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SpeedyPhill
·1966, October 11 to 23
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Hidden gems from the NASA photo archive
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SpeedyPhill
·Apollo era astronauts checking out the ergonomics of an early space shuttle orbiter cockpit lay-out.
Interestingly in this photo series we see Thomas Stafford wearing his Gold Apollo 11 tribute Speedmaster... James Lovell, Jack Swigert and Edwin Aldrin wearing their Rolex GMT-master pilot watch !
(Photo: NASA)
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Interestingly in this photo series we see Thomas Stafford wearing his Gold Apollo 11 tribute Speedmaster... James Lovell, Jack Swigert and Edwin Aldrin wearing their Rolex GMT-master pilot watch !
(Photo: NASA)
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J!m
·A co-worker sent me this link today.
No watch content, but another interesting fact I was totally unaware of...
https://colombiacorners.com/colombia-helps-apollo-11/
No watch content, but another interesting fact I was totally unaware of...
https://colombiacorners.com/colombia-helps-apollo-11/
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asloper6001
·A co-worker sent me this link today.
No watch content, but another interesting fact I was totally unaware of...
https://colombiacorners.com/colombia-helps-apollo-11/
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SpeedyPhill
·January 10, 1969 ... Apollo 11 prime crew announcement at MSC Houston
(Photos: NASA/UPI)
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(Photos: NASA/UPI)
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SpeedyPhill
·50 years ago on this day... January 14, 1975
Apollo-Soyuz Test Project altitude chamber test (all info & details about the watches used on Moonwatchuniverse tumblr blog)
(Photos: NASA)
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Apollo-Soyuz Test Project altitude chamber test (all info & details about the watches used on Moonwatchuniverse tumblr blog)
(Photos: NASA)
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J!m
·I was just chatting with A-B emblem about some possible new items.
Here's Tom prepping for a training flight prior to ASTP in '75 (July 13th photo date). No watch visible, but he was issued two for the project.
Here's Tom prepping for a training flight prior to ASTP in '75 (July 13th photo date). No watch visible, but he was issued two for the project.
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SpeedyPhill
·60 years ago, NASA was almost ready for testing chronographs...
All Speedmaster aficionados know the story of the , although most photos are dated 1968 & later as these show "Professional" 321 Speedmaster chronographs being checked, cleaned & maintained : "Flight-Qualified by NASA for All Manned Space Missions"
(Photos: NASA/Omega)
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All Speedmaster aficionados know the story of the , although most photos are dated 1968 & later as these show "Professional" 321 Speedmaster chronographs being checked, cleaned & maintained : "Flight-Qualified by NASA for All Manned Space Missions"
(Photos: NASA/Omega)
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SpeedyPhill
·Just remarking users might have to register to Tumbr.com in order to see all photographs on the Tumblr blogs ( FREE registration )
https://moonwatchuniverse.tumblr.com/archive
https://moonwatchuniverse.tumblr.com/archive
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SpeedyPhill
·THE END...
Gemini XII heralded the end of "space twins" manned spaceflight preparations for future lunar spaceflight missions, from now on Apollo hardware would be tested in altitude chambers and in low orbit. Production delays (LM at Grumman) and Soviet-Russian Luna flights lead to some changes in Apollo missions, but an amazing era was going to start....
Wristwatch-wise, between November 1966 and October 1968, NASA photographs show many of the astronauts wearing Accutron, Benrus and Rolex pilot watches. Remember by April 1966, after 5 NASA astronaut selections, there were 48 "astronauts" on active flight status and NASA had barely enough Speedmaster chronographs to distribute among them. During Gemini, prime crew members quickly received a Speedmaster after flight crew announcements but backup astronauts such as Alan Bean and William Anders didn't receive a Speedmaster, while at the end of 1968 the first badly battered Speedmaster chronographs appear in Alt Ch. equipment test photos.
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Gemini XII heralded the end of "space twins" manned spaceflight preparations for future lunar spaceflight missions, from now on Apollo hardware would be tested in altitude chambers and in low orbit. Production delays (LM at Grumman) and Soviet-Russian Luna flights lead to some changes in Apollo missions, but an amazing era was going to start....
