Matthew Day Jackson's "Apollo 11 Splashdown. July 24th 1969" commemorates the historic return of the Apollo 11 spacecraft by printing directly onto an actual NASA emergency blanket, transforming utilitarian space program material into fine art. The addition of colored thread embroidery creates a tactile layer that contrasts with the printed image, merging craftsmanship with historical documentation. By repurposing an authentic artifact from the mission itself, Jackson creates a work that functions simultaneously as historical record, sculptural object, and meditation on American achievement and technological progress.