Space Shuttle Columbia - Flown Spacelab Insulation Blanket Fragment
($100 each) This listing is for a 1" x 3" multi-layer segment of Spacelab HPI insulation blanket, which was flown aboard Space Shuttle Columbia . This mission was significant for several reasons. It was the maiden voyage of Spacelab. It was the first NASA flight in partnership with the European Space Agency, who helped develop Spacelab and included Ulf Merbold as their representative on the crew. And it was the final spaceflight of John Young, the most prolific astronaut in history. As seen in the NASA photos here, the Spacelab module was covered in thermal insulation blankets to prevent it from solar radiation. After the flight, astronaut Ulf Merbold was given one of the blankets as a souvenir, in gratitude for his contribution to the program. This segment was cut from that blanket. The blanket was crafted using nearly 20 layers, all of which are still included. There's a cloth layer on top, followed by a thick foil layer, then over 15 layers of thin foil, a...