Wristwatch-wise, between November 1966 and October 1968, NASA photographs show many of the astronauts wearing Accutron, Benrus and Rolex pilot watches. Remember by April 1966, after 5 NASA astronaut selections, there were 48 "astronauts" on active flight status and NASA had barely enough Speedmaster chronographs to distribute among them. During Gemini, prime crew members quickly received a Speedmaster after flight crew announcements but backup astronauts such as Alan Bean and William Anders didn't receive a Speedmaster, while at the end of 1968 the first badly battered Speedmaster chronographs appear in Alt Ch. equipment test photos.
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SpeedyPhill
·During the last 5 decades I have seen anything & everything about the Omega Speedmaster in manned spaceflight programs.
So now I have been focusing on engineers, support personnel, families and even journalists linked to the manned spaceflight programs.
60 years ago... Jules Bergman (1929-1987)
In 1965, American broadcast writer and ABC journalist Jules Bergman was full-on into NASA's manned spaceflight program having meet all Mercury 7 astronauts and now focusing on the Gemini program.
Bergman soon noticed the Omega Speedmaster chronographs on the wrist of astronauts and bought one for himself. This Speedmaster 105.012 can be seen on Bergman's wrist between 1966 and 1986 as he wore it to cover Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, ASTP, the space shuttle program and even a few unmanned spacecraft missions such as Pioneer & Voyager.
(Photos: NASA/ABC)
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So now I have been focusing on engineers, support personnel, families and even journalists linked to the manned spaceflight programs.
60 years ago... Jules Bergman (1929-1987)
In 1965, American broadcast writer and ABC journalist Jules Bergman was full-on into NASA's manned spaceflight program having meet all Mercury 7 astronauts and now focusing on the Gemini program.
Bergman soon noticed the Omega Speedmaster chronographs on the wrist of astronauts and bought one for himself. This Speedmaster 105.012 can be seen on Bergman's wrist between 1966 and 1986 as he wore it to cover Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, ASTP, the space shuttle program and even a few unmanned spacecraft missions such as Pioneer & Voyager.
(Photos: NASA/ABC)
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SpeedyPhill
·50 years ago... 1975, March 24, the last in a long line of super successful Saturn launch vehicles rolled out from the VAB - Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B at the KSC - Kennedy Space Center.
But...
Why did ASTP-pilot Vance Brand have a "60 seconds" bezel on his NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster ?
(instead of the standard "Tachymètre" bezel)... Answer at #MoonwatchUniverse
(photo: NASA)
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But...
Why did ASTP-pilot Vance Brand have a "60 seconds" bezel on his NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster ?
(instead of the standard "Tachymètre" bezel)... Answer at #MoonwatchUniverse
(photo: NASA)
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J!m
·And Saturday was Tom Stafford day!
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SpeedyPhill
·April 1963... Cooper and his cat !
Interesting LIFE magazine photo showing NASA "Mercury 7" astronaut Gordon "Gordo" Cooper holding his cat, wearing an Accutron Astronaut GMT pilot watch on a lightweight steel Jacoby Bender Champion bracelet. Between 1962 & 1965 Cooper has been spotted with both the one line & two lines dial versions of this battery-powered tuning fork movement Accutron.
In May 1963, Gordo Cooper wore this Accutron during MA-9 "Faith 7".
The second photo shows Cooper wearing an Accutron Astronaut, which he also wore during Gemini V, a mission Pete Conrad recalled as " 8 days in a garbage can!".
During the September 1965 Gemini V astronauts & Voshod II cosmonauts meeting in Athens - Greece, Cooper offered the Accutron Astronaut watch he wore to cosmonaut Major Pavel Belyayev, who wore it until 1970 !
(Photos: NASA/LIFE)
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Interesting LIFE magazine photo showing NASA "Mercury 7" astronaut Gordon "Gordo" Cooper holding his cat, wearing an Accutron Astronaut GMT pilot watch on a lightweight steel Jacoby Bender Champion bracelet. Between 1962 & 1965 Cooper has been spotted with both the one line & two lines dial versions of this battery-powered tuning fork movement Accutron.
In May 1963, Gordo Cooper wore this Accutron during MA-9 "Faith 7".
