Photo: David Bellman, RR Auction  NASA history sold at auctionA NASA Gemini space capsule set for auction by RR Auction of Boston was threatened with a parking ticket by Boston Police. Check out some of the final sales prices of the RR Auction NASA sale ...  NASA history sold at auction A NASA Gemini space capsule set for...  American flag carried to lunar surface. Final price at auction: $27,121.  American flag carried to lunar surface. Final price at auction:...  Letter authenticating American flag carried to lunar surface. Sold with the flag. Final price at auction: $27,121.  Letter authenticating American flag carried to lunar surface. Sold...  First Hasselblad camera in space, taken by Astronaut Wally Schirra. Final price at auction: $336,875  First Hasselblad camera in space, taken by Astronaut Wally Schirra....  Screwdriver. Final price at auction:$6,072.33.  Screwdriver. Final price at auction:$6,072.33.  Mercury Atlas 1 space capsule fragment. Final price at auction: $30,337.  Mercury Atlas 1 space capsule fragment. Final price at auction:...  A page from Gene Kranz's Apollo 11 flight book, used during human's first trip to the moon, July 1969. Final price at auction for the book: $91,909.  A page from Gene Kranz's Apollo 11 flight book, used during human's...  A page from Gene Kranz's Apollo 11 flight book, used during human's first trip to the moon, July 1969. Final price at auction for the book: $91,909.  A page from Gene Kranz's Apollo 11 flight book, used during human's...  This sterling silver Apollo 11 medal was flown into space. Final price at auction: $34,549.90.  This sterling silver Apollo 11 medal was flown into space. Final...  Gemini "boiler plate" capsule used for testing. Repainted and relettered. Final price at auction: $51,909.  Gemini "boiler plate" capsule used for testing. Repainted and...  Five packets of space food carried by Gordon Cooper in May 1963. Final price at auction: $12,092.  Five packets of space food carried by Gordon Cooper in May 1963....  Saturn V ball valve. Final price at auction: $245.  Saturn V ball valve. Final price at auction: $245.  One of 32 Bible fragments flown to the moon, presented in a modern Faberge egg. Final price at auction: $12,327.17.  One of 32 Bible fragments flown to the moon, presented in a modern...  This space tether was worn on the waist of John Young's pressure suit during Apollo 16. Final price at auction: $45,353.18.  This space tether was worn on the waist of John Young's pressure...  Astronaut Gordon Cooper's checklist. Final price at auction: $7,630.  Astronaut Gordon Cooper's checklist. Final price at auction: $7,630.  This 5-inch penlight was flown on Skylab 2 by Jack Lousma. Final price at auction: $5,927.78.  This 5-inch penlight was flown on Skylab 2 by Jack Lousma. Final...  Lunar module strut. Final price at auction: $2,119.  Lunar module strut. Final price at auction: $2,119.  Rocket engine thrust chamber assembly. Final price at auction: $3,596.60.  Rocket engine thrust chamber assembly. Final price at auction:...  This 9-inch command-module color TV camera mount allowed positioning of the camera. Final price at auction: $17,726.98.  This 9-inch command-module color TV camera mount allowed...  Translation hand controller, used to control spacecraft velocity changes. Final price at auction: $25,640.  Translation hand controller, used to control spacecraft velocity...  Gold charm. Final price at auction: $3,300.  Gold charm. Final price at auction: $3,300.  Gold charm. Final price at auction: $3,300.  Gold charm. Final price at auction: $3,300.
There are certainly dangers involved with shooting a NASA capsule into outer space, but a NASA Gemini capsule encountered one threat its engineers never could have imagined: a parking ticket.