[Apollo 10] LM SNOOPY RETURNING FROM ITS PATHFINDER FIRST DESCENT TO THE MOON John Young, 18-26 ...

[Apollo 10] LM SNOOPY RETURNING FROM ITS PATHFINDER FIRST DESCENT TO THE MOON John Young, 18-26 May 1969 Printed 1969. Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA image AS10-34-5112]. Numbered 'NASA AS10-34-5112' in red in the top margin, with 'A Kodak Paper' watermark on the reverse (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas). 20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.) Historical context This outstanding photograph highlights the first successful human piloted descent to another world of the LM Snoopy and subsequent return for redocking with CSM Charlie Brown. The foreground red frame of Charlie Brown's window serves as a striking contrast, reminding us of the sheer scale of spaceflight—one spacecraft observing another over the alien landscape of the Moon. This high-stakes dress rehearsal confirmed that Apollo's complex dual-spacecraft operations were mission-ready, setting the stage for the first Moon landing. Footnotes: Stafford and Cernan piloted Snoopy to within 9 miles of the Moon's surface, testing critical systems and procedures before jettisoning the LM's descent stage. Snoopy's descent radar performed flawlessly, but a terrifying moment followed when, after staging to simulate a lunar liftoff, an incorrect switch position sent the ascent stage into a wild gyration. Stafford quickly regained control, allowing the crew to fire the ascent engine and rendezvous and docking with Charlie Brown, piloted by John Young. This photograph was taken from Charlie Brown with the Hasselblad 500EL equipped with an 80mm lens, showing the LM over the area of Crater Gregory on the lunar far side. The red and blue diagonal line is the Command Module's window. From the mission transcript during docking with Charlie Brown: 106:19:13 Engle (Mission Control): Snoopy, this is Houston. How do you read me? 106:19:15 Stafford (Snoopy): So far it looks good. 106:19:19 Cernan (Snoopy): Hey, Joe. We're about ready to dock. Stand by. 106:19:21 Engle: Very good. 106:19:22 Stafford (Snoopy): Don't call us. We'll call you. 106:19:23 Engle: Roger that. 106:20:14 Stafford (Snoopy): OK, John. You're in to about 5 feet, babe. Looking beautiful. [...] 106:21:14 Cernan (Snoopy): We got a capture, John. Fire when you're ready. [...] 106:22:12 Stafford (Snoopy): Hello, Houston. Snoopy and Charlie Brown are hugging each other. Literature TIME, 6 June 1969, p. 66 Moon, Man's greatest adventure, Thomas, ed., p. 176 Watch more CLICK HERE: Apollo 10 - 16-mm magazine 1098-Y For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing