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Author
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Topic: stratosphere101: Misidentified hardware
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SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 4437
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-21-2008 05:47 PM
   
Recommend caution prior to bidding on items listed by seller stratosphere101 (he has 20 listed as of this posting). A number of these are either erroneously cited as being part of a manned program or are in fact GSE (Ground Support Equipment) vice actual spacecraft/launch vehicle components. ------------------
Scott Schneeweis
http://www.SPACEAHOLIC.com/ |
David Bryant
Member Posts: 986
From: Norfolk UK
Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 06-22-2008 02:48 AM
Wise words!And as is so often the case these days, the vendor is charging outrageous shipping costs! You could get a bunch of similar material from the guys at Historic Space Systems for a lot less money, too!
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-22-2008 11:25 AM
quote:
Originally posted by David Bryant:
And as is so often the case these days, the vendor is charging outrageous shipping costs!
I can see nothing wrong with the shipping rates - they are in line with what the USPS would charge you if you were to just bring the item to them and ship it... |
David Bryant
Member Posts: 986
From: Norfolk UK
Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 06-22-2008 12:55 PM
No disrespect intended at all, Robert: but I import/export meteorites by the kilo from all over the world. I also buy/sell collections of books too. I have never, ever charged $30 to ship a two-inch switch!I wouldn't expect to pay that for a 1kg meteorite! I bought three signed copies of Alan Bean's Apollo paintings last month: they arrived in 14 days, weighed a ton & cost under $30 in shipping! |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-22-2008 01:48 PM
A USPS Priority Mail International Flat-Rate Box is $40 (a large Flat-Rate Box is $50). Express Mail costs between $25 and $30 for one pound. And while First Class mail costs $10 (for a single pound to the UK), I would be very upset if any seller shipped an artifact using First Class Mail (or tried to claim that the lower rate shipping services are just as good as the premium rates), but that's just me. |
David Bryant
Member Posts: 986
From: Norfolk UK
Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 06-22-2008 04:14 PM
I don't know how to post unhosted pictures on here, but I sent one to you, Robert!I'm not being argumentative, but I will defend my original statement that $30 is way over the top to ship a plastic switch! My picture shows a box I received from the US which contained 400g of rare meteorites (Gujbas, Tagish Lakes & Murchisons, in fact.) Note the shipping cost. I've smudged the addresses for obvious reasons, but everything else is as sent! I get dozens of packages a week like this, and will happily send you more photos! |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-22-2008 04:27 PM
quote:
Originally posted by David Bryant:
I get dozens of packages a week like this, and will happily send you more photos!
No need for the photos, though the first one you sent illustrated that you are taking the risk of losing the package and having no recourse with the USPS. Your 'box of rocks' was shipped via airmail, without insurance, confirmation of delivery or any type of tracking. To each their own of course, but having lost my fair share of packages that way, I would be happy to pay more for the peace of mind. Anyway, the point of my first reply was that the seller is not inflating shipping prices; he's using a better class of shipping, but the fees are in line with the charges for those services. |
David Bryant
Member Posts: 986
From: Norfolk UK
Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 06-22-2008 04:52 PM
I do accept your point, BUT! It's just such a common thing these days that vendors either: - Charge outrageous shipping to bump up a disappointing sale price.... OR
- Don't give us, the purchaser, the opportunity to choose OUR preferred shipping method!
To me, that's like booking an airflight to France, and being charged three times the usual cost because "We promise not to lose your luggage if you pay extra!"If offered the choice, I know which ticket I'd buy! I've lost a few packages, yes. And I've been defrauded by the odd buyer too. But since Paypal / EBay has ALWAYS found against my complaint, it's a risk this European has learned to take. I know people who've paid lots of money to have items sent backwards and forwards to the US to, say, Novaspace signings, only to have their packages arrive damaged. Getting an 'assessed refund' in no way covers the disappointment and loss, IMHO. My original response was to concur with Scott and to remark that some similar items are available at a really good price.
The shipping costs thing is, to some extent, a side issue: but I reiterate: the best dealers always offer options for shipping, rather than charging the same for a small switch as some chunky great bits of metal! Personally, I always ship valuable items to customers by special delivery at my own expense! All other items are shipped per the customer's own wishes! |
space1
Member Posts: 853
From: Danville, Ohio
Registered: Dec 2002
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posted 06-27-2008 07:29 AM
I appreciate David's endorsement of my artifact listings.I have to admit that it is sometimes difficult to tell if a small item is ground support or flight equipment. For fuel handling the cleanliness requirements are similar (or perhaps identical). And maybe identical parts, such as washers or seals, would be used for flight and GSE. Anyway, cool stuff. ------------------
John Fongheiser
President
Historic Space Systems, http://www.space1.com |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 4437
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 09-14-2008 09:28 AM
A similar situation with this seller stratosphere101 who is advertising Proj Mercury material (which is in fact generic Atlas GSE hardware). He offers no evidence that any of these items are specifically Proj Mercury affiliated; the Check Valve paperwork shows a cure/production date which post-dates the last Mercury flight by half a year. |
Ken Havekotte
Member Posts: 2914
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 09-14-2008 12:11 PM
Scott--His "Project Mercury/Atlas" described switches are indeed non-spacecraft hardware. All of his current ebay offered switches appear to be spares for ground support and test equipment consoles. Much of their provided paperwork indicates they were tested in Feb. 1964, which as you say, was nearly a year after the last flown Mercury/Atlas orbital mission took place. Has anyone tried to contact the seller for his response to such questions of mis-described documentation? |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 4437
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-22-2010 12:22 PM
Another Caveat Emptor (buyer beware) alert for this seller who has mis-listed a J2 Rocket Engine Computer" on ebay. There is no such animal (the flight control inputs for the J-2 were derived from an analog computer in the Instrument Unit atop the S-IVB). This component also is not from the Flight Instrumentation Package (which was mounted on the J-2). |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 4437
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 08-02-2012 11:29 PM
The seller has incorrectly listed 300753773998 as an Apollo RCS tank artifact. While associated with a propellant positive expulsion system, the design is not compliant with that flown onboard the Command Service or Lunar Modules. |
BrianB
Member Posts: 118
From: Kamloops BC Canada
Registered: Oct 2001
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posted 08-03-2012 08:21 AM
Scott: Thanks for the heads up. What do you think of the descriptions of the other items he has for sale? |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 4437
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 08-03-2012 07:29 PM
300753776568 is GSE (not part of the lunar module itself).At the conclusion of the auction for the propellant tank artifact, I will disclose its correct intended application. |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 4437
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-24-2013 07:50 PM
No evidence 300895497027 is a Apollo program component; 300895547037 is not associated with the Apollo Command/Service Module RCS system;
300895506560 while affiliated with the LM program is not a LM flight vehicle artifact.
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