Wernher von Braun's Early Drawings Up for Auction.

Wernher von Braun (1912–1977) was one of the most important rocket developers and champions of space exploration during the period between the 1930s and the 1970s. In 1950, von Braun’s team moved to the Redstone Arsenal near Huntsville, Ala., where he eventually became director of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.

By: Associated Press | Alabama's13.com
Published: October 10, 2008

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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) - Rocket scientist Wernher von Braun's
early drawings of spacecraft, featured in a popular magazine in the
1950s to build interest in space exploration, are hitting the
auction block.

The drawings by von Braun, whose team of German scientists came
to Huntsville after World War II and built the propulsion system to
send man to the moon, will be auctioned at the London-based Bonhams
New York location beginning Wednesday.

The drawings of space ships, satellites and advanced computer
controls - all signed by von Braun - were the basis for the 1950s
"Man Will Conquer Space Soon" series of articles in Collier's
magazine. Bonhams officials say they could sell for $25,000 or
more.

Auction house spokesman Matthew Haley said the papers are of
interest to space collectors and a von Braun doctoral thesis on
rocketry sold there for $27,500 last December.