Apollo 15 camera sells at auction

[Peter B]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-23/unique-camera-from-nasas-moon-missions-sold-at-auction/5339296

The only camera to return from NASA's Moon missions between 1969 and 1972 has been sold at auction in Vienna for 550,000 euros ($835,000), far outdoing its estimated price.

[ka9q]

I didn't know Apollo flight hardware could be privately owned.

[onebigmonkey]

I think there was quite a bit of argument over who actually owns them when previous items came up for sale. The lawyers won.

I think it's an astonishing price for a piece where so many questions have been raised about its authenticity and the modifications that appear to have been made to it.

[JayUtah]

http://www.gizmag.com/rr-auction-space-memorabilia/32005/

TIL the consoles at Mission Control were on wheels.  Makes sense; I just never knew that before.  I'm trying to convince my financier to buy the console so that we can actually use it in our NOC as a monitoring station.  We love funky stuff like that.

Normally when the government releases title to equipment it has purchased, it can be offered by auction first to other government agencies, and then to private ownership.  Most of the hardware I've personally seen in private hands has been in the hands of people who worked on the projects and simply were there when it was "discarded."  If they were to try to sell it, and it were historically significant, then the question of proper title might come into play.

[raven]

Who gets the money from the sales of these items?

[Echnaton]

Most of the hardware I've personally seen in private hands has been in the hands of people who worked on the projects and simply were there when it was "discarded."  If they were to try to sell it, and it were historically significant, then the question of proper title might come into play.

Its good to be the king!  But one supposes that it is necessary to make the holder prove provenance to former government property to reduce brazen theft. 

[JayUtah]

Who gets the money from the sales of these items?

If they are bona fide government surplus auctions, the government.  Keep in mind that the government hires private auction-houses to do this for them.  Once they have been properly sold and are legitimately in private hands, they can be resold just like any other private property.  I can buy the MOCR control console from this auction house, and then turn around and sell it again on eBay just as with any other equipment.

For government property that was simply discarded in the normal course of business, or formally decomissioned or abandoned (paperwork is required), the person who reclaimed it from refuse is generally its legitimate owner.

For government property that just walked out the door with some lucky employee, the sale of it raises all kinds of legal issues.  I suppose it would matter whether it had historical significance and great enough monetary value to attract attention.

[raven]

OK, yeah, I get that if it was strictly government property it would go to the government, but what I guess I should have clarified is asking what part. Sale of Apollo memorabilia and artefacts obviously can't go back into funding for Apollo since that's over, but does it even go back to NASA?

[Al Johnston]

If the US is anything like the UK, the Treasury will take the view that all money is, by default, theirs.