Neil Armstrong EKG Heartbeat Reading To Be Auctioned
Neil Armstrong’s EKG reading from his historic moonwalk in July, 1969 will be sold in an online auction that runs May 16 though May 23.
The Apollo 11 Commander was the first human being to walk on the moon in an event that was televised live despite the primitive communications systems of the late 1960s.
If he experienced any nerves, you sure can’t tell from Neil Armstrong’s EKG strip. Apparently, the low-key astronaut, who avoided fame and lived quietly for the rest of his life after the mission, maintained a relatively low blood pressure — even though he reportedly had less than 20 seconds left of fuel when he landed.
Buzz Aldrin was the second crew member aboard the flight. He joined Armstrong on the moon’s surface shortly after the historic “giant leap for mankind.” They spent roughly two and a half hours outside the landing craft.
Armstrong passed away last year at age 82. Aldrin is retired but occasionally turns up in pop culture. For example, he played himself in the 2011 film Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon.
According to RR Auctions, which is selling the EKG and some other memorabilia from the lunar mission, the EKG report was saved by the manager of the medical administration for the Johnson Space Center and cut into five pieces to distribute to medical staff who worked on the 1969 trip. This portion represents a six inch strip of the medical reading. The minimum bid is $200 but the price will almost certainly soar far higher.
The Space Reporter said that the item could sell for over $10,000.
The auction house is also selling a number of other Apollo moon mission related items, such as postcards that went to the lunar surface. There are Aldrin items being offered as well, including a series of transparencies and worksheets that he used to give a presentation in 1984 at Johnson Space Center.
I’m guessing the bidding will be too rich for my blood. What would you pay for Neil Armstrong’s EKG?
[Neil Armstrong on the moon photo courtesy NASA]
