Chris Calle: Planting the Flag on the Moon

Artist: Chris Calle
1961 -
Nationality: American
Artwork Year: 1994
Image Size: 6 by 7 inches
Overall Size: 9.625 by 11.375 inches
Medium: Mixed Media on Cold Press Illustration Board

In 1967, the U.S. signed the United Nations Outer Space Treaty, in which signatories agreed not to claim ownership to the Moon. Wishing to plant a U.S. flag on the Moon but fearful of international repercussions, NASA formed a committee to select activities that would symbolize the first lunar landing as an "historic forward step of all mankind that has been accomplished by the United States" while not implying that America was "taking possession of the Moon." NASA considered a set of miniature flags of all nations or a commemorative marker as well as Old Glory. It was decided to plant an American flag while also leaving a plaque bearing the inscription "Here men from planet Earth first set foot upon the Moon July 1969, A.D. We came in peace for all mankind." The original design bearing the Stars and Stripes over the inscription was changed to show the Eastern and Western hemispheres of Earth. Shortly before Apollo 11, Congress amended NASA's appropriation bill to require that "the flag of the United States, and no other flag, shall be implanted or otherwise placed on the surface of the Moon, or on the surface of any planet, by members of the crew of any spacecraft as part of any mission" funded entirely by the U.S. Thus, on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin planted the American flag on the Moon. The telescopic arm designed to hold up the flag on the windless lunar plain would not fully extend as designed, creating a permanent wave in the first flag placed on a heavenly body.

Artwork Copyright © 1994 Unicover Corporation. All Rights Reserved under United States and international copyright laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, transmit, or otherwise exploit the Artwork in any way. Images of the Artwork may be watermarked and/or digitally watermarked. Any sale of the physical original does not include or convey the Copyright or any right comprised in the copyright.

Our Stock Number (SKU): Sold

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