WASHINGTON • More than 40 years ago, it was priceless.

The 70-page checklist — hastily updated after an in-space explosion — enabled the three astronauts aboard Apollo 13 to turn their lunar module into a lifeboat and survive what was nearly a deadly disaster.

So when officials at Heritage Auctions obtained the three-ring binder from the personal collection of Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell, they expected it to fetch top dollar — but still were stunned by the final bid of nearly $390,000.

"That was an amazing price," said Michael Riley, senior historian at the Dallas-based dealer. And he said the sale, to an anonymous bidder, was emblematic of why space collectibles continue to do well even in tough economic times.

"It wasn't just a space item. It was a human interest story," Riley said.

Insiders estimate that space collectibles — the real NASA stuff, not lightsabers from that universe far, far away — account for as much as $10 million in sales annually. That's expected to grow as artifacts from the space shuttle program, which ended last summer, hit the market.

"They say you don't know what you have until it's gone," said Robert Pearlman, founder of the industry website collectSPACE and widely considered a guru on space memorabilia.

"And with the end of the shuttle program, people are starting to recognize the (collectible value) of the shuttle program, and it's reminding them of the early programs, like Apollo. We're seeing increased interest across the board," he said.

Among the newer trends: trying to collect an item from each of the 133 successful shuttle missions, such as one of the thousands of miniature American flags, coins and other trinkets carried on every launch.