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Author
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Topic: Help identifying shuttle boots, film canisters
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Roger K
Member Posts: 244
From: California
Registered: May 2012
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posted 03-20-2024 07:09 PM
   
I need your help. Does anybody have the knowledge and is capable of identifying NASA tags for "used NASA items"? I recently purchased a pair of used space shuttle leather boots and also three used smaller film canisters with blue velcro attached to them. I purchased these items because I thought they looked super neat and because I wanted to know more about them, but sadly I'm not capable and I'm not making any progress in identifying those said tags.
I was wondering if any of you super knowledgeable space collectors (or former NASA employees) have knowledge on how to read those tags and how I could determine if these items were used in training (when and by what potential crew?) or maybe even actually flown in space (Likely wishful thinking though). I gladly will reward you with a small surprise gift, if you can help me with my challenge. Thank you so so much, your help is greatly appreciated. Shuttle boots:  
Film canisters:  
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DG27
Member Posts: 252
From: USA
Registered: Nov 2010
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posted 03-21-2024 05:46 AM
The lower portion of the paper tags identifies where the boots were at specific times. The tags indicate the boots were received at Kennedy Space Center on May 25 2007, and available for use until they were put into bonded storage on April 13 2012, after the conclusion of the shuttle program. The boots were removed from bonded storage on March 11 2021 and downgraded to Class III the following day. Class III means they are no longer controlled. Class III often indicates an item is available for non-hazardous training use, but by this time the shuttle program had ended. However, this does indicate that before they were downgraded to Class III, they were Class I, which is flight rated equipment.The cool thing about the boots is that they have the crew position indicator which is a piece of colored Velcro attached to them. That is the round yellow Velcro tag attached to the boot lacing. The yellow color indicates the boots were for the pilot, as each crew member had a different color on their equipment for flight. This made it easier to sort out equipment in flight rather than trying to read serial numbers or name tags. You can see the color tags on the boots during crew walkout photos for each mission. During the time the boots were at KSC there were 19 missions. Without knowing which pilot wore serial number 192 it is difficult to determine which mission, or missions they were used on. Flight records of the equipment would indicate which mission used SN 192 boots. I am not sure where you would find those records. Someone else might have an idea. Congratulations on your acquisition. |
DG27
Member Posts: 252
From: USA
Registered: Nov 2010
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posted 03-21-2024 01:53 PM
Some additional thoughts. Since reusability was the basis for the Shuttle program, the launch entry pressure suits and flight boots were reused as needed to fit crew members. I believe there would have been only one set of crew position indicators for the boots, and the indicators would be moved to the desired set of boots in prep for a flight. The yellow Velcro crew position indicator tag on your boots looks to be a bit worn which to me indicates it was used across several missions as it was moved from boot set to boot set for each mission. Without documentation that identifies mission equipment by serial numbers assigned to each crew, we cannot determine how many times these boots were flown or by which crew members. However, since the crew position indicator tag is still attached to the boots, to me this indicates the boots were last used on the final shuttle mission STS-135. Pilot was Doug Hurley. |
hoorenz
Member Posts: 1043
From: The Netherlands
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 03-21-2024 01:57 PM
Although some shuttle items (such as food system related) were color coded, I believe the boots were letter coded ('A' for commander, etc). I think it is simply the velcro being yellow; a circular, letter coded label - black, or maybe red for commander, yellow for pilot, etc.) would be attached to that. I don't have time to do so, but take a closer look at crew suitup or walkout photos to confirm this. |
Roger K
Member Posts: 244
From: California
Registered: May 2012
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posted 03-21-2024 02:31 PM
Thank you so much for your information and suggestion. I already started looking at shuttle crew walk out pictures the other day, but sadly I didn't know what crews I should focus on. With the new information provided by DG27, I will now focus my research on the pilots of the last 18 missions, starting with STS-135 and going backwards. (Maybe I even contact each shuttle pilot separately and see where that leads me.) Again, thank you all so so much, your help with my little project is greatly appreciated. Please send me an e-mail and I will send you a small gift. quote:
Originally posted by DG27:
Some additional thoughts.
WOW...! Thank you so so so much for this incredible wealth of information about those boots, I'm absolutely blown away! That would be so amazing if these boots were actually flown. I'm absolutely speechless!Sir, please be so kind and send me your mailing address to zofinger79@gmail.com. I would love to send you a small gift (space related of course) as a sign of my appreciation. Thank you so so so much Sir! |
DG27
Member Posts: 252
From: USA
Registered: Nov 2010
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posted 04-09-2024 03:31 AM
I have looked at additional photos and given this a lot more thought. I have found other boots with the color-coded tag attached, so that means multiple tags were used during the program. As Hoorenz stated the boots were coded with lettered tags. This got me to looking at other photos as well. It seems to appear that the color of the tags also matched the letter coding. I have found identification tags on other boots in the colors used for identification. Other things to consider, is that the boots are pretty scuffed up. Flown boots don't appear to be as worn. Also, these boots have tape with the size on the heels, flown boots do not. Now the tape could have been added later if the boots were used for training. So now I am thinking that last use of the boots was probably for training. The boots may have only been used for training. Any determination of flight use would need serial number confirmation. I would hope that NASA would have those records or would have transferred them to an archive. The offer of a gift is a nice gesture, but not necessary. I only responded as I also have a pair of shuttle boots and this set me to thinking about the boots, and I wanted to share my thoughts and hear thoughts from others as well. The real thanks go to Robert for providing the opportunity to share information thru collectSPACE.
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