15. The Sony cassette recorder (TC-50)
Where It Was Sold: Department Stores and Electronics Retailers
Organisation: Sony
Initial Cost: $40–$50*
Experience the past with the Sony TC-50 Cassette Recorder, a small gadget that preserves the sounds of humankind’s most amazing explorations during the Apollo missions. Because NASA astronauts used it, this portable music player became a representation of both human curiosity and technological prowess.
The Cassette Recorder, Sony TC-50 ©u/Hunor_Deak/Reddit
From the silent times spent in spacecraft to the historic words uttered on the moon, the TC-50 captured the spirit of adventure. Its contribution to the space missions went beyond its intended use, making it a historical artefact that attests to the inventiveness of the time and the never-ending pursuit of knowledge.