Apollo Mission Moon Plaques 1969 – 1972

All of these plaques, with the exception of the Apollo 13 plaque, were left on the moon by Apollo mission astronauts. They are awesome. These images are from NASA’s official website.

Apollo 11 - The first men on the moon

Apollo 12

Apollo 13

Apollo 14

Apollo 15

Apollo 16

Apollo 17 - The last men to walk on the moon.

Amazing Space Program Stamps

Here are some incredible vintage stamps commemorating the Space Program.

The Mercury Project Stamp!

Russian Sputnik Stamp

First Man on the Moon Stamp

The Mercury Project Astronauts – 1959

Here are some more incredible images of the Mercury Project astronauts.  I’m obsessed with the old space suits!

The original Mercury astronauts - John Glenn, Virgil Gus Grissom, Alan Shepard, Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra, Donald Deke Slayton, Gordon Cooper.

LIFE Magazine September 14, 1959

LIFE Magazine Space Wives - September 21, 1959

Related Posts:
The Mercury Project Astronauts

Early Satellites and Space Exploration

I found these amazing photographs of my favorite early satellites in the LIFE photography archive and on the N.S.A.’s official website.  I love the design and shapes of the early satellites.

Scientists at Igy conference viewing Sputnik models - August 1958

Smithsonian Observatory scientists Fred Whipple and J. Allen Hynek plotting orbit of Sputnik I on globe at MIT - 1957

Dr. William H. Pickering, Dr. James A. van Allen, & Dr. Wernher von Braun hold a model of the Explorer I satellite which launched 4 months after Sputnik - 1958

Oscilloscope tracking position and speed of Explorer satellite through a pattern made by interaction of signals from the satellite and standard radio signals.

Dr. A.L. Jones, scientist at Ohio Satellite Tracking Station with analog computer which gives appropriate orbit position of space satellites - 1962

Dr. Milton W. Rosen with John T. Mengel, Project Director J. P. Walsh, Lieut Commander J. W. Salter and Project Director John P. Hagen - Scientists working on US man-made satellite. John P. Hagen is the best with his bowtie and pipe.

Scientist Alexander Simkovich working on a US artificial satellite - April 1957

Scientist Alexander Simkovich working on a US artificial satellite - April 1957

First image of earth from satellite, from Explorer 6: sunlight hitting clouds over central Pacific Ocean - 1959

Colonel Harold Brown (C) w. Dr. Hans Ziegler (L), John Licht (2R) and Dr. Harold Zahl (R) with US weather satellite ready for launching - 1959

Iowa State University professor George H. Ludwig placing a tape recorder in a model of an American satellite - May 1957

Scientists with the Transit I-B navigational satellite - April 1960

Dr. William H. Pickering of the Jet Propulsion Lab standing with mock-up of Army satellite - 1957

Dr. Richard W. Porter, of the Natonal Academy of Sciences, at press conference talking about satellite model, Explorer II - March 1958

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Earth'S Satellite 1957

Scientist with Earth'S Satellite - 1957

The GRAB II (Galactic Radiation And Background) satellite and the Poppy satellite models - Launched in 1960

Poppy I

Poppy II

AT&T stockholder Mrs. Louise Bucker looking at full-size model of the Telstar experimental communications satellite - AT&T's Bell Laboratories 1960

The satellites were so popular in the early 1960’s, that pop group “The Tornados” wrote a song called “Telstar”.  The rumor at the time was that the song included “space-like” sounds because a signal was sent to up the Telstar Satellite and re-recorded on earth.

"The Tornados" with "Telstar" on the cover of "Ridin" the Wind". "Telstar" was also the name of their hit song from this album in 1962

You can hear the song below along with some great early space exploration images.

Swell Toys of the Space Age

The kids growing up in the 1950’s and 1960’s must have had a BLAST playing with these toys! Not only are the toys incredible; I love the packaging as well!  I found these on EBay.

Friction powered Mobile Jet

Space Television toy - Awesome for documenting all those new planets and moons

Alien UFO

Space Tank

Mr. Machine - Ideal 1960

Buck Rogers jigsaw puzzle

Rolling Astronaut toy; I love the branding with NASA on this guy.

Awesome Space Gun!

Space Ranger - Real flying toy!

The Mercury Project Astronauts

I found these really cool photographs of Mercury Project astronauts Gus & Virgil Grissom with suit technician Joe Schmidt on Apollo Mission Photos. The Mercury Missions were the United States first attempt at putting a man into orbit around the earth. The program ran from 1959-1963. The Mercury-Atlas 6 mission was the first flight to achieve the goal. The astronaut suits along with the undergarments are unbelievable. It must have been a real thrill to have the challenge of designing something with such advanced function and technology.

Astronaut Virgil Grissom suits up with technician Joe Schmidt. I love the insulation details on the undergarments.

Spacemen Al Shepard and John Glenn in front of the MR-4 Capsul at Mercury Mission Control.  Check out the skinny ties and French cuffs! 

Gus Grissom with suit technician Joe Schmidt. These suits were all full pressure.