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Apollo-era Saturn V Multiplexer Instrument Unit, 14˝ x 6.5˝ x 11˝ (18 pounds), with the back featuring a NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center parts tag that reads: “Multiplexer Assy. Rev. B (P1), Assy. No. 50M12212-17, Mod. No. 270, Contr. No. NAS8-11985, Accept Date 6-7-66, Serial No. 082B, Meas. No. 602A446, Wt (LB) 21, Mfd. By Brown Engineering Company, Inc.” The front and back sides of the unit contain two blue valves and a total of seven ports, with the back side also marked “50M66283-9” and bearing “NASA, Not Calibrated” and “Property NASA, U.S. Government” labels. The cover, which, when opened, reveals the unit’s original cards, bears a bright yellow ‘Turn in Excess’ label and another parts label, which reads: “Y2 S = Y2K Unknown, 804101 11915096 01…ORG: ED13, Item Name: Transponder, Mfg. Name: Sci Systems, Mfg. Model: NHN, Mfg. Ser. 006, Condition Code = 7, UDM: EA.” In fine condition, with scattered marks and scuffs.
The Apollo-era Saturn V Multiplexer Instrument Unit was an electronic subsystem inside the rocket’s Instrument Unit (IU)—the ring-shaped guidance and control section mounted above the S-IVB third stage. Its job was to take in large amounts of data from sensors, guidance computers, and telemetry systems, then combine (‘multiplex’) those signals into fewer data streams for efficient transmission to ground controllers.