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T O P I C R E V I E WKSCartistAnnouncing my Apollo 12 "SCE to AUX" commemorative: As every well-versed space enthusiast knows, the all Navy crew of Apollo 12 experienced the most dynamic launch of a Saturn V. Thirty-six seconds after liftoff, the spacecraft was struck by lightning, causing a power surge. Instruments began to malfunction and telemetry data became garbled. The flight director, Gerry Griffin, expected that he would have to abort the mission. However, John Aaron serving as EECOM realized that he had previously seen this odd pattern of telemetry.A year before the flight, Aaron had been observing a test at Kennedy Space Center when he had noticed some unusual telemetry readings. On his own initiative, he traced this anomaly back to the obscure Signal Conditioning Electronics (SCE) system, and became one of the few flight controllers who was familiar with the system and its operations. For the case that first drew his attention to the system, normal readings could be restored by putting the SCE on its auxiliary setting, which meant that it would operate even with low-voltage conditions.Aaron surmised that this setting would also return the Apollo 12 telemetry to normal. When he made the recommendation to the Flight Director, "Flight, try SCE to Aux", most of his mission control colleagues had no idea what he was talking about. Both the flight director and the CAPCOM Gerald P. Carr asked him to repeat the recommendation. Aaron repeated himself and Carr responded "What the hell's that?" Yet he relayed the order to the crew: "Apollo 12, Houston. Try SCE to auxiliary." Fortunately Alan Bean was familiar with the location of the SCE switch inside the capsule, and flipped it to aux. Telemetry was immediately restored, allowing the mission to continue. This swift action exemplified the training and teamwork of the flight crew and mission control. This patch illustrates the Saturn V being struck and the lightning following the exhaust contrail to the ground. The Apollo 12 Yankee Clipper and the Mission Control Sigma symbols flank the patch. The art is available as a T-Shirt from my KSCartist Redbubble Store and I am also making a limited number of embroidered patches.The patches are $12 which includes First Class Domestic Mail. For International orders the cost is $15 each.I hope to bring some patches to the Apollo 12 celebration in Wheeler, Texas, but if you want to reserve one simply email me via my website.BesixdouzeAuxillary? Surely that should read Auxiliary?KSCartistYou're correct. I messed up.I won't be able to fix the patch until the second batch. KSCartistUpon further consideration, I’ll be hand painting the second “L” to look like an “I.”I’ll produce a signed and numbered limited edition card explaining how this happened and what I did to correct it. I’ll post a photo of the correction.I’ll leave it to everyone to decide if they still want to purchase one or not.This shouldn’t have happened and hopefully won’t again.randyJust ordered one (t-shirt).Thanks.davidcwagnerTim, sent you an email. I would like to get two patches. Please sign the back of the patches.They will be displayed to either side of the flown Apollo 12 TLI flight plan page, It is signed by Bean and Gorden. Bean wrote "SCE to Aux" on it at the 2012 Spacefest.astroreroTim, I don't know if you are replying to your emails, but I ordered one. Beautiful design. (Just checked my email. Thanks for answering).Paul J. BrennanBeautiful artwork and design Tim!KSCartistThank you everyone for the kind words about the patch. I’m on my way home from Wheeler, Texas where I participated in the Apollo 12 50th event.I will respond to every email beginning on Wednesday as Lynn and I are meeting Jorge Cartes and his wife Olga for dinner tonight and spending the day at the KSCVC tomorrow.randyGot my shirt today. Thanks!KSCartistJust an update: I'm having the cards printed explaining my spelling error. Lynn and I enjoyed two wonderful visits this month. Jorge and Olga spent two days with us last week and this week my cousin came with her family and I hosted a visit to KSC as they’ve never been.Back to filling orders next week.KSCartistThe patch orders are packaged and awaiting the postcard description to be inserted. I should be able to pick up the cards from the printer this week. Holidays are a busy time fore them apparently.I haven't made the final decision to order another batch of patches that have the correct spelling as the response to this patch may not warrant it. If anyone has strong opinions either way I'd like to hear them.KSCartistThe description cards have arrived. The US domestic orders were all mailed this morning First Class. The international orders will be mailed tomorrow morning.Thanks everyone.onesmallstepDon't fix the patch spelling error! It's a certified collectible now. KSCartistThe international orders were mailed yesterday morning. They should arrive before Christmas.Thank you to everyone who supported this project.davidcwagnerTim, just paid for two more patches Really like the first two patches but you forgot to sign the backs!Please sign the back of the patches if possible because I plan to frame them with Apollo 12 flown TLI page and a photo of Bean and Gordon with the Apollo 12 flown TLI page. Alan added "SCE to Aux" to the Apollo 12 flown TLI page.Will frame with front of one patch and back of the other patch with your signature. Hope you have not sold out.astroreroReceived my patch today. Nice. Extra bonus was the 1969 First Moon Landing Forever/USA stamp, it wasn't canceled by the post office. Thank you Tim and Happy Holidays!ddrwilliAlso received mine over the weekend. Beautiful patch, thank you Tim!It also had a First Moon Landing stamp. At first it looked as if the stamp was not canceled, but with a closer look I could see the ink beading up on the lettering.
