Dave Scott's Geology Training Kit and Personal Notes


David Scott's Geology Field Kit Front View	David Scott's Geology Field Kit Back View

Example Of Scott's Geology Traning Notes	Example Of Scott's Geology Training Diagram

This geology field training kit was used by Apollo 15 Commander David Scott during his training as an astronaut. Astronauts received extensive training in geology in preparation for lunar landing missions. This field kit was essential equipment used in Astronaut Scott's training.

This is an important artifact which gives a glimpse into the preparation required for lunar missions. Increasing the historical importance of this artifact are David Scott's hand written notes and drawings in the notebook. One page of notes is dated April 2, 1964. Scott glued a piece of sandpaper to the back cover of the notebook for sharpening his pencil. This glue over the years, released and the sandpaper is now loose. You can see in the above photo the red streak on the dark gray sandpaper. This streak is the result of Scott sharpening his pencil.

A folded topographical map that Scott used during training was inside of the field kit pouch. Although the map does not have a label identifying the area, it appears that this map is a map of Meteor Crater near Barringer, Arizona.

Astronaut Scott consigned this artifact for auction in the Space & Aviation Memorabilia Auction conducted by Aurora Galleries on April 23, 2005. This was lot number 634A in that auction. The lot was added after the catalog was sent to the printers, so it only was able to be viewed in the online auction and not in the auction catalog.

The online description of this lot stated, "Lot 634A. This lot is the actual field training kit (6.5 x 9 x 1.75") used by David Scott in preparation for the Apollo 15 mission.

Complete with its original leather case which Dave would have strapped to his belt during field trips, this kit includes a "US Department of the Interior Geological Survey Loose Leaf Field Notebook," The first 9 pages of which are covered in Dave's notes and illustrations that he made during one of the training exercises, a topographical map (area for which is not identified on the map), a sand gauge and measurement "folder" made by the Geological Specialty Company which includes actual samples of "Very coarse, coarse, medium, fin, very fine and silt sand along with samples of rounded, surrounded, angular and sub angular sands, 2 see through rulers/gauges, one ivorite rule, a mechanical pencil, a red/blue colored pencil, and a sample comparison clear "pen" that contains some sand samples.

Inside the front flap Dave has written in black Sharpie "Used during Geology Field Training, Dave Scott, Apollo 15 CDR." All of the items show evidence of use, but typical of Dave, this item is in excellent condition. An incredible artifact from the Apollo 15 mission."

The Earth To The Moon Air and Space Museum acquired this artifact in the Aurora Galleries auction.