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The McDonnell Douglas/NASA Commemorative Delta 3920 Metal Shavings in Lucite is a unique collectible piece commemorating the historic NASA program in 1982. This item features metal shavings from the Delta 3920 launch vehicle collected during initial manufacturing encapsulated in Lucite, making it a tangible representation of the astronauts and space travel theme. It is a special piece of historical memorabilia that celebrates the achievements of the NASA program and serves as a fascinating artifact for collectors interested in space exploration.
The flight was Delta 163 (also numbered 648/D163), launched 16 July 1982 at 17:59 GMT from Vandenberg AFB (now SFB) SLC-2W. It was the first of only three Delta 3920 flights (all successful, 1982–1986). The vehicle was an upgraded Thor-Delta: RS-27 first stage, nine Castor 4A solids, and a larger Delta-K second stage, about 118 ft tall, able to put roughly 3,450 lb into low Earth orbit. The payload, Landsat-D, became Landsat 4 (1982-072A), the first Landsat with the Thematic Mapper. McDonnell Douglas built the Delta line and issued pieces like this as launch souvenirs; the same shavings type is documented in the collectSPACE editor’s collection.
This is new in the original box with packing cotton, Lucite cleaning instructions and felt pads. The box is clean, unmarked and undamaged.
