. Astronaut, Neil Armstrong (1930-2012),, had stored a white Temporary Stowage Bag during the Apollo 11 missions in his closet. It remained there for 45 many years, until Carol Armstrong discovered it just a few months later. Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk on the moon. He died 2012 after complications from heart surgery. When Mrs. Armstrong went through her closet, she found a small white bag. Mrs. Armstrong suspected that the bag and contents might have been from her husband’s mission to the Moon. She contacted Allan Needell, the curator at Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Space History Department. For 45 many years, the McDivitt Purse was hidden in Mr. Armstrong’s closet. Image: National Air and Space Museum Smithsonian Institution. She also sent an image of her bag and its contents which she spread on her floor. When he saw the photo, Mr. Needell couldn’t contain his excitement and thought of the possibility of getting mementos by the Lunar Module Eagle from the historic Apollo 11 missions. To confirm his suspicions, he contacted Eric Jones and Ken Glover, as well as a team of experts from the Apollo Lunar Surface Journal. Name of the bag in honour Jim McDivitt. The bag was immediately identified. Although it is officially called the Temporary Stowage Bag by NASA, astronauts used to refer to it as the McDivitt Purse. It was stored in the Lunar Module at launch. It was named in honour of Jim McDivitt (Apollo 9 Commander) who wanted to have a bag to store purge valves that would not fall on the cabin floor during EVAs. They also found the contents of the bag: a 80mm Hasselblad camera and netting, as well as metal clips, mirrors, and tethers. All of them were from the Apollo 11 Lunar Modular Eagle. Mrs. Armstrong believed the contents of her bag were connected to her husband’s Lunar Mission. They were placed on a rug and she took a photo of them before sending it to Mr. Needell. Image: National Air and Space Museum Smithsonian Institution. Mr. Armstrong may have used the metal clip and tether to keep his legs stable while resting on the Moon’s surface. This Apollo 11 mission transcription includes a reference to the McDivitt Purse. “You know that that – that’s just a bunch LM parts that we want back – odds and ends and it won’t stay closed alone; we’ll need to figure out how to fix it.” When they exited and reentered their lunar module, astronauts used this tether. They were also used to attach themselves and their gear to the spacecraft in difficult procedures. Image: National Air and Space Museum Smithsonian Institution. Mr. Needell stated that they hope to catalog and document the whole collection and place it on display as necessary. It is important to see such items with your own eyes. This helps you appreciate the fact that these achievements aren’t just historical fiction or movies. Each item is unique and has its own significance. These items are detailed in an Addendum to Apollo Lunar Surface Journal. His bag remained in his closet for four and a half decades. Nobody knew about it, even Armstrong’s biographer. Buzz Aldrin holds the McDivitt Purse in his hand during a LM inspection around 55hours minutes into Apollo 11’s mission to the Moon. (Image: Apollo 11 Lunar Surface Journal)
