Hello everyone! I have recently joined the forum and will (hopefully) be getting a Speedmaster in the near future.

Topic for debate: Do you think that the Speedmaster will continue to be NASA's choice for future space missions, or are there better pieces for the job? From what I've read, the Speedmaster undergoes requalification for each mission and is still currently used, but with modern advancements in technology do you think the Speedmaster will hold its position? If not, who which Brand/Model will win? What will this do to Omega's marketing strategy and brand?

If I'm missing something critical, please educate me - this is the reason why I joined the forum.

 

This will all be pure speculation. What are you hoping to get from it?

 

I think at this point the moonwatch is really only there for historical significance/tradition. Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe most astronauts have more complicated computers on their wrist that monitor their vitals. Not sure if they tell the time too but I wouldn't be surprised.
At the same time I couldn't see nasa bringing along any non necessary items.
I think that nasa might stop using the speedmaster but not qualify another brands mechanical watch.

Aren't Discussions one of the points of a forum? Even if they are all speculation.

 

The next brand to take over space missions will be the one offering Nasa the most sponsorship

 

I understand the forum concept, but he asks for speculation, then indicates he joined to be educated on this topic. So wanting to be educated on complete speculation? It's just a little confusing to me.

 

What I meant by this is that if I'm missing something about the NASA qualification or the status of the watch with NASA, etc. then please let me know.

 

The main reason why I want to buy the Speedmaster is its history and its fit with my interests in space/cosmology, so I believe you're right in saying that the main significance of the moonwatch is its history. If it didn't have this, I don't think many people would own it.

I'm almost positive you're second statement is true. If divers can have sophisticated dive computers telling time, nitrogen saturation, depth, etc. then I'm sure astronauts have something WAY better than a mechanical watch. But I think that having a watch in space is a necessary backup as we saw with Apollo 11 and Apollo 13.

 

So the Speedmaster isn't the only watch certified for space flight anymore, and that's been the case for a while.
Many astronauts now wear the Speedmaster X-33 (digital model) perhaps as an homage to the legacy of the Speedmaster, but there may also be a marketing agreement with Omega as well (as there is with the ESA, I believe).

However, the Speedmaster Professional is the only watch still certified for EVA. I think this has more to do with the better survivability of a mechanical watch vs. an electronic one in open space. I also don't think that this will change, since the Speedmaster works well enough, will likely be produced by Omega in perpetuity, and it's not worth spending part of the very narrow budgets space programs have these days on recertifying different watches. This is all conjecture of course, but I think that's probably why.

 

That's true and the speedmaster is a pretty reliable/durable watch.
It would be interesting to see how some other modern watches perform under the same conditions as the manned flight qualification process.
Also, does anyone know if any watch companies have submitted watches for qualification?
I mean besides the few that were up against the speedmaster originally.

 

The Seiko Spacewalk was tested, but I think Seiko did that themselves. It was actually worn on an EVA or two, though.

 

Very good point. This is only relevant if a space program exists, but that is another topic.

 

Who's SpaceX going to choose ? Maybe more non-NASA than NASA folks might be flying in 10 years.

 

I'm not certain if NASA astronauts are currently required to have a wrist chronograph worn on the outside of their spacesuit during an EVA. It's been a long time since I've seen visual evidence of a NASA astronaut wearing a watch during an EVA. Inside spacecraft and the ISS, it appears as though NASA astronauts can and do wear pretty much any watch they want to. I doubt many of the watches we see worn inside the ISS have been qualified by NASA in any way.

In the case of Roscosmos spaceflights, the wrist chronograph requirement appears to be enforced for both Roscosmos' own cosmonauts and NASA/JAXA/ESA/CSA astronauts, for orbital ascents and descents, and EVAs. The Omega Speedmaster appears to be Roscosmos' specified chronograph (either X-33 or cal.1861).

I'm not sure what the ESA's, JAXA's, or the Canadian Space Agency's current position is for wrist chronographs.

 

how about the fortis cosmonauts?





Cosmonautis Collections
Ever since their orbital baptism of fire aboard the space station MIR in 1994, FORTIS watches have been part of the standard equipment of all cosmonauts. After 100,000 orbits around the earth and the longest stay in weightlessness of any watch, FORTIS embodies reliability in time and space. FORTIS has proved itself again and again like no other brand and is therefore a true pioneer and a specialist in the field of space travel. Alongside the Official Cosmonauts watches with solid steel bases and engraved missions, this year FORTIS is launching a new version which embodies the features of the first original.

 

Aren't these Speedmasters strapped to the external of the suits on the recent launch to the ISS?

 

is that prince charles?

 

Haha, are you talking about the guy at the bottom? That's Tim Peake, the first Brit astronaut for quite some time. He's really done a lot to engage the British public in space travel, astronomy etc recently.

 

Very true. He's on the news most days here for one reason or another and I think that's brilliant. He's sent live feeds to schools; if I'd seen something like that as a kid, I'd have been very intrigued for sure.

He does look like "Charlie" in that pic though a little

 

Yeah, it's great that kids these days have a real focus and reason for an interest in space travel, and he's been a perfect ambassador so far.

I can see the Charlie resemblance, although it would probably di Irish if he didn't have the helmet on!

 

I know that speedmasters pro's are still worn on EVA's they are sewn into the cuff with a cover on current US Spacesuits. Note that US EVA spacesuits may not be the same as the suits worn on take off and landing and designed and built by other space agencies.

I thought that X33's are required or at least certified and provided by the ESA, and is marked as certified by the ESA. NASA has a list of approved watches in space, there is a G shock DW5600C/E, the x33, speedy pro, and a Timex IRONMAN Datalink (various models).

Below is supposedly the current list.

Flight-certified by NASA for all manned space missions:
OMEGA Speedmaster Professional 3570.50.00

Flight-Qualified by NASA for space missions:
Omega Speedmaster Professional X-33
Casio G-Shock DW-5600C
Casio G-Shock DW-5600E
Casio G-Shock DW-5900
Casio G-Shock DW-6900
Casio G-Shock Master of G G-9000
Timex IRONMAN Triathlon Data Link