|
Author
|
Topic: NASA, contractor ID badges and passes
|
p51
Member Posts: 1784
From: Olympia, WA
Registered: Sep 2011
|
posted 03-04-2012 10:10 PM
   
Just curious as to what current NASA ID's look like? I was putting together a fake one for a Halloween costume last October but couldn't find much.Just mostly wondering as I always wonder how close ID cards and tags in movies get. I know the Armageddon ones were WAY off, I have one from that movie and it looks like someone made from stuff at a local craft store in 10 minutes. |
ilbasso
Member Posts: 1527
From: Greensboro, NC USA
Registered: Feb 2006
|
posted 03-05-2012 07:49 PM
For security reasons, government employees (or any employees, for that matter) are not supposed to photograph their ID badges. When I toured JSC a couple of years ago with my nephew, I took several photos of him and me together. He asked me to Photoshop out the detail that appeared on his badge in the photos. |
p51
Member Posts: 1784
From: Olympia, WA
Registered: Sep 2011
|
posted 03-06-2012 10:13 PM
Yeah, that's fair. I'm a former Army officer so I get the whole security thing. That said, I assume people here do know what the current ones look like, and I was wondering how badly movies botch them? |
ilbasso
Member Posts: 1527
From: Greensboro, NC USA
Registered: Feb 2006
|
posted 03-07-2012 04:58 PM
The ones I saw looked very similar to other military or Government ID's that I have seen recently, including the "smart chip." |
413 is in
Member Posts: 721
From: Alexandria, VA USA
Registered: May 2006
|
posted 03-08-2012 12:55 AM
quote:
Originally posted by p51:
Just mostly wondering as I always wonder how close ID cards and tags in movies get.
Here's Bill Paxton's MSC prop badge from the Apollo 13 movie: I'd say that this a very reasonable facsimile of an actual period MSC photo ID badge. Ron Howard was quite the stickler in adhering to the fine visual details in this movie. |
rlandmann
New Member Posts:
From:
Registered:
|
posted 03-18-2012 04:12 PM
I've seen the phrase "Temporary Mission Decal" on some Apollo-era passes. Can anyone please shed any light on the significance of those words? |
Jay Chladek
Member Posts: 2272
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2007
|
posted 03-18-2012 04:36 PM
quote:
Originally posted by 413 is in:
Here's Bill Paxton's MSC prop badge from the Apollo 13 movie
Somebody needs to let Freddo borrow that to wear for a day and see if anyone notices the photo doesn't match.  |
ilbasso
Member Posts: 1527
From: Greensboro, NC USA
Registered: Feb 2006
|
posted 03-23-2012 11:03 PM
quote:
Originally posted by rlandmann:
I've seen the phrase "Temporary Mission Decal" on some Apollo-era passes. Can anyone please shed any light on the significance of those words?
Temporary Mission Decals were passes that were issued to workers for access to the launch vehicle, Launch Utility Tower, Mobile Service Structure, and pad. As the name "temporary" implies, they had to be signed out for specific need and for a specified period of time. |
bnault
New Member Posts: 8
From: Tucson, AZ USA
Registered: Aug 2008
|
posted 03-30-2012 06:58 PM
I have a question about the color of the Apollo 11 Launch Guest badges.I have seen two different colors: one has a gray background color. The other has a light blue background. At first, I thought the gray ones were discolored blue ones. But now, having seen many specimens, I believe both colors exist. Can anyone confirm this? Does anyone know the reason for the two colors? Editor's note: Threads merged. |
bnault
New Member Posts: 8
From: Tucson, AZ USA
Registered: Aug 2008
|
posted 03-30-2012 07:42 PM
Reading the thread, it confirms that the two colors are real. But it is still unclear what the color difference means... Anyone know? |
David Carey
Member Posts: 1018
From:
Registered: Mar 2009
|
posted 03-30-2012 10:42 PM
Darker/deeper blue seems to be the "VIP" version, and the gray(er) variant formed the balance of the badges issued, at least based on what I've come to understand. |
CMikeW
Member Posts: 89
From: United States
Registered: Apr 2013
|
posted 04-05-2013 09:44 PM
quote:
Originally posted by 413 is in:
Does anyone know what "APIP" stands for on the pictured Apollo 17 Area Permit?
