A piece of the first spacecraft to land on the moon is expected to fetch up to £1,200 at auction.

The piece of Kapton Foil from the Apollo 11 is being auctioned with a signed endorsement from Buzz Aldrin.

The Kapton Foil was attached to the module from the Apollo 11 mission which landed the first humans on the moon in 1969.

The gold-like tape is coated with aluminium and oxidised silicon monoxide and protected the command module during its re-entry into the earth's atmosphere on July 24 1969.

Although most of it burnt off, members of the spaceshuttle recovery team collected bits as souvenirs.

A letter, typed on an "Apollo XI" letterhead, talks about the role of the fragile Kapton Foil, most of which burned away during the 25,000mph re-entry.

The letter, signed in black ink by Aldrin, states: "A small portion of it survived and was salvaged by the North American Recovery team on board the aircraft carrier Hornet, and carefully preserved for posterity."

With an estimate of between £900 and £1,200, it will be sold at auction on November 14 by Henry Aldridge and Son, in Devizes, Wiltshire.

A signed photograph of the crew of the Apollo 12, the second manned mission to land on the moon, will also be sold and is estimated to fetch between £200 and £300.