The second photo shows Cooper wearing an Accutron Astronaut, which he also wore during Gemini V, a mission Pete Conrad recalled as " 8 days in a garbage can!".
During the September 1965 Gemini V astronauts & Voshod II cosmonauts meeting in Athens - Greece, Cooper offered the Accutron Astronaut watch he wore to cosmonaut Major Pavel Belyayev, who wore it until 1970 !
(Photos: NASA/LIFE)
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SpeedyPhill
·TV images say more than photographs, one of my favorite Apollo era launchday breakfast moments must be April 1972... Apollo 16
Astronauts Young, Duke & Mattingly present together with Stafford, Roosa and Mitchell, the latter wore two wrist watches among which a Rolex GMT-master. Interesting to see all the other (Speedmaster) watches at the table:
(NASA)
Astronauts Young, Duke & Mattingly present together with Stafford, Roosa and Mitchell, the latter wore two wrist watches among which a Rolex GMT-master. Interesting to see all the other (Speedmaster) watches at the table:
(NASA)
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SpeedyPhill
·60 years ago... May 1965
Gemini IV crew during procedures rehearsal in the two man McDonnell Gemini spacecraft atop Launch Complex 19 in Cape Canaveral Florida. Note the running chronograph hand!
Since April 29, 1965 both McDivitt & White wore a NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster 105.003-63 chronograph as they were the first to be issued such a wrist watch from the very first batch Omega had delivered to NASA in April 1965. In fact, during Gemini, NASA never had enough Speedmaster chronographs to issue one to each astronaut on active flight status. Only 1968 onwards, NASA could do so!
During the June 1965 Gemini IV mission, both McDivitt and White each wore two Omega Speedmaster chronographs as launch control Florida was on Eastern Time while mission control Texas was on Central Time.
Remember, Gemini IV, 4 days, 4 Speedmaster chronographs...
(Photos: NASA)
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As always, far more " You Know Where " and;
Gemini IV crew during procedures rehearsal in the two man McDonnell Gemini spacecraft atop Launch Complex 19 in Cape Canaveral Florida. Note the running chronograph hand!
Since April 29, 1965 both McDivitt & White wore a NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster 105.003-63 chronograph as they were the first to be issued such a wrist watch from the very first batch Omega had delivered to NASA in April 1965. In fact, during Gemini, NASA never had enough Speedmaster chronographs to issue one to each astronaut on active flight status. Only 1968 onwards, NASA could do so!
During the June 1965 Gemini IV mission, both McDivitt and White each wore two Omega Speedmaster chronographs as launch control Florida was on Eastern Time while mission control Texas was on Central Time.
Remember, Gemini IV, 4 days, 4 Speedmaster chronographs...
(Photos: NASA)
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As always, far more " You Know Where " and;
Edited:
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J!m
·(just mixed up: Florida on Eastern time and Texas on Central time)
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KaiseRRuby
·@SpeedyPhill out if curiousity, are you related to NASA in some way? I read your posts from time to time and they always got me with some interesting facts, thanks.
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SpeedyPhill
·coming this summer : August 2025...
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SpeedyPhill
·Looking at NASA photos is an art... esoteric research called "reading the photos"
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It's important to distinguish training photos from mission photos !
During training the astronauts did not wear the mission logo patches, although there're 2 exceptions
The date for these John Young photos are 26 FEB 1965 together with weight-and-balance photos which were often given as 8 March 1965 (release date) while the weight-and-blance were taken 3 March 1965.
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Another example are the Apollo 13 altitude chamber test photos showing on one photo the prime crew and on another photo Swigert & backup crew taken August 29, 1969. The Swigert photo was released April 7, 1970 when Swigert replaced Mattingly because of "measles" a few days before launch!
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It's important to distinguish training photos from mission photos !
During training the astronauts did not wear the mission logo patches, although there're 2 exceptions
The date for these John Young photos are 26 FEB 1965 together with weight-and-balance photos which were often given as 8 March 1965 (release date) while the weight-and-blance were taken 3 March 1965.
Another example are the Apollo 13 altitude chamber test photos showing on one photo the prime crew and on another photo Swigert & backup crew taken August 29, 1969. The Swigert photo was released April 7, 1970 when Swigert replaced Mattingly because of "measles" a few days before launch!
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