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Karol Bobko's Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) Flight Crew Patch

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:400.00 - 600.00 USD
Karol Bobko's Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) Flight Crew Patch

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Auction Date:2022 Oct 20 @ 18:00 (UTC-5 : EST/CDT)
Location:15th Floor WeWork, Boston, Massachusetts, 02108, United States
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed
ANS - Autograph Note Signed
AQS - Autograph Quotation Signed
AMQS - Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
DS - Document Signed
FDC - First Day Cover
Inscribed - “Personalized”
ISP - Inscribed Signed Photograph
LS - Letter Signed
SP - Signed Photograph
TLS - Typed Letter Signed
Exceedingly rare original Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) crew patch belonging to veteran Space Shuttle astronaut Karol J. Bobko, who was assigned as an astronaut to the USAF MOL program in 1966. The deep blue and silver patch, 4.75è in diameter, features a design of a globe and an astronaut helmet with a shooting star, and the surrounding text reads: ‰ÛÏManned Orbiting Laboratory, United States Air Force, Flight Crew.‰Û Also included is an embroidered name patch, 4.25è x 1è, which features "Bobko" in blue lettering against a silver thread background. In fine condition. Accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity from Bobko, which reads: ‰ÛÏThe MOL Flight Crew patch‰Û_was obtained during my time with the program in the 1960s, and it has been a part of my collection ever since.‰Û

Part of the United States Air Force's manned spaceflight program, the MOL was developed from early concepts of manned space stations to be used for NASA survey purposes, but was ultimately canceled during the height of the Apollo program in 1969, when more cost-effective unmanned reconnaissance satellites were found to achieve similar results. NASA's space station program went ahead full-blast in the mid-1970s with the advent of Skylab.