10 NASA and Space Race Artifacts That Were Auction Block Stars
Space history isn’t just written in textbooks; it’s also sold to the highest bidder. From moon dust and space capsules to sample bags and watches, NASA artifacts have fetched millions of dollars at auction — proving that shooting for the moon can indeed pay off big. Doubling as tangible pieces of humanity’s greatest adventures, these cherished relics reflect the bravery, discipline, and triumph of those who (literally) landed among the stars. Here are 10 of the most expensive space artifacts ever sold.
1. ‘Vostok 3KA-2’ Space Capsule
Sold for: $2.8 million
As the precursor to human spaceflight, this capsule carried a life-sized test dummy (Ivan Ivanovich) and a dog named Zvezdochka on a successful test flight in March 1961. Just weeks later, Soviet astronaut Yuri Gagarin made a successful voyage in an identical capsule called the Vostok 1. Unlike most used spacecraft, the Vostok 3KA-2 returned to Earth fully intact, complete with its scorched heat shield and original hardware. In 2011, it sold for nearly $3 million at a Sotheby’s auction.
2. Buzz Aldrin’s Apollo 11 Mission Jacket
Sold for: $2.7 million
Worn by Aldrin during Apollo 11’s post-mission celebrations, this jacket is one of the most expensive space artifacts ever sold. Unlike flight-worn gear, the white “crewman’s jacket” was donned during press conferences and parades. Its value skyrocketed due to its pristine condition, direct link to Aldrin, and the embroidered mission patches sewn onto it just days following the moon landing. In 2022, it shattered records at Sotheby’s, becoming the most expensive NASA jacket ever auctioned.
3. Neil Armstrong’s Apollo 11 Lunar Sample Bag
Sold for: $1.8 million
This unassuming white bag held the first lunar samples ever collected during Apollo 11’s spine-tingling 1969 mission. Fun fact: It was lost for decades before resurfacing in a private collection, which NASA later examined and authenticated. After a reportedly bitter court battle where the space agency fought (and failed) to reclaim it, the bag sold for $1,812,500 to a private seller in 2017. Its value stems from the traces of moon dust still clinging to the bag’s fabric, coupled with the connection to Armstrong.
4. Apollo 15 Bulova Watch Worn by David Scott
Sold for: $1.5 million
When mission commander David Scott’s NASA-issued Omega watch malfunctioned while in space, he improvised by using his own watch and relied on it during critical maneuvers on the Moon’s Hadley Rille. The watch’s historical value comes from its unauthorized use, its role in NASA’s only documented in-space equipment substitution, and its rare status as a pre-commercial Bulova prototype (only a handful exist). Though the watch retails for about $500, it sold for well over a million in 2015.
5. Moon Rock Samples Collected by Luna-16
Sold for: $855,000
These three tiny rocks (totaling just 0.2 grams) were collected by Soviet probe Luna-16 in 1970, making them the first extraterrestrial items ever sold at auction. When the cosmic crumbs sold in 1993 for a staggering $855,000, they set a record price per gram that still stands today, making moon dust literally more valuable than diamonds.
6. Sputnik-1 EMC/EMI Test Model
Sold for: $847,500
The Sputnik-1 EMC/EMI Test Model represents the first object humans ever sent into space. Used for electromagnetic testing before the 1957 mission, the 23-inch model (one of only three surviving prototypes of Sputnik 1) housed the same components that broadcast the infamous “beep-beep” signal — a sound emitted from the Sputnik satellite that terrified the world and ignited the Space Race overnight. Unlike museum replicas, the auctioned model showed actual weld marks and test scars from Soviet labs.
7. Apollo 11 Summary Flight Plan
Sold for: $819,000
This spiral-bound manual was used by Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins during the moon landing and detailed the crew’s actions from launch to splashdown. Unlike standard blueprints, the 44-page flight plan contains real-time annotations, including last-minute course corrections scribbled during the lunar descent. Coffee stains and pencil marks reveal some of the mission’s most nail-biting moments, including how Armstrong took manual control to land the capsule with just 30 seconds of fuel left.
8. Apollo 11 Systems Activation Checklist
Sold for: $567,000
This original schematic was the engineering foundation for Eagle — the spacecraft that housed the three astronauts on the moon. Drafted by Grumman engineers, it’s a rare surviving copy featuring handwritten notes by both Aldrin and Armstrong. Unlike digital reproductions, this paper blueprint was part of the actual design process, making it a holy grail for collectors.
9. Apollo 11 Lunar Module Water Dispenser
Sold for: $327,600
Designed to dispense “measured amounts of hot or cold water” for rehydrating meals and drinking, this nifty device also doubled as an emergency fire extinguisher. The unit bears visible scratches and dents from its 1969 mission, including marks from when it was stowed beside the astronauts’ bulky life support systems. Capturing how Apollo engineers worked miracles with limited resources, the device was designed to maximize every ounce of space within the spacecraft.
10. Apollo 11-Flown American Flag
Sold for: $275,000
One of several U.S. flags carried to the moon, this nylon Stars and Stripes symbolizes America’s victory during the Cold War. Though not planted on the surface (it stayed inside the module), its journey to the moon’s orbit makes it a cherished relic among space enthusiasts.