The Apollo missions represent humanity’s greatest adventure – our first steps on another world. While the scientific and technological achievements of these missions are well-documented, there’s a deeply human aspect to lunar exploration that often receives less attention: the personal items astronauts carried with them to the Moon. These small mementos, carried in what NASA called Personal Preference Kits (PPKs), tell a fascinating story about the individuals who ventured farther from Earth than any humans before them.
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Apollo Astronauts’ Personal Items Explorer
First mission to orbit the Moon. Frank Borman carried an aluminum sphere that was later used to strike 200,000 commemorative medallions.
First lunar landing. Neil Armstrong carried pieces of the Wright Flyer and family jewelry. Michael Collins carried flags representing the U.S., Washington D.C., and the Air Force.
Alan Shepard brought golf balls and a makeshift club. Edgar Mitchell carried 100 microfilm Bibles to the lunar surface. Stuart Roosa carried tree seeds that became “Moon Trees.”
David Scott left a Bible with a red cover on the dashboard of the Lunar Roving Vehicle. After this mission, rules were revised following an unauthorized covers scandal.
Charles Duke left a family photograph on the lunar surface with a message written on the back.
Final lunar mission. Personal Preference Kits had been renamed as Astronaut Preference Kits (APKs) by this time.
What were Personal Preference Kits (PPKs)?
During the Apollo program, astronauts were permitted to carry small collections of personal items to the Moon in what NASA officially designated as Personal Preference Kits (PPKs).
These kits were made from fireproof beta cloth and secured with drawstrings, allowing astronauts to bring mementos that reflected their personal interests, family connections, and historical appreciation.
PPK Specifications
The standard PPK bags measured approximately 8″ × 4″ × 2″, though larger bags of about 10″ × 10″ × 2″ were also used on some missions.
Weight restrictions varied by mission:
- Apollo 13: 0.5 pounds (227 grams) each
- Apollo 14: 0.9 pounds (408 grams) each
- Apollo 15: Reduced to 0.1 pounds (45 grams) each
Evolution of PPKs
The tradition of carrying personal items into space began during the Gemini program, with astronauts authorized to take personal items in a 6″ × 7″ nylon drawstring bag.
By Apollo 17, the final lunar mission, Personal Preference Kits had been renamed as Astronaut Preference Kits (APKs), following a revision of rules after the Apollo 15 unauthorized covers scandal.
The Personal Preference Kit: A Small Piece of Home in Space
During the Apollo program, astronauts were permitted to carry a small collection of personal items to the Moon in what NASA officially designated as Personal Preference Kits (PPKs). These kits were made from fireproof beta cloth and secured with drawstrings, allowing astronauts to bring mementos that reflected their personal interests, family connections, and historical appreciation.
The standard PPK bags measured approximately 8″ × 4″ × 2″, though larger bags of about 10″ × 10″ × 2″ were also used on some missions. This tradition of carrying personal items into space began during the Gemini program, where astronauts were authorized to take personal items in a 6″ × 7″ nylon drawstring bag.
Evolution and Restrictions
The weight and quantity restrictions for these kits varied throughout the Apollo program:
- For Apollo 13, the stowage lists identified 11 PPKs weighing 0.5 pounds (227 grams) each in the Command Module, plus 3 PPKs of the same weight in the Lunar Module
- By Apollo 14, the LM stowed PPKs had increased in weight to 0.9 pounds (408 grams) each
- Interestingly, Apollo 15 showed a dramatic reduction, with only three PPKs of merely 0.1 pounds (45 grams) each in the Command Module and just one PPK of 0.1 pounds in the Lunar Module
By Apollo 17, the final lunar mission, Personal Preference Kits had been renamed as Astronaut Preference Kits (APKs), following a revision of rules after the Apollo 15 unauthorized covers scandal.
Family Mementos: Bringing Loved Ones to the Moon
Perhaps the most touching category of personal items were those that connected astronauts to their families back on Earth.
Charles Duke’s Family Photograph
One of the most moving personal items taken to the Moon was carried by Apollo 16 Lunar Module Pilot Charles Duke in 1972. Duke, who became the youngest person to walk on the Moon at age 36, brought a family photograph that he left on the lunar surface.
The photograph showed Duke, his wife Dorothy, and their two sons, Charles Duke III and Thomas. On the back of the photo, Duke wrote: “This is the family of astronaut Charlie Duke from planet Earth who landed on the Moon on April 20, 1972.”
Duke’s gesture was particularly meaningful given the extensive time he spent away from his family during training. Based in Houston while training in Florida, Duke often missed precious moments with his children. Before the mission, he had promised his sons that he would take them to the Moon with him in the only way possible—through this photograph.
