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The Missions
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MA-8 Collection
| Compass |
| Steering Pin |
| |
Photo
Credit and Image Copyright: EarthToTheMoon.com |
 This steering pin
was flown on the Mercury Atlas 8 flight in the Sigma 7
spacecraft. After the flight it was recovered from the spacecraft
by Mercury mechanical engineer Sam Beddingfield. Beddingfield
donated the steering pin to the U.S. Space Walk of Fame Foundation.The foundation placed the steering pin up for silent auction on August 30th, 2007. The auction was a fundraiser for the completion of the Project Apollo tribute statue in Titusville, Florida. The lot description from the auction stated, "This hand controller locking pin was flown on the United States' fifth manned space flight, Mercury Atlas 8 inside the Sigma 7 spacecraft with astronaut pilot Walter "Wally" Schirra. Launched from Cape Canveral's Complex 14 on October 3, 1962, MA-8 made six orbits of the Earth, traveling 143,983 statute miles before splashing down in the Ocean. Schirra and Sigma 7 were weightless for nine hours, on this the second to last mission of the Mercury program. This pin was personally retrieved from the capsule post flight by Mercury mechanical engineer Sam Beddingfield, who provides a signed certificate of authenticity with this lot. The pin was previously on display at the Space Walk of Fame Museum since 2003.46. Compass Flown Aboard Wally Schirra's Mercury Flight." It is from the Space Walk of Fame auction that the Earth To The Moon Air & Space Museum obtained this artifact. |