Just to help out a bit. APIP stood for Apollo Personnel Investigation Program. If I recall correctly that all personnel who actually worked on the Apollo vehicles had to have passed the APIP investigation before they actually could work on the vehicles. This meant hands-on or conducting testing. NASA wanted to be sure everybody who worked on the vehicle didn't have a drinking or drug problem, excessive debt, or too many traffic tickets. |
dtemple
Member Posts: 777
From: Longview, Texas, USA
Registered: Apr 2000
|
posted 06-02-2013 11:13 PM
I just obtained an Apollo 4 press access badge from another collectSPACE member. It was issued to Al Bishop with RCA. Why would an RCA employee be issued a PRESS badge? |
Cozmosis22
Member Posts: 1115
From: Texas * Earth
Registered: Apr 2011
|
posted 06-04-2013 11:16 PM
The RCA guy could have been assigned to "man the booth" so to speak at the ACIC (Apollo Contractors Information Center)? The official press/industry publicity hangout was located off-base at the Convention Center of the Atlantis Beach Lodge. Only press-credentialed persons were admitted there pre-launch and during the missions. Not sure of this but one of the perks of working the ACIC could have been getting onto KSC for launch day. Yay! |
413 is in
Member Posts: 721
From: Alexandria, VA USA
Registered: May 2006
|
posted 06-05-2013 12:00 AM
According to his obituary, from 1965-1968, Bishop was employed by the RCA corporation out of Van Nuys CA. While there he established a corporate public relations office at Cape Canaveral for RCA's involvement in the Apollo/Saturn program. |
dtemple
Member Posts: 777
From: Longview, Texas, USA
Registered: Apr 2000
|
posted 06-05-2013 09:12 PM
Thanks for the responses to my question regarding my RCA Apollo 4 press access badge! |
Philip
Member Posts: 6256
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
|
posted 09-15-2017 03:41 AM
Anyone owns or has pictures of the NASA GSFC Operations control badges? Have only seen these for Apollo 11 and Apollo 15. |
413 is in
Member Posts: 721
From: Alexandria, VA USA
Registered: May 2006
|
posted 09-15-2017 04:57 AM
Apollo GSFC Operations Control badges for missions 12 through 17 and Skylab 2 and 3 were offered at Lunar Legacies auction #23 in July of this year.I have similar badges for the first six space shuttle missions. With that said, all are relatively rare. |
ringo67
Member Posts: 197
From: Seekonk, Mass., USA
Registered: May 2003
|
posted 11-08-2018 03:56 PM
I saw this question asked earlier in this thread, but didn’t see an answer: What do the letters on the MOCR passes. Two passes I’ve seen have A and V on them. |
JBoe
Member Posts: 994
From: Edgewater, MD
Registered: Oct 2012
|
posted 11-09-2018 08:08 AM
I believe the acronym MOCR stands for Mission Operations Control Room. As for the "A" and "V" I'm not sure. Maybe it would be what the person had access to? |
ringo67
Member Posts: 197
From: Seekonk, Mass., USA
Registered: May 2003
|
posted 11-10-2018 12:25 AM
Thanks, but I actually know what MOCR stands for.What I asking about are the letters printed or stamped on the passes. I think you're right in that they relate to the owner's access. But is it limited by location or perhaps mission milestones? Also, I know there are letters on the astronaut badges. I wonder of the two sets of letters are the same on both badges? |
Marc05A
Member Posts: 40
From: Reims, France
Registered: May 2009
|
posted 11-10-2018 03:42 AM
Regarding the MCC badges, the following code letters grant access to those areas during the progress of a specific mission: - -A: MOCR
- -B: RTCC
- -C: Weather and Recovery rooms
- -E: SCA, Simulation Area
- -F: CCATS Computer Area
- -D: All other MCC areas except the ones above
- -V: MOCR Viewing Room
Regarding the NASA ID, the following letters were added on each side of the employee photograph in November 1964, for those requiring access to specific buildings: - -R: Access to the Mission Operations Wing of the MCC, Building 30, MSC
- -S: Space Environment Simulation Facilty, Building 32, MSC
- -T: Thermochemical Test Facilty, Building 350, MSC
- -H and J: Launch, hangar and guidance facilities used by USAF contractors at the USAF portion of Cape Kennedy. H for Atlas-Agena, J for Titan-Gemini.
- -U: Crew Systems Lab, Building 7, MSC
The R, S, T, H, J, U code letters were discontinued around 1966-67, and new badges were issued. |
ringo67
Member Posts: 197
From: Seekonk, Mass., USA
Registered: May 2003
|
posted 11-11-2018 03:13 PM
Awesome, Marc. That's exactly what I've been looking for.Merci beaucoup! |
advrons
New Member Posts: 9
From: Israel
Registered: Dec 2017
|
posted 12-18-2018 11:09 AM
Does anyone have any information about the Gemini launch team badge (including vintage pics)? |
NeilPearson
Member Posts: 182
From: UK
Registered: May 2013
|
posted 02-16-2019 07:32 AM
I've just bought this Apollo 7 launch viewing badge/pass. As you can see it has "24" written on the back in red marker pen. I can't be sure if it on the pass itself or on the laminate. Does anyone know what that number indicates and why it would be there in addition to the serial number? Thanks in advance. 
|
413 is in
Member Posts: 721
From: Alexandria, VA USA
Registered: May 2006
|
posted 02-18-2019 03:55 PM
Neil, I've got a badge that is nearly identical to yours except with a different stamped serial number and the number "12" written on the back in orange grease pencil. The grease pencil marking is clearly under the laminate.Just a guess, but the numbers may refer to some kind of seating arrangement. Perhaps the rows in the bleachers were sequentially numbered. |
NeilPearson
Member Posts: 182
From: UK
Registered: May 2013
|
posted 02-19-2019 12:05 PM
Thanks 413 - good to know that someone else has one similar! |
Go4Launch
Member Posts: 563
From: Seminole, Fla.
