Mercury-Era Star Laminated Star Chart for Celestial Navigation (Ex. Gene Kranz Collection)
 
Laminated, double-sided, Mercury-era star chart (3.5x10”) from the personal collection of Flight Director Gene Kranz.  This chart is one of approximately 50 similar charts that collectively comprised the Mercury “Astro-Navigation Computer.”
 
Used in conjunction with a plastic slider (see attached photo), these charts could be matched against the astronaut's view out the capsule window at a given mission elapsed time, thus allowing estimation of location and attitude of the spacecraft. This device was particularly important for establishing the yaw of the spacecraft during nightside portions of earth orbit (or under conditions of heavy cloud cover), when ground landmarks would not be visible.  An identical device was also issued to the ground tracking stations as well as Mission Control.  
 
The design of these “astro-computers” changed between Mercury flights.  This example is the same version used on Gordon Cooper’s MA-9 flight in May 1963.  
 
Mercury-era star charts are quite rare, particularly with such amazing provenance.  Accompanied by Certification Letter from Steve Hankow of Furthest Reaches, who sold these on behalf of Gene Kranz.