On July 16, 1969, Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins launched into space aboard Apollo 11, beginning a multi-day journey to the Moon which culminated in the historic Tranquility Base landing on July 20, 1969.

All three Astronauts were given a small bag (known as a “PPK” or “personal preference kit”) for personal items of significance weighing no more than .5 pounds in total. For his LM (Lunar Module) PPK, Armstrong chose several items including a 4” x 6” silk American Flag and original piece of wing fabric from the Wright Brothers’ historic “Wright Flyer.”

Fun fact: the legendary “Wright Flyer” was the first successful flying machine, built by Orville and Wilbur Wright. It flew four times on December 17, 1903 in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Orville flew first: covering 120 feet while staying aloft for 12 seconds. (Photo: Cosmosphere)