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NAA/Autonetics “Apollo Spaceborne Products” patch, ca. 1963-68 (face)

I don’t normally seek/acquire patches, emblems, decals, etc., but this one was so cool, obscure, unique, pleasantly ‘asymmetrical’…and affordable, that I had to get it. And it’s big…~7.5 inches in diameter! I assume once worn on the back of an employee’s work coveralls.

I’m tempted to gently wash it, but don’t dare.

 

As expected, something/anything pertaining to this patch’s origin & history, let alone any specifics regarding “Apollo Spaceborne Products” are nonexistent. Even information about Autonetics and its contributions to the Apollo Program are vague & generic. As such, my date range is a total SWAG.

 

Some of what little there is:

 

“Autonetics was a division of North American Aviation that designed and built guidance and navigation systems for the Apollo program, including the Apollo spacecraft. As a leader in precision electronics and instruments like gyroscopes, Autonetics' expertise was crucial for reliably guiding spacecraft on their complex lunar missions.”

 

Above per Google’s AI-generated response to my “Autonetics” query.

 

Additionally, from Boeing’s Autonetics Memorial/Monument “brochure/flyer”:

 

“…innovations provided the systems that the Apollo astronauts used to determine the exact position of the lunar module during rendezvous and docking.”

 

And:

 

“Autonetics also contributed to space exploration, including rendezvous and docking systems for Apollo…”

 

At/From:

 

bos.ocgov.com/legacy3/newsletters/pdf/Honoring_the_Legacy...

Credit: Orange County website

 

Additionally:

 

www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum38/HTML/001197.html

Credit: collectSPACE website

 

Finally, the specific Autonetics contribution to Apollo referenced by Scott Schneeweis in the above citation:

 

www.spaceaholic.com/index.php/Detail/Object/Show/object_i...

Credit: Scott Schneeweis/Spaceaholic website

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Uploaded on August 29, 2025
Taken on August 29, 2025