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Inside Cincinnati Museum Center's Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 Mission Exhibition

By on Mon, Sep 30, 2019 at 3:54 pm

The Cincinnati Museum Center opened their newest exhibit, Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 Mission, on Sept. 28.  The exhibition celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing and features the Command Module Columbia, the only portion of the spacecraft that survived the journey. It's the first time since 1976 that the module has been on display outside the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Visitors can also catch a glimpse of Buzz Aldrin’s gold-plated extravehicular helmet visor and thermal-insulated gloves. the star chart that helped guide Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins on their travels and more. Fun fact: Armstrong was born a Buckeye and later taught at the University of Cincinnati.
Photos by Mitchell Parton
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The Command Module Columbia was the only part of the Apollo 11 spacecraft to return to Earth. It served as living quarters for astronauts Neil Armstong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins.
Mitchell Parton
The Command Module Columbia was the only part of the Apollo 11 spacecraft to return to Earth. It served as living quarters for astronauts Neil Armstong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins.
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Ahead of the exhibition's opening, the Cincinnati Museum Center held a special ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Mitchell Parton
Ahead of the exhibition's opening, the Cincinnati Museum Center held a special ribbon-cutting ceremony.
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The entrance to "Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 Mission" exhibition.
Mitchell Parton
The entrance to "Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 Mission" exhibition.
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The late James E. Webb served as NASA's second administrator from 1961 to 1968. He oversaw the first manned launches — Mercury through Gemini — and left just before the Apollo 11 mission.
Mitchell Parton
The late James E. Webb served as NASA's second administrator from 1961 to 1968. He oversaw the first manned launches — Mercury through Gemini — and left just before the Apollo 11 mission.
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One of two rucksacks filled with equipment — including three water containers, a radio beacon and spare battery, three pairs of sunglasses, six packages of desalting chemicals, a seawater desalter kit, two survival lights, a machete and two bottles of sunscreen — that would help the Apollo 11 crew survive for up to 48 hours in the case of an emergency landing on Earth.
Mitchell Parton
One of two rucksacks filled with equipment — including three water containers, a radio beacon and spare battery, three pairs of sunglasses, six packages of desalting chemicals, a seawater desalter kit, two survival lights, a machete and two bottles of sunscreen — that would help the Apollo 11 crew survive for up to 48 hours in the case of an emergency landing on Earth.
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A close-up of the Command Module Columbia.
Mitchell Parton
A close-up of the Command Module Columbia.
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The square side windows on Columbia allowed the crew to photograph otherworldly landscapes while in space, including the Moon, Earth and the Apollo Lunar Module, the part of the spacecraft in which Aldrin and Armstrong descended to the Moon.
Mitchell Parton
The square side windows on Columbia allowed the crew to photograph otherworldly landscapes while in space, including the Moon, Earth and the Apollo Lunar Module, the part of the spacecraft in which Aldrin and Armstrong descended to the Moon.
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A view of Columbia's backside.
Mitchell Parton
A view of Columbia's backside.
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A to-scale miniature replica of Columbia.
Mitchell Parton
A to-scale miniature replica of Columbia.
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Inside Cincinnati Museum Center's Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 Mission Exhibition
Mitchell Parton
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An onboard medical kit containing supplies and equipments, including motion sickness and pain suppression injectors, first aid ointment, eye drops, nasal sprays, compress and adhesive bandages, several kinds of pills and an oral thermometer.
Mitchell Parton
An onboard medical kit containing supplies and equipments, including motion sickness and pain suppression injectors, first aid ointment, eye drops, nasal sprays, compress and adhesive bandages, several kinds of pills and an oral thermometer.
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Aldrin's extravehicular visor and gloves. He wore the former over his clear pressure-bubble helmet while on the surface of the moon. Made of gold-plated and UV-coated polycarbonate, the visor provided extra protection and thermal control.
Mitchell Parton
Aldrin's extravehicular visor and gloves. He wore the former over his clear pressure-bubble helmet while on the surface of the moon. Made of gold-plated and UV-coated polycarbonate, the visor provided extra protection and thermal control.
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Recovered from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean in 2013, the F-1 engine injector plate was part of Apollo11's Saturn V rocket. It sprayed liquid oxygen and kerosene fuel into the engine's combustion chamber.
Mitchell Parton
Recovered from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean in 2013, the F-1 engine injector plate was part of Apollo11's Saturn V rocket. It sprayed liquid oxygen and kerosene fuel into the engine's combustion chamber.
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The hatch of the Columbia acted as a point of entry and exit to the spacecraft.
Mitchell Parton
The hatch of the Columbia acted as a point of entry and exit to the spacecraft.
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The "rock box" was used to bring back 47.7 pounds of lunar material from the Sea of Tranquility back to Earth.
Mitchell Parton
The "rock box" was used to bring back 47.7 pounds of lunar material from the Sea of Tranquility back to Earth.
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An ablated Apollo heat shield sample. The gray color formed because of the intense heat of reentering Earth's atmosphere.
Mitchell Parton
An ablated Apollo heat shield sample. The gray color formed because of the intense heat of reentering Earth's atmosphere.
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This model shows the production stages of manufacturing the Apollo 11 Module heat shield. From the right: substrate material, several coatings, a honeycomb supporting structure, a cell-by-cell filling with resin and more coatings/curing.
Mitchell Parton
This model shows the production stages of manufacturing the Apollo 11 Module heat shield. From the right: substrate material, several coatings, a honeycomb supporting structure, a cell-by-cell filling with resin and more coatings/curing.
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A star chart that helped Aldrin when using the lunar module's telescope to reset its guidance platform before leaving the Moon's surface.
Mitchell Parton
A star chart that helped Aldrin when using the lunar module's telescope to reset its guidance platform before leaving the Moon's surface.
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Various speeches/medals related to the Apollo 11 Mission.
Mitchell Parton
Various speeches/medals related to the Apollo 11 Mission.
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"The Solo Book", aboard Apollo 11, included flight plans and contingencies for Collins while he stayed in Columbia as Armstrong and Aldrin explored the lunar surface.
Mitchell Parton
"The Solo Book", aboard Apollo 11, included flight plans and contingencies for Collins while he stayed in Columbia as Armstrong and Aldrin explored the lunar surface.
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