*HTML is ON *UBB Code is ON Smilies Legend
Smilies Legend
If you have previously registered, but forgotten your password, click here.
T O P I C R E V I E WRobert PearlmancollectSPACE Apollo 9 spacecraft lands in San DiegoA spacecraft landed in San Diego today.Fortunately, it was expected — and rather than coming from outer space, its arrival was considerably less exotic — by way of flatbed truck from Michigan.The Apollo 9 Command Module traveled from the now closed Michigan Space and Science Center in Jackson, to its new home at the San Diego Aerospace Museum in California, 35 years after it flew in space. Courtesy photographer Sonia Lopez here are some additional photos from the arrival yesterday (more can be found in the above article). Workers carefully pried off a wooden panel from the side, revealing the familiar shape that had given Gumdrop its name, though the craft itself was hidden in plastic wrap secured by ribbons of duct tape.The crane next lowered chains to the crate, which were attached to the spacecraft anchor points that had once held the escape tower in place. Slowly, carefully, Apollo 9 emerged into the California sunshine.Looking at Gumdrop's heatshield, as the spacecraft hung over the parking lot, it was evident why small pieces might come off despite the care taken - the edge of the heatshield was raggedly scorched in places, with many loose-looking corners.Looking into the empty crate and at the spent foam padding, a small number of tiny heatshield chunks were evident, scattered randomly.The spacecraft was then gently lowered to hang from the front of a forklift truck, which took it into the museum.AztecdougThe pictures above must depict the delivery that every collector dreams about showing up in his or her driveway one day!More seriously, I don't know who to begin thanking, but it is sooooo nice to see something built in California, by Californians, then flown in space, actually displayed in California! Thank you!Ironically, I have only seen three of the Apollo capsules, and this is one I saw on a business trip to Michigan five years ago! (Is it following me?)Finally, on a humorous note, is anybody gonna scrape up those loose particles from the shipping box and make acrylics? Thanks again to whomever is responsible! Steve SmithDoug. I hope your "humorous" suggestion is taken seriously. I was thinking it would be nice to have a fragment when I read your comment. Francis; is anybody looking at this?FFrenchAs the spacecraft belongs to the Smithsonian and is on loan, that technically also includes the fragments that come loose in transit. The operations director at the museum is very aware of their value, and they are meticulously collecting them. The Smithsonian will then decide what to do with them. I am hoping that they will be displayed as great learning tools (they would look great through magnifiers, for kids and others to look at) but that, of course, is the Smithsonian's decision.GlintFrancis, I was wondering if you knew whatever became of those many heat shield fragments?p51I saw this capsule in San Diego on January and it's pretty well displayed, apparently in an area you don't have to pay admission to get to.MrSpace86I went last summer and the air conditioning was not on in the lobby area where Apollo 9 was. The smaller artifacts were also not labeled correctly. I honestly walked away not impressed and even disappointed. The volunteers though were extremely nice and very welcoming.
Apollo 9 spacecraft lands in San DiegoA spacecraft landed in San Diego today.Fortunately, it was expected — and rather than coming from outer space, its arrival was considerably less exotic — by way of flatbed truck from Michigan.The Apollo 9 Command Module traveled from the now closed Michigan Space and Science Center in Jackson, to its new home at the San Diego Aerospace Museum in California, 35 years after it flew in space.
A spacecraft landed in San Diego today.
Fortunately, it was expected — and rather than coming from outer space, its arrival was considerably less exotic — by way of flatbed truck from Michigan.
The Apollo 9 Command Module traveled from the now closed Michigan Space and Science Center in Jackson, to its new home at the San Diego Aerospace Museum in California, 35 years after it flew in space.
Workers carefully pried off a wooden panel from the side, revealing the familiar shape that had given Gumdrop its name, though the craft itself was hidden in plastic wrap secured by ribbons of duct tape.The crane next lowered chains to the crate, which were attached to the spacecraft anchor points that had once held the escape tower in place. Slowly, carefully, Apollo 9 emerged into the California sunshine.Looking at Gumdrop's heatshield, as the spacecraft hung over the parking lot, it was evident why small pieces might come off despite the care taken - the edge of the heatshield was raggedly scorched in places, with many loose-looking corners.Looking into the empty crate and at the spent foam padding, a small number of tiny heatshield chunks were evident, scattered randomly.The spacecraft was then gently lowered to hang from the front of a forklift truck, which took it into the museum.
The crane next lowered chains to the crate, which were attached to the spacecraft anchor points that had once held the escape tower in place. Slowly, carefully, Apollo 9 emerged into the California sunshine.
Looking at Gumdrop's heatshield, as the spacecraft hung over the parking lot, it was evident why small pieces might come off despite the care taken - the edge of the heatshield was raggedly scorched in places, with many loose-looking corners.
Looking into the empty crate and at the spent foam padding, a small number of tiny heatshield chunks were evident, scattered randomly.
The spacecraft was then gently lowered to hang from the front of a forklift truck, which took it into the museum.
More seriously, I don't know who to begin thanking, but it is sooooo nice to see something built in California, by Californians, then flown in space, actually displayed in California! Thank you!
Ironically, I have only seen three of the Apollo capsules, and this is one I saw on a business trip to Michigan five years ago! (Is it following me?)
Finally, on a humorous note, is anybody gonna scrape up those loose particles from the shipping box and make acrylics?
Thanks again to whomever is responsible!
Francis; is anybody looking at this?
I am hoping that they will be displayed as great learning tools (they would look great through magnifiers, for kids and others to look at) but that, of course, is the Smithsonian's decision.
The smaller artifacts were also not labeled correctly. I honestly walked away not impressed and even disappointed. The volunteers though were extremely nice and very welcoming.
Contact Us | The Source for Space History & Artifacts
Copyright 1999-2024 collectSPACE. All rights reserved.