[FPSPACE] Names on a plaque

[Robert Pearlman]

On Aug 5, 2004, at 5:14 PM, NOdin at aol.com wrote:

> Today, at the Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC, something struck 
> me as odd ... that being a replica of the plaque that was left on the 
> Moon by the Apollo 15 astronauts.
> The names on the plaque were those of astronauts and cosmonauts "... 
> who had lost their lives in the quest to explore the Moon."
>  
> Among those names were Pavel I. Belyayev and Yuri A. Gagarin!

The plaque (and its accompanying statue) were a private activity of the 
crew -- not sanctioned or apparently even known of by NASA until a 
press conference on September 15, 1972 at 3:00pm. From NASA press 
release 72-189, "Articles Carried on Manned Space Flights"):

"The Apollo 15 crew desired to make a personal, private, symbolic 
gesture commemorating all deceased astronauts and cosmonauts; this 
desire was reinforced by the death the month before of three Soviet 
cosmonauts during the Soyuz 11 flight. Scott had met Paul Van 
Hoeydonck, a Belgian sculptor specializing in space themes, at a dinner 
party and had discussed the possibility of such a memorial. From that 
discussion came the Apollo 15 crew's decision to place on the moon a 
small sculptured aluminum figure provided by Van Hoeydonck, together 
with a plaque listing the names of the deceased, as the memorial. The 
crew's clear understanding with Van Hoeydonck was that there was to be 
no commercial or personal exploitation of this memorial.

"In a post-mission press conference, the crew reported the memorial 
ceremony and, in keeping with their understanding, did not reveal the 
sculptor's name.

"In November 1971 the Smithsonian Institution indicated a desire to 
display a replica of the memorial statue and plaque; the Apollo 15 crew 
agreed under the conditions that the display be in good taste and 
without publicity. Scott undertook to get the replicas for the museum.

"In March 1972, Scott forwarded replicas of the plaque to the museum. 
In April, responding to Scott's request, Van Hoeydonck presented the 
museum with a replica of the statuette. The replicas are currently on 
display there.

"In May 1972, Scott learned that further replicas of the statuette 
might be offered for sale. He wrote Van Hoeydonck asking him to check 
on this rumor. In his response, Van Hoeydonck confirmed that replicas 
were intended for sale and indicated that he felt no constraints or 
restrictions in this matter. The Apollo 15 crew strongly disagree with 
this position, feeling that their solemn understanding with Van 
Hoeydonck prohibits any such commercialization.

"The 950 replicas of the "Fallen Astronaut" figurine signed by the 
sculptor have been advertised for sale by the Waddell Gallery of New 
York at a price of $750 apiece."

The full press release has been reproduced here:
http://www.collectspace.com/resources/flown_a15_articlescarried.html

-- 
Robert Pearlman, Editor
collectSPACE - The Source for Space History & Artifacts
http://www.collectspace.com/