A rotational hand controller called "joystick", which was previously owned by Apollo 15 commander David Scott, was auctioned online for a whopping $610,063. This apparently sets a new record to the most expensive antique collectables from space-travel.
The joystick had been maneuvered by Scott to land on the lunar 43 years ago during Apollo 15. The antique collection was sold to an unnamed person in the RR Auction of Boston on Thursday, 22 May 2014, according to Collect space.
Apollo 15 mission was the fourth to land on moon. It started in 26 July 1971 and concluded on 7 August the same year. Scott was the seventh astronauts out of the 12 men who walked on moon.
"In many cases, items such as these were abandoned by the crew after use, or lost forever to history as disposable equipment when sent tumbling back to the lunar surface in the spent lunar module to be vaporized upon impact with the surface," said Bobby Livingston, executive vice president of RR Auction.
The joy stick measures 4 inches by 10.5 inches by 7 inches and is still in a well maintained state and the communication switch is still said to be in working condition.
"There are space artifacts that need to be explained as to their original use, and then there are items like the Apollo 15 rotational hand controller that simply upon sight are self-evident as to their purpose," Collect Space quoted Robert Pearlman, the Collect Space's editor and founder, reported CNET.
"We all can imagine what it must have been like to land on the moon, but to have the chance to grab hold of the very joystick that accomplished that feat is a priceless experience -- and at the same time, worth every bit of the more than half a million dollars it commanded at auction," Pearlman blogged about the purchase.
The record-setting controller was auctioned alongside more than 500 antique collectables that were involved in space travel in one way or another. Most were associated with Apollo missions.
Photo Credit: NASA