The photograph has remained on the lunar surface for over five decades, though the extreme lunar conditions—temperatures ranging from 250°F during the day to -250°F at night—have likely degraded the once-vibrant picture significantly.
Other Family Items
Beyond Duke’s famous photograph, astronauts carried various family mementos:
- Wedding rings as symbols of connection to their spouses
- Children’s drawings, providing a personal touch from their youngest family members
- Jewelry for family members, such as Neil Armstrong who brought gold olive branches for his wife and mother
Flags and Commemorative Items: Representing Nations and Organizations
Representing their countries, states, and organizations was important to many astronauts during these historic journeys.
Apollo 11’s Symbolic Representations
As Command Module Pilot for Apollo 11, Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit while his crewmates explored the surface. In his PPK, Collins carried:
- The flag of the United States
- The flag of Washington, D.C. (his hometown)
- The flag of the Air Force (representing his military service)
These items reflected Collins’ patriotism and professional affiliations, common themes in the personal items selected by many Apollo astronauts.
Other Commemorative Items
Astronauts often carried items intended as future gifts or mementos:
- Mission patches in quantity, often to be given as gifts later
- Commemorative medals
- Miniature spacecraft models (Wally Schirra carried a miniature Gemini spacecraft on his Gemini mission, a practice that might have continued in Apollo)
- Apollo 8 commander Frank Borman carried a sphere of aluminum during the mission, which was later used to strike 200,000 space-flown medallions distributed to individuals who contributed to the Apollo program
Religious and Spiritual Items: Faith on the Lunar Surface
Faith played a significant role for some astronauts, who carried various religious artifacts to the Moon.
The Lunar Bibles of Apollo 14
The Apollo 14 mission in 1971 is particularly notable for carrying religious artifacts to the lunar surface. Lunar Module Pilot Edgar Mitchell carried 100 miniature Bibles to the lunar surface as part of a larger Bible initiative by the Apollo Prayer League (APL).
In total, hundreds of these “lunar Bibles” were bundled in packets and carried aboard Apollo 14. According to NASA records, 300 microfilm Bibles were officially documented on the mission, with 100 copies in the lunar module and 200 copies in the command module.
An additional 212 microfilm Bibles were reportedly stowed onboard in the astronauts’ personal preference kits, though these were not officially documented, as was common practice for small personal items. These microform King James Bibles were impressively compact—all 1,245 pages were condensed and printed on a single microfilm square measuring about 1.6 square inches (4.1 square centimeters).
The Lunar Bible Initiative was launched by the APL, an organization founded in 1968 by pastors working within NASA to pray for astronaut safety and mission success. The effort also commemorated Apollo 1 astronaut Edward White, who had wanted to bring a Bible to the Moon but perished in the launchpad fire of January 1967.
David Scott’s Bible on the Lunar Rover
During the Apollo 15 mission, Commander David Scott left a paper copy of a Bible with a red cover on the dashboard of an abandoned Lunar Roving Vehicle, where it presumably remains to this day. This represents one of the few personal items intentionally left on the lunar surface that has been publicly documented.
Other Religious Items
Beyond Bibles, astronauts carried various religious items:
- Religious medals
- Prayer books and other religious texts
- James Irwin also brought a Bible to the Moon during his mission
Historical Connections: Linking Human Achievement
Some astronauts chose items that connected their lunar journeys to significant moments in human history.
Neil Armstrong’s Wright Flyer Artifacts
Commander Neil Armstrong, the first human to set foot on the lunar surface, carried several noteworthy items in his PPK. According to biographer James Hansen, Armstrong never released a complete manifest of his PPK contents, but he disclosed carrying:
- Apollo 11 medallions for commemorative purposes
- Jewelry for his wife and mother, specifically gold olive branches for each
- A piece of wood from the Wright brothers’ 1903 airplane’s left propeller
- A piece of muslin fabric (8″×13″) from the Wright Flyer’s upper left wing
- His college fraternity pin from Purdue University, which he later donated for display at Phi Delta Theta’s headquarters in Oxford, Ohio
Armstrong’s decision to carry pieces of the Wright Flyer represents a profound connection between two pivotal moments in aviation and aerospace history—linking the first powered flight on Earth with the first human steps on another world.
