Neil Armstrong’s Apollo 11 training jacket draws $53,000 pre-bid before auction

A jacket made for Neil Armstrong’s Apollo 11 training has drawn a $53,000 pre-bid ahead of an online charity auction Saturday.The white in-flight-coverall jacket is part of a two-piece suit custom-made for Armstrong, the first person to walk on the moon. The American Space Museum said Armstrong wore the coveralls during Earth-based training for the historic 1969 mission.The jacket’s opening bid was $50,000. Auction organizers estimate it could ultimately sell for between $800,000 and $1.2 million.A matching pair of Armstrong’s training trousers is being sold separately. The trousers opened at $10,000 and are expected to bring between $50,000 and $75,000.The jacket and trousers came from two different sellers who independently consigned them to Bid Again Auctions within the same week.“To have both pieces show up as independent consignments in a one-week span is beyond comprehension,” auctioneer Chuck Jeffrey said.The items will headline the American Space Museum’s 45th Charity Space Mem