Registered: Jul 2003
|
posted 02-20-2019 06:16 PM
My Apollo 6 Viewing Stand badge has a red "20" on the back. I think this might have been your bus number. NASA escorts like to keep the same people on the same buses; plus I suppose you would have been welcome to leave an umbrella or newspaper on your bus. Edit: on second thought, that doesn't make much sense as it is under the laminate! |
413 is in
Member Posts: 721
From: Alexandria, VA USA
Registered: May 2006
|
posted 02-21-2019 08:07 AM
I don’t know, I think the bus number “theory” is a good one even if the numbering was under the laminate. Each bus driver may have been issued their own set of badges, with designated bus number on the back, to hand out to their passengers as they boarded.
Although I never attended an Apollo launch, I have been to a few Shuttle launches and landings. As I remember it, we were issued paper Bus Boarding Passes which only had stamped serial numbers on them. We were also given those generic Space Shuttle Launch and Space Shuttle Landing pin-back buttons to wear and keep as souvenirs. As I recall, we were left on our own to remember what bus we arrived at the VIP launch site or SLF. It sure would have been nice to have a bus number written down somewhere!
|
streetsnake
Member Posts: 182
From: Ohio
Registered: Oct 2012
|
posted 03-24-2019 08:53 PM
Can anyone please verify/provide documentation of launch viewing passes prior to Apollo 10. I am trying to round out my collection and trying to narrow down what I'm looking for.  |
kosmo
Member Posts: 537
From:
Registered: Sep 2001
|
posted 03-25-2019 07:44 AM
Here is a photo of the passes in my collection. While not complete with all the variations of passes, it will give you an idea of whats out there. |
streetsnake
Member Posts: 182
From: Ohio
Registered: Oct 2012
|
posted 03-25-2019 10:44 AM
This is extremely helpful. Thank you. How difficult have you found it to be to track down the earlier passes? |
kosmo
Member Posts: 537
From:
Registered: Sep 2001
|
posted 03-25-2019 11:39 AM
I don't think any of the passes have been that easy to find. The early ones for sure seem to be harder to find. It seems as though your seeing more of them now, maybe its because people are realizing their collectability or you have a generation that's letting them go now. There are still some variations that I'm looking to add to my collection. |
akinnaird
Member Posts: 35
From: Arlington, VA, US
Registered: Dec 2013
|
posted 01-27-2020 09:02 AM
I am trying to collect examples of all the badges made for Apollo 8, i.e. press badge, firing room access, viewing area, etc. Does anyone have a comprehensive list of the various badges that were made for each mission? |
kosmo
Member Posts: 537
From:
Registered: Sep 2001
|
posted 02-01-2020 11:14 AM
To get you started, four from my collection and three firing room badges from the last Lunar Legacies' auction. 
|
capoetc
Member Posts: 2362
From: McKinney TX (USA)
Registered: Aug 2005
|
posted 05-13-2020 11:21 AM
The launch viewing badges for Apollo IX through Apollo-Soyuz all appear to have been the smaller size 2 5/8" x 4" except for the Apollo XI badges (both grey and blue), which were 3" x 5".Were there other badges in the Apollo era that had holders that were 3" x 5", or were the Apollo XI badges the only ones? I have acquired a blue VIP launch badge for Apollo XI, but it is separated from its original holder so I would like to find a replacement holder from the Apollo era. |
Go4Launch
Member Posts: 563
From: Seminole, Fla.
Registered: Jul 2003
|
posted 05-13-2020 04:52 PM
Yes, I believe Apollo 11 was the only launch that used the larger size. |
Ken Havekotte
Member Posts: 3799
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001
|
posted 07-15-2020 11:14 AM
From 45 years ago this week, a collection of Apollo-Soyuz Test Project badges: |
denali414
Member Posts: 854
From: Raleigh, NC
Registered: Aug 2017
|
posted 07-16-2020 06:36 AM
Where can you get the plastic covers for the Apollo guest badges? I have a few badges without the covers. |
Pete Sarmiento
Member Posts: 101
From: Fort Washington, MD, USA
Registered: Mar 2006
|
posted 07-16-2020 01:42 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Philip:
Anyone owns or has pictures of the NASA GSFC Operations control badges?
I did not realize that these items are collectible. I worked at Goddard for 21 years (12/61 - 02/82) and I have about 20 of them and I almost throw these badges away while I was cleaning up my junk room. I am glad that I combed the website and learn more about "space-related" collectibles. |
advertisement