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Astronaut Thomas D. Jones bought this sharpening stone to represent the mysterious monolith in the book and film, 2001 A Space Odyssey. He took it and the book with him on the first Space Shuttle mission of 2001, STS-98 on Atlantis. If he had some free time on camera, he planned to compare Arthur C. Clarke's futuristic vision with the realities of space travel, using the "monolith" as a prop in weightlessness. Jones credited the book and film for his fascination with spaceflight and influencing his decision to become an astronaut. He gave his copy of the book and this "monolith" to the Museum in 2016.

 Display Status

This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Country of Origin United States of America Type LITERATURE AND RESEARCH Author Arthur C. Clarke
 Manufacturer Sears Roebuck & Co.
 Dimensions 3-D ('Monolith'): 12.7 × 5.1 × 1.9cm (5 × 2 × 3/4 in.)
3-D (Box): 13.3 × 5.7 × 2.2cm (5 1/4 × 2 1/4 × 7/8 in.)
 Materials Stone (silicon carbide)
Paperboard, Adhesive
Ink, Coating
 Inventory Number A20170019001 Credit Line Gift of Thomas D. Jones Data Source National Air and Space Museum Restrictions & Rights Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.