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Three pieces of flown parachute material from the Apollo 10 mission, the dress rehearsal for Apollo 11, which saw the crew orbit the moon and bring the lunar module to within about nine miles of the surface. The lot consists of a 14.75 x 8.25 section of white nylon parachute cloth, which is signed in black ink, “Apollo X Parachute Cloth & Attached Suspension Line, John Young,” and two sections of suspension line, each approximately 27˝ and 18˝ in length. The cloth bears several notations, including “GORE 34, RING 12,” and “#1” and “#2.” In overall fine condition, with creasing to the parachute cloth. Accompanied by a 6 x 4 photograph of the Apollo 10 command module descending beneath its deployed parachutes shortly before splashdown.
Apollo 10 launched on May 18, 1969, with astronauts Thomas Stafford, John Young, and Gene Cernan on the final lunar mission before Apollo 11. After an eight-day flight, the crew returned to Earth aboard the command module Charlie Brown, splashing down in the South Pacific on May 26th. The Apollo parachute landing system stabilized and decelerated the command module during the final phase of its return, reducing its descent velocity for a safe water landing. The flown parachute cloth and suspension lines are components of the recovery system that brought Apollo 10 safely back to Earth.
