Neil Armstrong's family to auction his personal collection
Washington, July 21 : The personal collection of US astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the Moon 49 years ago on July 20, will be auctioned by his family.
Containing over 2,000 items, the collection will go on sale in a series of three auctions with the first in November 2018 and other two in May and November 2019, Efe news quoted Dallas-based Heritage Auctions.
Among the items being offered are Robbins medallions flown on the Apollo 11 mission, including an "extremely rare gold example".
A Purdue University -- Armstrong's alma mater -- Centennial 1869-1969 silk flag carried by him to the Moon, pieces of a wing and propeller from the Wright Brothers Flyer which he took with him on Apollo 11, as well as a gold pin from Gemini 8 -- Armstrong's first spaceflight -- and his Boy Scouts Cap.
Correspondence, including a NASA document "Underscoring the planning behind the landmark event", will also be on sale.
"There will be flown items, autographed items and items of historical significance. There will be items that make you think, items that make you laugh and items that make you scratch your head," the astronaut's son Mark Armstrong said.
Armstrong, who passed away in 2012 aged 82 years, made history as the first man to walk on the Moon on July 20, 1969.
He is also remembered for the words he uttered in that moment: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind".
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Congress calls for probe over BJP's 'use of blackmail' to bring Ajit Pawar into NDA fold
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Saturday called for a probe into alleged "blackmail" and "coercion" used to bring NCP leader Ajit Pawar into the NDA fold and said the BJP's "washing machine" was nowhere more powerful than in Maharashtra.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh cited Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's recent remarks to claim that the issue involved not just the use of "coercion and blackmail" but also breach of the oath of confidentiality and the Official Secrets Act.
"The BJP's washing machine is an all-India phenomenon but perhaps nowhere was it more powerful than in Maharashtra," he said.
When in opposition before 2014, the BJP raised allegations about massive corruption by Ajit Pawar, then the state's irrigation and water resources minister, Ramesh pointed out and added that the allegations claimed corruption to the tune of Rs 70,000 crore.
Ajit Pawar has now confirmed that blackmail and coercion surrounding these charges were used by the BJP to bring him over to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the Congress leader claimed.
"The non-biological prime minister himself led the charge, famously labelling the NCP -- now his much beloved ally at the state and Centre -- as a Naturally Corrupt Party," he said.
"Ajit Pawar has now revealed that after becoming chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis showed him a file recommending an open inquiry against Ajit Pawar in the alleged irrigation scam. One can only imagine the threat that was implicit in this move: submit to us, or face action," Ramesh said.
Ajit Pawar and several other MLAs broke away from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by his uncle Sharad Pawar and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government in the state last year.
Ramesh asserted that this was a serious matter since it involved not just the use of coercion and blackmail but also breach of the oath of confidentiality and the Official Secrets Act.
An investigation should be conducted into this matter, the Congress leader said.
His remarks came days after Ajit Pawar alleged he was "backstabbed" by close colleague and then home minister RR Patil, who ordered an open inquiry against him in the alleged multi-crore irrigation scam.
Ajit Pawar claimed a file mentioning Patil's remarks ordering an inquiry was shown to him by BJP leader Fadnavis after he became chief minister in 2014.
He made these claims while addressing a rally for NCP candidate Sanjay Kaka Patil, who is in the fray against the late Patil's son Rohit from Tasgaon in Sangli district.
