Lot #6421

STS-51-B Crew Notes Notebook [Attested Flown] - From the Personal Collection of William E. Thornton

Description

Complete ring-bound STS-51-B "Crew Notes: Thornton" notebook, attested as flown on the Space Shuttle Challenger from April 29, 1985–May 6, 1985, totaling over 150 pages (many left blank), separated into tabbed sections: "Life Sciences," "Mission Day 1" through "Mission Day 7," "Bowel/Sounds," "Life Science," "Photo List," "RAHF Rodent," "RAHF Primate," "Aft," and "UMS." Thornton jots down notes on more than 25 pages, recording data related to blood work, urine collection, a treadmill run, food consumption, and onboard animal experiments in Spacelab 3's Research Animal Holding Facility (RAHF). The notebook retains its restraining lanyard. In overall very good to fine condition, with a light stain to the front cover and expected wear from use.

STS-51-B carried the Spacelab-3 science mission, a dedicated laboratory flight aboard Challenger devoted to materials processing, fluid physics, and life sciences research in microgravity. William E. Thornton, continuing the physiological work he had pioneered on STS-8, served as a mission specialist responsible for monitoring the crew's adaptation to weightlessness alongside the mission's animal-based life sciences experiments. This notebook reflects that hands-on research, preserving Thornton's working notes from one of the most scientifically intensive Shuttle missions of the era.

Attested as flown by the William E. Thornton estate.

From the William E. Thornton Collection.

Auction Info

• Auction Title: Space Exploration
• Dates:
  Starts:

  09/25/2026
  Ends:

  10/22/2026