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Why Autographs Were Used As Life Insurance By The Crew Of Apollo 11
The famous astronauts of America’s first shuttle to land on the moon had to think outside of the box to provide for their families in the event they didn’t return to earth
Astronauts have been some of the greatest heroes in history over the past fifty-plus years. Those willing to go on the amazing adventure of traveling to outer space have accomplished far more than what most of us can comprehend occurring in our own lives. In the early days of space travel, life insurance was cost- prohibitive for these innovators, meaning that those like the landmark crew of Apollo 11 had to find creative solutions in 1969 to provide for their families in the event they didn’t make it back home. This led to the historic crew of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins turning to an unusual source to give them and their families the financial peace of mind they needed — autographs.
Apollo 11 captured the hearts and minds of numerous people around the world in 1969. The race for space had been on for years but this mission was the American entry in the hopes of being the first to put someone on the moon. Despite extensive testing and preparation, nobody really knew what to expect, including the…
