10 Images

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.