Secret stash of Apollo equipment found in Neil Armstrong's wardrobe

A bag full of equipment taken to the Moon on the Apollo 11 mission has been found by Neil Armstrong's widow in a closet at the late astronaut's house.

The bag - known as an astronaut's "purse" - contained "lunar surface equipment" including power cables, spanners, brackets and even the film camera that was used to capture images of Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walking on the Moon's surface.

No one is thought to have known about the bag's existence for more than 40 years - including Armstrong's wife Carol.

These artefacts are among the very few Apollo 11 flown items brought back from Tranquility Base and, thus, are of priceless historical value.

• Allan Needell, Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum

The contents of the bag

In a post on the Apollo 11 Lunar Surface Journal website, Allan Needell of the Smithsonian museum has documented the equipment as follows:

1. Temporary Stowage Bag (aka 'Purse')

2. Power Cable for DAC (item 12)

3. Utility Light with Power Cable

4. Utility Light with Power Cable

5. Utility Bracket Assembly (aka Utility Clamp)

6. Utility Bracket Assembly (aka Utility Clamp)

7. Crewman Optical Alignment Sight (COAS)

8. Filter (Snap-on for COAS)

9. Light Bulb Assembly (Spare for COAS)

10. Waist Tether (aka EVA Tether)

11. Helmet Tie Down Strap (2)

12. Data Acquisition Camera (DAC -16mm movie)

12a. Right-Angle Bracket Adapter (for DAC)

12b. 10-mm lens (for DAC)

13. Lens Shade (Teflon; for 10mm lens on DAC)

14. Eyeguard Assembly (for AOT)

15. Mirror (Metal)

16. Tool B - Emergency Wrench

17. Waste Management Cover

18. Netting

The Armstrong family has now loaned the contents to the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum for "preservation, research and eventual public display".

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