U.S. astronaut Armstrong's moon bag to fetch up to $4 million at auction

The Apollo 11 Contingency Lunar Sample Return Bag used by astronaut Neil Armstrong is displayed for Sotheby's Space Exploration auction in New York City, U.S., July 13, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The long-lost bag used by U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong to bring back to Earth the first samples of moon dust is expected to sell for up to $4 million (3.09 million pounds) when it is auctioned with other space memorabilia next week in New York City.

The sale at international art auction house Sotheby's also features the Apollo 13 flight plan annotated by its crew, a spacesuit worn by U.S. astronaut Gus Grissom, and lunar photographs taken by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).