A historic felt-tip pen that played a critical role in the success of the Apollo 11 mission has sold for $857,600 at a Sotheby’s auction in New York. The Duro “Rocket” marker was used by astronaut Buzz Aldrin to manually rearm an engine circuit breaker after the original switch snapped off inside the lunar module Eagle.

Following a moonwalk in July 1969, Aldrin discovered the broken switch on the floor of the module. Recognizing that the engine arm circuit was essential for the crew's departure from the lunar surface, Aldrin opted to use the pen rather than his finger to avoid potential electrocution. The improvised tool successfully engaged the circuit, allowing Aldrin and Neil Armstrong to rendezvous with Michael Collins in the command module Columbia and return to Earth.

The cause of the broken switch remains a point of lighthearted debate between the astronauts, though Aldrin later acknowledged in his book No Dream Is Too High that he likely bumped the panel with his bulky life-support equipment. Following the mission, NASA provided the broken switch and the pen to Aldrin as keepsakes. The items were previously displayed at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum and the Seattle Air & Space Museum.

The recent sale included the pen and the original broken circuit breaker, which failed to sell during a previous auction attempt in 2022. The auction also featured other personal items from Aldrin’s collection, including a state flag, various wristwatches, and a Buzz Lightyear figurine.

Source: Smithsonian Magazine