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Hidden gems from the NASA photo archive

  1. TLIGuy Feb 7, 2016

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    Dr. Mitchell was a very kind individual who was always open to my requests and answered many questions for me regarding Apollo 14 and his watches. It is indeed sad news to hear of his passing.

    Apollo 14 was one of the most documented missions because of the heightened media attention and increased NASA scrutiny coming after the accident occurring on Apollo 13. Interestingly, most of the images are pre-flight and very few images of the crew were taken on the Moon's surface.

    Here is a good image captured from a video feed of Mitchell wearing his Speedmaster. I do not know if this is pre or post landing on the Moon.

    Screenshot2011-05-06at105515AM_zps1707f19f.jpg

    As you mentioned, Dr. Mitchell was also a fan of the Rolex GMT wearing two under his AL7 suit. Here is an image from a presentation ceremony wearing his GMT on his right wrist and his Speedmaster on the other.

    personalapollostory05-lg.jpg
     
    Edited Feb 7, 2016
  2. Jones in LA Isofrane hoarder. Feb 7, 2016

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    Here's another Gem featuring Astronaut Mitchell and his Apollo 14 crewmates.

    (26 Feb. 1971) --- Astronaut Edgar D. Mitchell, right, the Apollo 14 lunar module pilot, addresses NASA-MSC personnel and news media representatives and other visitors soon after he and his fellow crewmen were released from a 15-day confinement period in the Lunar Receiving Laboratory. Pictured with Mitchell in front of the LRL, MSC Building 37, are astronauts Alan B. Shepard Jr., left, commander; and Stuart A Roosa, command module pilot,

    It's possible that Mitchell is wearing an 18k gold Speedmaster in this photo; the watch would have been presented as a gift by Omega. Other gifted gold Speedmasters had an inscription on the back featuring the astronaut's name and the words "to mark man's conquest of space with time, through time, on time".

    gold_speedy_closeup.jpg

    apollo14.jpg
     
  3. kleungsf Mar 1, 2016

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    By the way, watching astronaut Scott Kelly who just landed back on earth and you can see the Speedmaster strapped on his arm.

    Scott Kelly.jpg
     
  4. Jones in LA Isofrane hoarder. Mar 3, 2016

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    This excellent photo was posted by @Kobus on another thread.

    Scott_Kelly.jpg
     
  5. KstateSkier Mar 3, 2016

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    AMAZING!
     
  6. dx009 Mar 3, 2016

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    What Speedmaster is that ? Any special/ltd ed. ?
     
  7. kleungsf Mar 3, 2016

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    BrianMcKay and Mad Dog like this.
  8. CTS-V Mar 3, 2016

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    ^^^^wow....very interesting!

    This is such a great thread....thank you for posting!
     
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  9. CTS-V Mar 3, 2016

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    Thank you for the info on the book....just ordered it off of Amazon. I should get it here in Afghanistan in a few weeks!
     
  10. jayrock26 Mar 3, 2016

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    great thread, so much to learn and look back on to appreciate whats on the wrist
     
  11. Jones in LA Isofrane hoarder. Mar 4, 2016

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    @Mad Dog should appreciate Astronaut Sunita Williams' credentials and resume:

    * Sea Knight H-46 pilot in the United States Navy, veteran of Operation Desert Storm
    * Graduate of Navy Test Pilot School, assigned to the Rotary Wing Test Directorate
    * Returned to Navy Test Pilot School as Instructor and Safety Officer
    * Accumulated 3,000+ hours flight time in 30+ aircraft types
    * Flew on NASA Shuttle flights STS-116, STS-117
    * Flew on Soyuz TMA-05M
    * ISS crew member on Expedition 14/15
    * ISS crew member on Expedition 32/33
    * Commander of ISS Expedition 33
    * Completed 7 EVAs, the current record for female astronauts
    * Logged a total of 50hrs 40 min. EVA time, the current record for female astronauts and 5th most experienced spacewalker of all time
    * Spent a total of 321 days in space
    * Selected in 2015 as Astronaut for upcoming flight(s) of Boeing and/or SpaceX commercial spacecraft, currently training on prototypes of each of these spacecraft.

    williams.jpg
    image credit NASA
     
  12. Mad Dog rockpaperscissorschampion Mar 4, 2016

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    Cool beans...a fellow rotor head...always cool to see rotor heads become astronauts. She's a former Phrog driver (CH-46 Sea Knight)...one heck of a helo...Phrog drivers have mad stick & rudder skills by virtue of the shipboard combat support missions they fly. Many of my peers from Navy flight school flew Phrogs...either in the USN or USMC. :thumbsup:
     
  13. Jones in LA Isofrane hoarder. Mar 7, 2016

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    Astronaut Karen Nyberg prepares to take her T-38 trainer for a spin.

    Nyberg has been in the Astronaut Corps since the year 2000 and is the veteran of one Space Shuttle flight (STS-124) and one Soyuz flight (TMA-09M). She served aboard the ISS during Expeditions 36/37

    nyberg.jpg
    image credit: NASA
     
    Edited Mar 18, 2016
  14. Jones in LA Isofrane hoarder. Mar 17, 2016

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    Canadian Space Agency astronaut Chris Hadfield shows some experimental radiation detectors being tested on board the International Space Station.

    hadfield.jpg
    image credit: NASA
     
    Edited Mar 18, 2016
  15. Jones in LA Isofrane hoarder. Mar 21, 2016

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    Another batch of Speedmasters were launched into space this past weekend (March 18th, 2016) on board the Soyuz TMA20 spacecraft, bound for the International Space Station.

    In the first image, we can see Cosmonaut Alexei Ovchinin wearing a calibre 1861 outside his spacesuit, and it appears that Cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka is sporting an X-33 on the outside, plus an un-identified timepiece on the inside.

    roscosmos.jpg
    image credit: Roscosmos


    In the second image, American Astronaut Jeff Williams (left) is also seen wearing a calibre 1861 Speedmaster, next to Alexi Ovchinin.

    правильные вещи
    roscosmos2.jpg
    image credit: Roscosmos
     
    Edited Mar 21, 2016
  16. Jminchoi Mar 21, 2016

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    Some excellent photos in this thread. Great history.
     
  17. TLIGuy Mar 21, 2016

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    Time to bring the thread back full circle to Armstrong.

    Winner, winner, chicken dinner, with a Speedmaster, and an unidentified orb of orange goodness.

    IMG_0489.JPG
     
    Edited Mar 21, 2016
  18. ngreenusc Mar 21, 2016

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    I believe that's half of a canned peach being eaten by Neil Armstrong in that pic. Nothing like reading mail, glancing over the Wall Street Journal, eating chicken and canned peaches, wearing a Speedy. Looks like leftovers after a long day.
     
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  19. dx009 Mar 22, 2016

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    Haha. Neil looks like a psycho killer in that picture in my oppinion.
     
  20. SpicyWatch Mar 22, 2016

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    and Scott Kelly reminds me of Howie Mandel!

    This thread increases my love for the speedmasters
     
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