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Author Topic:   NASA Apollo and space shuttle switches
placertogo
Member

Posts: 11
From: Maine, USA
Registered: Jun 2005

posted 06-22-2005 08:02 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for placertogo   Click Here to Email placertogo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I thought some "lurkers" on this forum might like to see some real NASA switches. These are "flight spares" purchased as surplus from NASA and/or contractors.

The switch on the left is a Klixon as used in the Apollo Command Module and the ones in the center and right hand side are McGraw-Edison as used in the Space Shuttle orbiter.

The one on the right has the "pull to unlock" knob for more critical applications. The Klixon is the "Block II" design modification after the tragic Apollo 1 fire in 1967.

space1
Member

Posts: 853
From: Danville, Ohio
Registered: Dec 2002

posted 06-23-2005 10:50 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for space1   Click Here to Email space1     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks for posting the photos here. Very nice examples of some very special switches.

placertogo
Member

Posts: 11
From: Maine, USA
Registered: Jun 2005

posted 06-23-2005 12:08 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for placertogo   Click Here to Email placertogo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I believe the earliest manned spacecraft used some "off the shelf" designs for switches.

The "suspect" switch in the Apollo 1 disaster was made by Micro Switch. That switch and others were replaced by better-designed switches by Klixon, such as the first one shown in the pictures. For the Shuttle program, a new series of toggle switches was produced by McGraw-Edison and later by Armtec and, most recently, Applied Research. These are high precision, hermetically sealed toggle switches with welded titanium bodies and titanium mounting hardware and cost more per ounce of weight than gold or platinum.

They are little "works of art" for applications that have to work "every time."

All times are CT (US)

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