Description:

Roger Chaffee
n.p., ca. 1967
Roger Chaffee Apollo 1 Helmet & Glove Cover, Only Known Spacesuit Piece to Have Survived Disaster, With Provenance from NASA and Smithsonian
Relic

A helmet and glove stowage cover belonging to Roger Chaffee, and the only known piece of the spacesuit to survive the Apollo 1 disaster which claimed the lives of all three astronauts. In very good condition. Accompanied by copies of letters from the Smithsonian and NASA detailing the deaccession and acknowledgement of ownership -- an exceedingly rare occurrence.

The helmet and glove stowage bag are comprised of nylon, with a series of Velcro attachments on the bottom to secure it to the cabin floor during flight. The Velcro strap running vertically over the face is embroidered "R.B. CHAFFEE" in white over a black label. An interior label reads: "BAG, HELMET-GLOVE, STOWAGE/ NASA DESIGNATION ASB-1C / MFG. DAVID CLARK COMPANY INC. / P/N A-2011-000 SER. NO. 120 / NOVEMBER 1966."

Apollo 1 was intended to remain in orbit for a full 14 days. At orbit, the crew would have stowed their helmet covers and gloves. However, because the January 27 test flight would not remain in orbit, the crew kept their helmets on for the duration of the test; thus, their helmet-glove stowage bags were unnecessary and not brought into the cabin.

Apollo 1, initially designated as AS-204, was planned to be the first crewed mission of the Apollo program and scheduled to launch on February 21, 1967 from the Cape Kennedy Space Station. The crew consisted of Command Pilot Gus Grissom, Senior Pilot Ed White, and Pilot Roger Chaffee. The mission never flew due to a cabin fire during pre-launch testing which resulted in the tragic deaths of all three crew members. Investigations later determined that the cause of the fire was electrical, which spread rapidly due to the high pressure, pure oxygen atmosphere of the cabin. Within seconds, rising temperatures and pressures caused the pressure vessel to crack, releasing flames and smoke onto the launch pad's service structure. The astronauts, in vain, attempted to open the inner hatch, while the pad crew worked to open the outer two hatches; however, by the time the hatches were opened, the crew had already perished due to carbon monoxide poisoning and asphyxia. The terrible irony of the tragedy was they likely would have survived the burns sustained.

The name Apollo 1, originally chosen by the crew, was made official by NASA after their deaths, and a memorial was erected at Launch Complex 34.

Roger B. Chaffee (1935-1967) was an American naval officer and NASA astronaut. After studying at the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology, he was officially named an astronaut on October 18, 1963 with a specialty in communications. He served as Capsule Communicator on Gemini 3 in 1965 and later Gemini 4 before he was selected as one of the crew for the ill-fated Apollo 1 mission.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE

#spaceastronaut

  • Dimensions: 10" x 12"
  • Medium: Relic

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third-Party Shipping Option: If a third-party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third-party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third-party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third-party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third-party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

June 4, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000