LOS ANGELES, CA.- Astronaut John Glenn’s in-flight instructions used on the historic 1962 Mercury-Atlas 6 mission will be auctioned by Nate D. Sanders on July 21. Interested bidders may participate in the auction online.

Glenn used the instructions for the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission on February 20, 1962. The instructions include a chronological flight plan composed of detailed celestial bodies and geographical landmarks, which allowed Glenn to track the flight’s position during the 4 hour and 55-minute mission. Glenn was also instructed at which point during the duration of the mission to take photos. The instructions include an in-flight checklist directing Glenn to do various tasks such as change the film, color filter, put on a helmet and exercise.

The document is attached to a bobbin at each end, which forms a scroll. Glenn was able to move it back and forth with his thumb during the mission.

Glenn gave the in-flight instructions to Frogman Richard “Dick” Dunham of UDT-21 (Underwater Demolition Team) as a thank you gift for his work on the Mercury 6 project. Dunham’s UDT team helped retrieve the astronauts after the spacecraft splashed into the ocean. Dunham gave the flight plan to United States Navy veteran Justin C. Pollard. It was displayed for three years at the San Diego Air and Space Museum. The historical significance of the instructions have been confirmed by the John Glenn Archives at Ohio State University Libraries.

Bidding begins at $25,000.