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Hidden gems from the NASA photo archive

SpeedyPhill
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55 years ago... the Omega Speedmaster came best out of NASA's heavy duty testing executed by engineer James Ragan...
How many Speedmasters were tested and how many survived the tests without major damage... at least two I should guess as both Gemini III astronauts were issued an Omega Speedmaster chronograph for their March 23, 1965 mission...
As far as we know, NASA only received a first batch of 17 Speedies on April 23, 1965... for the Gemini manned spaceflight program.
On Gemini III, both Gus Grissom and John Young wore a NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster chronograph and an Accutron Astronaut microsonic tuning fork GMT pilot wristwatch.
Here's a March 22, 1965 photo showing Alan Shepard and John Young riding the elevator to the white room atop launchpad 19 to check out the Gemini III spacecraft. Note John Young wore an Accutron on a steel coffin link bracelet!
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1965_Accutron_Bulova.jpg
 
SpeedyPhill
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Happy 92th Birthday astronaut Frank Borman !
Borman flew on Gemini VII and Apollo 8. These are the five official portraits taken of Borman.
Official NASA individual portraits and crewphotos are a great source to look for watches. Note in the first image he wore a Rolex Datejust.
In fact each official portrait or crew photograph was taken in two ways; smiling and non-smiling. The latter would be used in case of a mishap, accident or disaster...
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Borman_Frank.jpg
 
SpeedyPhill
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Happy 83rd Birthday astronaut Ken Mattingly !
These are the five official NASA portraits of Mattingly.
Thomas Ken Mattingly was a naval aviator and became known as the astronaut who was replaced on Apollo 13 by Jack Swigert.
Mattingly made 3 spaceflights, Apollo 16, space shuttle missions STS-4 (Columbia 1982) and STS-51C (Discovery 1985).
He retired from NASA in 1985 and from the US Navy in 1986, with the rank of Rear Admiral, the highest permanent rank during peacetime!
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Mattingly.jpg
 
Omegafanman
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SpeedyPhill SpeedyPhill
55 years ago... the Omega Speedmaster came best out of NASA's heavy duty testing executed by engineer James Ragan...
How many Speedmasters were tested and how many survived the tests without major damage... at least two I should guess as both Gemini III astronauts were issued an Omega Speedmaster chronograph for their March 23, 1965 mission...
As far as we know, NASA only received a first batch of 17 Speedies on April 23, 1965... for the Gemini manned spaceflight program.
On Gemini III, both Gus Grissom and John Young wore a NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster chronograph and an Accutron Astronaut microsonic tuning fork GMT pilot wristwatch.
Here's a March 22, 1965 photo showing Alan Shepard and John Young riding the elevator to the white room atop launchpad 19 to check out the Gemini III spacecraft. Note John Young wore an Accutron on a steel coffin link bracelet!
.
1965_Accutron_Bulova.jpg

I love that photo - very natural / really frozen in time. Looks like a Cross Century (maybe too wide) and a parker propelling pencil to me...Ok number 2 could be an AG7 Fisher Space Pen....
 
pen.jpg
jsducote
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Omegafanman Omegafanman
AG7 Fisher Space Pen
If so it would have been his personal pen, as the Fisher wasn't issue until 1967. To be fair, the Cross would likely have been his personal pen as well as standard issue would probably have been classic Skilcraft, aka "Smudge-o-Matic."
 
SpeedyPhill
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Indeed NASA photos are full of details... but so are Soviet-Russian era spaceflight photos, wristwatch-wise a far more interesting period !
 
SpeedyPhill
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@jsducote
Anyway the wristwatches in these Soviet-Russian crewphotos revealed a few nice things... such as Omega Alaska II project being worn 👍
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MWU_photos02.jpg
 
wbfondren
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One of my favorite threads, just wanted to say thanks to all those who have contributed!!
 