As every well-versed space enthusiast knows, the all Navy crew of Apollo 12 experienced the most dynamic launch of a Saturn V. Thirty-six seconds after liftoff, the spacecraft was struck by lightning, causing a power surge. Instruments began to malfunction and telemetry data became garbled. The flight director, Gerry Griffin, expected that he would have to abort the mission. However, John Aaron serving as EECOM realized that he had previously seen this odd pattern of telemetry.A year before the flight, Aaron had been observing a test at Kennedy Space Center when he had noticed some unusual telemetry readings. On his own initiative, he traced this anomaly back to the obscure Signal Conditioning Electronics (SCE) system, and became one of the few flight controllers who was familiar with the system and its operations. For the case that first drew his attention to the system, normal readings could be restored by putting the SCE on its auxiliary setting, which meant that it would operate even with low-voltage conditions.Aaron surmised that this setting would also return the Apollo 12 telemetry to normal. When he made the recommendation to the Flight Director, "Flight, try SCE to Aux", most of his mission control colleagues had no idea what he was talking about. Both the flight director and the CAPCOM Gerald P. Carr asked him to repeat the recommendation. Aaron repeated himself and Carr responded "What the hell's that?" Yet he relayed the order to the crew: "Apollo 12, Houston. Try SCE to auxiliary." Fortunately Alan Bean was familiar with the location of the SCE switch inside the capsule, and flipped it to aux. Telemetry was immediately restored, allowing the mission to continue. This swift action exemplified the training and teamwork of the flight crew and mission control. This patch illustrates the Saturn V being struck and the lightning following the exhaust contrail to the ground. The Apollo 12 Yankee Clipper and the Mission Control Sigma symbols flank the patch.
Thirty-six seconds after liftoff, the spacecraft was struck by lightning, causing a power surge. Instruments began to malfunction and telemetry data became garbled. The flight director, Gerry Griffin, expected that he would have to abort the mission. However, John Aaron serving as EECOM realized that he had previously seen this odd pattern of telemetry.
A year before the flight, Aaron had been observing a test at Kennedy Space Center when he had noticed some unusual telemetry readings. On his own initiative, he traced this anomaly back to the obscure Signal Conditioning Electronics (SCE) system, and became one of the few flight controllers who was familiar with the system and its operations. For the case that first drew his attention to the system, normal readings could be restored by putting the SCE on its auxiliary setting, which meant that it would operate even with low-voltage conditions.
Aaron surmised that this setting would also return the Apollo 12 telemetry to normal. When he made the recommendation to the Flight Director, "Flight, try SCE to Aux", most of his mission control colleagues had no idea what he was talking about. Both the flight director and the CAPCOM Gerald P. Carr asked him to repeat the recommendation. Aaron repeated himself and Carr responded "What the hell's that?" Yet he relayed the order to the crew: "Apollo 12, Houston. Try SCE to auxiliary." Fortunately Alan Bean was familiar with the location of the SCE switch inside the capsule, and flipped it to aux. Telemetry was immediately restored, allowing the mission to continue.
This swift action exemplified the training and teamwork of the flight crew and mission control.
This patch illustrates the Saturn V being struck and the lightning following the exhaust contrail to the ground. The Apollo 12 Yankee Clipper and the Mission Control Sigma symbols flank the patch.
The patches are $12 which includes First Class Domestic Mail. For International orders the cost is $15 each.
I hope to bring some patches to the Apollo 12 celebration in Wheeler, Texas, but if you want to reserve one simply email me via my website.
I won't be able to fix the patch until the second batch.
I’ll produce a signed and numbered limited edition card explaining how this happened and what I did to correct it. I’ll post a photo of the correction.
I’ll leave it to everyone to decide if they still want to purchase one or not.
This shouldn’t have happened and hopefully won’t again.
They will be displayed to either side of the flown Apollo 12 TLI flight plan page, It is signed by Bean and Gorden. Bean wrote "SCE to Aux" on it at the 2012 Spacefest.
I will respond to every email beginning on Wednesday as Lynn and I are meeting Jorge Cartes and his wife Olga for dinner tonight and spending the day at the KSCVC tomorrow.
Back to filling orders next week.
I should be able to pick up the cards from the printer this week. Holidays are a busy time fore them apparently.
I haven't made the final decision to order another batch of patches that have the correct spelling as the response to this patch may not warrant it. If anyone has strong opinions either way I'd like to hear them.
Thanks everyone.
Thank you to everyone who supported this project.
Please sign the back of the patches if possible because I plan to frame them with Apollo 12 flown TLI page and a photo of Bean and Gordon with the Apollo 12 flown TLI page. Alan added "SCE to Aux" to the Apollo 12 flown TLI page.
Will frame with front of one patch and back of the other patch with your signature. Hope you have not sold out.
It also had a First Moon Landing stamp. At first it looked as if the stamp was not canceled, but with a closer look I could see the ink beading up on the lettering.
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