Other Historical Items
Beyond Armstrong’s famous Wright Flyer pieces, astronauts carried:
- Coins, including James Irwin, who brought $2 bills intending to sell them later as Moon memorabilia
- Pieces or replicas of important historical documents
Personal Items: Expressing Individual Identity
| Item Category | Examples | Notable Astronauts |
| Jewelry & Accessories | Masonic rings, watches, pens & pencils | Wally Schirra (33rd Degree Masonic ring) |
| Recreational Items | Golf balls, music items | Alan Shepard (golf balls & club head) |
| Scientific Materials | Tree seeds, university memorabilia | Stuart Roosa (tree species seeds) |
| Personal Care | Nail clippers, combs, hygiene items | Various |
| Luck Charms | Lucky coins, childhood mementos | Various |
Alan Shepard’s Golf Equipment
Alan Shepard famously brought golf balls to the Moon during Apollo 14, along with a makeshift golf club head. This led to one of the most memorable moments in lunar exploration when Shepard hit what he described as the longest golf shot in history – “miles and miles” in the Moon’s low gravity.
Stuart Roosa’s “Moon Trees”
During Apollo 14, Command Module Pilot Stuart Roosa carried seeds from various tree species, including loblolly pine, sycamore, sweetgum, redwood, and Douglas fir. These seeds were later germinated after returning to Earth and planted across the United States as “Moon Trees” – living symbols of the Apollo program’s achievements.
Other Personal Items
Astronauts carried various other personal items:
- Masonic rings (Wally Schirra carried a 33rd Degree Masonic ring on his Gemini mission)
- Watches that later became prized possessions
- Writing instruments, including sturdy metal Garland 35P mechanical pencils and “Rocket” model felt-tipped markers
- Personal challenge coins representing their military units or missions
- Pieces of spacecraft from previous missions or training
- Lucky coins and childhood mementos
Official but Personal: Mission-Related Items
Some items, while officially sanctioned, held personal significance for the astronauts:
- Flight plans with personal annotations
- Mission checklists with handwritten notes
- These documents, while functional for the mission, often became treasured mementos afterward
Items Left Behind: A Human Presence on the Moon
Many personal items were intentionally left on the lunar surface, creating a lasting human presence on our celestial neighbor:
- Family photographs, like Charles Duke’s family photo
- Commemorative plaques with personal significance
- Personal messages and small mementos left in the lunar module or on the surface
The Privacy of Personal Preference Kits
It’s important to note that the exact contents of most PPKs remain private, as NASA considered this a personal matter for each astronaut. What we do know reveals a fascinating blend of commemorative, religious, patriotic, and deeply personal objects that traveled to another world.
The items carried often reflected the individual personalities, interests, and backgrounds of the astronauts, making each PPK a unique time capsule of human exploration.
A Legacy That Continues
The practice of carrying personal items to space continues today, with astronauts on the International Space Station still allowed to bring small personal items. This tradition helps humanize space exploration, connecting the vast emptiness of space with the personal lives and experiences of the brave individuals who venture into it.
The personal items taken to the Moon serve as a reminder that even as we push the boundaries of human exploration, we carry with us the connections, beliefs, and histories that make us human. These objects, whether they remain on the lunar surface or returned to Earth, stand as silent witnesses to humanity’s greatest adventure.
As we look forward to future lunar missions and potential Mars exploration through NASA’s Artemis program and beyond, it’s likely that astronauts will continue this tradition, carrying with them small pieces of Earth as they push the boundaries of human exploration further into the solar system.
Conclusion
The personal items carried by Apollo astronauts to the Moon provide a humanizing dimension to what were primarily scientific and geopolitical endeavors. From Armstrong’s pieces of the Wright Flyer bridging aviation history to Duke’s family photograph expressing love across the void of space, these items represented the personal values, relationships, and interests of the individuals who ventured farther from Earth than any humans before them.
These small, personal artifacts remind us that beyond the technological marvel of reaching the Moon, the Apollo program was fundamentally a human story – one of courage, curiosity, and connection. They provide a window into the hearts and minds of the extraordinary individuals who took humanity’s first steps on another world.
Want to explore more fascinating stories about the Apollo missions? Visit our website for in-depth articles, photos, and exclusive content about humanity’s greatest adventure. Don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel for captivating videos about space exploration, interviews with experts, and more celestial content!
References
- Space Flown Artifacts: Flown PPKs
- Air and Space Museum: Memento Moon – Some of What We’ve Left Behind
- Air and Space Museum: Armstrong Purse – Flown Apollo 11 Lunar Artifacts
- Fox Weather: Astronaut Moon Left Behind Manmade
- Economic Times: There is a family photo on the Moon – The astronaut who took “love you to the Moon and back” literally
- Live Science: Apollo 14 Space Bible Auctioned
- Smithsonian: Destination Moon – Apollo 11 Mission Object List
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