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In October 1962, astronaut Wally Schirra took the first recognisable images of Earth from space.

He used a Hasselblad camera and Zeiss lens to take the photographs on the Mercury-Atlas 8 (MA-8) mission.

More than 50 years later, the unique camera is set to go to auction at RR Auction's Boston Gallery - and it is expected to 'far exceed' the estimate of between $50,000 (£31,250) and $100,000 (£62,500).

A camera to be snapped up? A modified Hasselblad camera (pictured left) that was used by astronaut Wally Schirra (pictured right) on the Mercury-Atlas 8 mission of 1962 is to be auctioned. He used it to take the first recognisable images of Earth from space and it is expected to fetch over $100,000 (£62,500)

Mr Schirra chose the Hasselblad 500c as his camera of choice because it was held in high regard by photographers due to its superior engineering, craftsmanship and picture quality.

Hasselblad sill makes medium format cameras and is based in Gothenburg, Sweden. 

They were also used during the Apollo program missions when humans landed on the moon. 

Mr Schirra reportedly bought it himself at a Houston photo supply shop in 1962 and then took it to Nasa to prepare for his mission.

MA-8 was the US' fifth manned space mission. Mr Schirra orbited the Earth six times in the Sigma 7 spacecraft during a nine-hour flight designed to test engineering features of the craft.

Mr Schirra chose the Hasselblad 500c as his camera of choice because it was held in high regard by photographers because of its superior engineering, craftsmanship, overall quality. He used it to take this photo

Mr Schirra reportedly bought the camera himself at a Houston photo supply shop in 1962 and then took it to Nasa to prepare for his mission. There, it was modified, including being painted black to minimise reflections 

'It was not until astronaut Wally Schirra - a known camera enthusiast - naturally sought the finest camera available at the time to accompany him on his MA-8 mission that Nasa's photographic identity began to take shape,' said Bobby Livingston, Executive Vice President at RR Auction. This is one of this photographs of Earth

In the third orbit, he took photographs over California and on the sixth orbit, of South America.

'It was not until astronaut Wally Schirra - a known camera enthusiast - naturally sought the finest camera available at the time to accompany him on his MA-8 mission that Nasa's photographic identity began to take shape,' said Bobby Livingston, Executive Vice President at RR Auction.

While his pictures are not as famous as Earthrise - a snap taken by William Anders in 1968 during the Apollo 8 mission - it paved the way for such images, which are given credit for changing people's perceptions of planet Earth.

Engineers at the United States Air Force camera laboratory worked with Wally Schirra and later fellow astronaut Gordon Cooper to modify the camera.

This included the installation of a 100-exposure film container, an aiming device mounted on the side, and modification of the camera surface.

The original metal facing was repainted black to minimise reflections. 

Mr Cooper used the Hasselblad camera along with the Zeiss lens on the next Mercury mission, MA-9.

MA-9 was the final manned space mission of the US Mercury programme and launched on May 15, 1963. The spacecraft, named Faith 7, completed 22 Earth orbits piloted by Mr Cooper.

Engineers at the United States Air Force camera laboratory worked with Wally Schirra, and later fellow astronaut Gordon Cooper, to modify the camera. This included the installation of a 100-exposure film container (pictured right), an aiming device mounted on the side, and modification of the camera surface

The original metal facing of the camera was was repainted black to minimise reflections in the spacecraft. Here, 1960s adverts show how the camera came to be associated with the space race

Astronaut Gordon Cooper used a Hasselblad camera along with the same Zeiss lens on the next Mercury mission, MA-9. This letter, obtained by the auction house, confirms the camera's authenticity

MA-9 was the final manned space mission of the US Mercury programme and launched on 15 May, 1963. The spacecraft, named Faith 7, completed 22 Earth orbits piloted by Mr Cooper who took this photo