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    24 Historic Photos That'll Make You Want To Be An Astronaut

    Featuring Buzz Aldrin taking the first selfie in space. And also a lot of American flags.

    Kelly Oakes
    by Kelly Oakes

    BuzzFeed Staff, UK

    1. Astronaut Ed White was the first American to attempt a spacewalk.

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    2. He was photographed by fellow astronaut James McDivitt.

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    3. Their mission was the second crewed space flight in NASA's Project Gemini.

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    4. These photos, from White's personal collection, are part of an auction of vintage NASA photos that go under the hammer on February 26 in London.

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    5. McDivitt and White were the only crew of the Gemini 4 spacecraft.

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    6. Gemini 4 lifted off in June 1965.

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    7. White took lots of photos of Earth from space during the mission.

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    8. (Once he'd got to grips with using the camera.)

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    9. And now, if you stump up the money, you can own one of them. Here's the catalogue.

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    10. It's not just Gemini 4 photos up for auction. There's a timelapse of the Gemini 10 launch in July 1966.

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    11. Buzz Aldrin taking the first ever space selfie in November 1966.

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    12. And the Saturn V rocket on the launch pad in November 1967.

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    13. Apollo 11 lifting off on its historic flight to the moon in July 1969 with less computing power than a USB stick.

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    14. And Buzz Aldrin taking his first step on the moon, taken by Neil Armstrong who was already on the surface.

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    15. There's Buzz Aldrin making a footprint on the pristine lunar surface.

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    16. If you look at Aldrin's visor here, you can just about make out Armstrong and the Lunar Module.

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    17. But this photograph is the only clear one of Armstrong on the Moon during Apollo 11.

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    18. Looking at this view during Apollo 11, Michael Collins said: "Houston, Apollo 11... I’ve got the world in my window."

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    19. From Apollo 12, here's Alan Bean with the reflection of fellow astronaut Peter Conrad in his visor.

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    20. The sun reflecting over the Lunar Module.

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    21. And a crescent Earth rising behind the moon during Apollo 17.

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    22. You could own a photo of astronaut Alan Shepard posing with the American flag during Apollo 14, February 1971.

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    23. Or James Irwin saluting the American flag during Apollo 15, August 1971.

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    24. Or this photo of Earth with Harrison Schmitt and, of course, an American flag during Apollo 17, December 1972.

    © Bloomsbury Auctions

    Basically, NASA astronauts really love flags.

    From the Earth to the Moon will be held at Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions’ saleroom in London on Thursday 26 February. You can see the catalogue online.