SpeedyPhill
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It has been 10 years since the Cupola , an ESA-built observatory-dome module with 7 windows has been attached to the ISS in 2010
Here's a FORTIS automatic chronograph floating in micro-gravity in the European dome...
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FORTIS_Cupola.jpg
 
jsducote
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I bet it's fascinating to wind them up, try to release them without imparting any motion or spin, and let the micro-frictions of the movement take effect and begin precessing around a point. If I wasn't glued to the windows, I'd watch it for hours.
 
SpeedyPhill
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March 25 ... Happy 92nd anniversary to James "Jim" Lovell
A naval aviator, Lovell was selected in NASA astronaut group 2 in 1962, nicknamed “ The Next Nine “. One of 24 people who travelled to the Moon, Lovell was the first astronaut to fly to the Moon twice, on Apollo 8 and Apollo 13. He always wears his watches at the righthand wrist !
There're only 4 official NASA portraits:
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25_Lovell.jpg
 
SpeedyPhill
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Just checked my portraits for Alfred "Al" Worden (1932-2020)... only 4 official portraits in my NASA collection:
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WORDEN_NASA.jpg
 
SpeedyPhill
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1962 ... NASA Astronaut group 2, the Next Nine ... looks like Naval Aviator James Lovell wore a military Bulova 3818A ...
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NextNine.jpg
 
SpeedyPhill
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25 years ago 1st US astronaut onboard Mir space station
In March 1995 Naval aviator with a degree in Medicine, Norman Thagard was launched to the Russian space station Mir to become the 1st NASA astronaut for a long duration stay aboard the aging space station.... as a member of the Mir-18 resident crew.
Thagard loved his watches as he always wore an extra wristwatch e.g. an Accutron Astronaut microsonic pilot watch on STS-7 Challenger and a Casio quartz AMW320D on STS-42 Discovery... Mir-18 was Thagard's 5th & final space mission and he returned onboard STS-71 Atlantis after 115 days aboard Mir. Thagard was pictured wearing a Citizen Quartz LCD wristwatch, besides his NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster chronograph.
Remember, Omega had already flown 10 Speedmasters for 90 days (1990 Soyuz TM-11) and 35 Speedmasters for one year (1993 Soyuz TM-17) aboard Mir space station. (Photos: NASA)
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Thagard_Omega.jpg

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Thagard_Citizen.jpg
Thx for watch ID to @ConElPueblo
 
SpeedyPhill
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Before we enter the hectic of the Apollo 13 week, and discussion who timed with which watch the 14 seconds LM DPS burn, let's check SpaceX
Omega X-33 worn by the SpaceX astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley during Dragon capsule checkout & procedures testing:
(Photo credit: SpaceX)
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2020_SpaceX_Behnken_Hurley.jpg
 
hugoafonso
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Jones in LA Jones in LA
While sitting at my desk during the lunch hour, I did a cursory search for photos in the official NASA image library that may be of interest to members of this forum. I was a bit surprised by how quickly I struck gold. As I search deeper in this vast library I'll post images that I consider to be true gems. Wherever possible I'll post full-resolution images, as it's often the smaller details that will be the most interesting.

I encourage other prospectors to join in the search and post your gems here!


Gem #1

Official description in image library:

Neil examines a rock sample during the Sierra Blanca trip. He is holding a geology hammer in his left hand and is wearing an Omega Speedmaster watch. Journal contributor Dan Buchan notes "his watch shows 1:12:33." 24 February 1969.

ap11-S69-25197HR_armstrong_geology.jpg
Strangely here on this photo instead of his well known 105.012-65 serial 24.0xxx, here on this picture apparently he is wearing a 105.012-66 CB. At least that’s what it looks like to my eyes
 
SpeedyPhill
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Sorry, it looks like the wristwatch I mentioned in the Hamilton topic, is now identified as a Bulova 3818... worn by NASA astronauts & testpilots
👍
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NASA_3818.jpg
 
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