A simple felt-tip pen that saved the lives of two Apollo 11 astronauts on the moon has sold at an auction for $857,600.
In July 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the moon. However, their historic mission almost ended in disaster. As they prepared to leave, Aldrin discovered a broken switch on the cabin floor. The switch had snapped off the engine-arm circuit breaker, which was the only way to send power to the engine that would lift them off the moon.
Mission Control in Houston tried to find a solution but eventually told the astronauts that the power could not be rerouted. Aldrin realized he needed to push something into the circuit breaker to make it work. Since it was an electrical system, he could not use his finger or anything metal because it would be too dangerous.
Aldrin remembered a black felt-tip pen in the shoulder pocket of his space suit. He carefully pushed the plastic pen into the broken circuit breaker. Fortunately, the pen worked, the breaker held, and the astronauts were able to start the engine and safely return to Earth.
The silver plastic Duro Rocket pen and the broken piece of the circuit breaker both came from Aldrin's personal collection. The item was sold at a Sotheby's auction in New York to a buyer who beat four other bidders. Today, the 96-year-old Aldrin is one of only four living men who have walked on the moon.