173 a
Taken by a Camera Aboard the ATS II Satellite

The Earth from 10,500 km away

ATS II, May 8, 1967

Vintage gelatin silver print on fiber-based Kodak paper, 20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in), with NASA Goddard stamp and “A Kodak Paper” watermarks on the verso

173 b
NASA / Unidentified Photographer

Testing and transfer of the massive Saturn V space vehicle’s first stage

Project Apollo, March - June 1967

Two vintage chromogenic prints on fiber-based Kodak paper, each 20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in), with NASA Marshall credits and “A Kodak Paper” watermarks on the versos
20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in)

This lot will be removed to Christie’s Park Royal. Christie’s will inform you if the lot has been sent offsite. Our removal and storage of the lot is subject to the terms and conditions of storage which can be found at Christies.com/storage and our fees for storage are set out in the table below - these will apply whether the lot remains with Christie’s or is removed elsewhere. Please call Christie’s Client Service 24 hours in advance to book a collection time at Christie’s Park Royal. All collections from Christie’s Park Royal will be by pre-booked appointment only. Tel: +44 (0)20 7839 9060 Email: cscollectionsuk@christies.com. If the lot remains at Christie’s it will be available for collection on any working day 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. Lots are not available for collection at weekends.
Please note this lot is the property of a consumer. See H1 of the Conditions of Sale.

Conditions of Sale
FAQs
This lot is offered by Christie Manson & Woods Ltd

Brought to you by

Lot Essay

173 a
ATS-2 was placed into an undesirable orbit due to a launch vehicle failure but still transmitted this photograph of Earth from an altitude of 10,500 km showing Australia (bottom right), New Guinea, Philippines, Taiwan and China coast.

173 b
The photographs were taken at NASA’s Mississippi Test Facility, a part of the Marshall Spaceflight Center.

Until Apollo, no one had ventured beyond Earth orbit. To achieve this milestone required tremendous propulsion, supplied by a massive rocket: the Saturn V. So immense that its sections had to be transported by water on special barges, the rocket took five years to build and absorbed the know-how and energies of 325,000 people in 12,000 firms.