SCE to AUX

The pop art painting “SCE to AUX” it’s a nod to the moment during the Apollo 12 launch when the Saturn V rocket was hit by lightning. The mission control console actually showed “SCE to AUX,” meaning the Signal Conditioning Equipment switched to auxiliary power. It’s a tiny technical moment, but it’s also one of the most dramatic and memorable events in Apollo history, so I thought it made the perfect title for this imagined movie-poster-style artwork.

This piece is my take on Apollo 12 as if it were an 80s blockbuster film, done in full pop art style, bold colors, dramatic action, and that retro poster vibe. The painting features the three astronauts:

• Charles “Pete” Conrad – Commander

• Richard F. Gordon – Command Module Pilot

• Alan L. Bean – Lunar Module Pilot

Of course, I had to include the famous lightning strike that hit the rocket right after launch, it’s one of those moments where history feels cinematic. Despite the scare, Apollo 12 went on to be the second Moon landing, with Conrad and Bean walking on the lunar surface while Gordon orbited above.

The whole idea is imagining a movie that doesn’t exist, a wild “what if” Apollo 12 blockbuster in the style of 80s posters. It’s playful, nostalgic, and full of pop culture energy. I love mixing space history with pop art, creating original paintings that are both fun and collectible.