Hidden gems from the NASA photo archive

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Thanks a lot for sharing, perfect sunday afternoon reading material.
 
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I wanted to give this a bump into 2019. I just recently discovered the Project Apollo Archives and wanted to make a post. Searching the forums led me here.

I'll leave the link here for convenience: https://www.flickr.com/photos/projectapolloarchive/albums
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Those are the mission photos only... NASA went digital and set up a Flickr account...
But the absence of important historic NASA photos is appalling... cooperation with spaceflight aficionados & private collectors might solve this...
NASA Flickr = https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasa2explore/albums
馃摉
 
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Bonjour everyone,

As a long time aficionado of the history of space exploration and, of course, the Omega Speedmaster, this thread is candy for my eyes. Thanks for sharing.

Following the picture of Jean-Loup Chr茅tien and even though they are not vintage NASA pictures, I thought I might share here a few photographs of Thomas Pesquet, France鈥檚 10th astronaut (or spationaute, as we say here).

During his training and his stay on the ISS (2016-2017), he鈥檚 been wearing at least 2 different Omega Speedmaster X-33 models, which is to be expected, considering this watch is currently issued to ESA astronauts:

But belonging to the first generation of astronauts who actually never saw the moon landing live on TV doesn鈥檛 mean Pesquet is not familiar with the good old mechanical speedmaster. He whore one over his sokol suit, as per Roscosmos flight rules (sorry for the watermark) :

But his interest for this timepiece is not only鈥rofessional (pun partially intended ! ) :


He even offered his brother Baptiste to take his own speedy (one from 1976, his year of birth) into space with him, for a little 6-months trip onboard the ISS ! Here is the now famous photo he took of it with the cupola in the background :

 
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This 2019 I'll be celebrating " 100 years Rolex in Switzerland " on the well-known astronaut/spacefarers wrist watch blog 馃榿
 
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54 years ago...
Let's not forget NASA engineer James Ragan who tested the chronograph watches... between November 1964 and February 1965
In March 1965, after 4 months of testing, NASA's flight safety office confirmed that only the Omega Speedmaster (reference 105.003) satisfied all flight qualification requirements and the Omega wristwatch could be purchased to be issued to NASA astronauts as government furnished equipment.
The well-known photo series were actually taken much later as James Ragan remained responsible to maintain the NASA-issued Speedmaster chronographs. As the second photo clearly shows, it's a Professional version of the Speedmaster... Photo probably taken in 1968 馃憥
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If it's Jim Ragan day I'll add this one. He's one of the classiest guys out there. One of the best autographs in my collection.

 
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@wouter van wijk
I really hope the next MWO edition will have at least a few far better astronaut/cosmonaut photos in it... examples a plenty in this topic.
Glad to help with high res versions as we all know it's amazing what we can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit !
 
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50 years ago... Apollo 11 Lunar EVA training was at its top... February to June 1969 were tough training months...
Neil working near the Lunar Lander ( with & without Omega Speedmaster )... and Buzz hanging in for lunar EVA training (with Omega Speedmaster)
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Health warning 'NASA' farsight is now a known eye condition.... You can lose hours of screen time hunting there :0) - A big thanks to the archivists who share all that material for us....
Edited:
 
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@Jones in LA...the geology hammer could be an Estwing...it looks just like the one I have. 馃憤

Also, thanks for posting the cool pics. 馃憤
Yes, it鈥檚 definitely an Estwing by the looks of the handle. I have one of their hatchets. Heirloom quality and coolness.
 
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This thread is over the top - thanks to all who posted the fantastic photos and added comments. A very enjoyable read, and I love my new Speedmaster now even more!
 
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50 years ago... the Apollo 10 crew was ready for the rehearsal of an actual Moon landing...
They named their spacecraft: Charlie Brown (CSM) and Snoopy (Lunar Lander)... based on Charles Schulz cartoons
About 40 days prior to launch day, we see Commander Tom Stafford in the cockpit of a T-38 jet with the Snoopy logo applied.
They also flew some drawings of Snoopy aboard the actual space mission !
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50 years ago... the Apollo 10 crew was ready for the rehearsal of an actual Moon landing...
They named their spacecraft: Charlie Brown (CSM) and Snoopy (Lunar Lander)... based on Charles Schulz cartoons
About 40 days prior to launch day, we see Commander Tom Stafford in the cockpit of a T-38 jet with the Snoopy logo applied.
They also flew some drawings of Snoopy aboard the actual space mission !.

Thanks for this post. I also love the fact that Snoopy was left in heliocentric orbit so in theory is the only surviving space flown LEM... maybe one day they can find her and bring her home... nice exhibit for an orbiting museum :0)

https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/29979/apollo-10-wheres-snoopy
 
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I wonder if these are some of the last pictures from Apollo 11 showing the watches on the 'active' mission. Also one of the last shots at all of Buzz Aldrins watch. These were taken during the 21 day quarantine (photo credits NASA as usual :0)
 
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Currently in the ISS... Canadian David Saint-Jacques wearing the Omega X-33 on his belt/pants
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Also like this way of wearing the Omega Speedmaster, next to the pressure valve of the Orlan spacesuit... 2010 cosmonaut Maxim Surev