ascent battery activation. (Estimate: $40,000+)

The sale is rounded out by robust selections of meteorites and flown Robbins medallions.

The Space Exploration & Aviation featuring The Al Worden collection from RR Auction began April 15 and will conclude April 22.