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Author
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Topic: Apollo-era NASA-issued unflown crew equipment
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spaced out
Member Posts: 2630
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 06-08-2012 04:01 AM
   
When researching the various types of crew equipment and compiling list of flown examples sold at auction for my SpaceFlownArtifacts site I've often been struck by the scarcity of unflown examples that seem to have appeared for sale over the years.As examples, below are the total numbers of unflown NASA-issue Apollo-era writing instruments and flash lights that I'm aware of at present: - 4 Fisher Space Pens in the original end-push-button retractor configuration: One sold at Aurora in 2006, plus three sold at Goldberg in 2011.
- 4 DURO marker pens: One sold at Aurora in 2006, plus three sold at Goldberg in 2011.
- 3 Garland mechanical pencils: One from Ron Evans sold via Astro-Auction in 2008, one sold at Aurora in 2006, and one sold at Goldberg in 2011.
- 5 ACR flashlights: Ron Evans' training flashlight sold via Aastro-Auction in 2008, one unmarked version (prototype?) sold on eBay in 2011, two sold at Goldberg in 2011, and one from Deke Slayton sold at Goldberg in 2011.
All but one of these items originate from the collections of suit techs or astronauts, but even so the numbers are tiny. We have less unflown examples of these items than were carried on a single Apollo mission, and I've not seen any unflown Apollo-era NASA-issue scissors or sunglasses.Can this really be all there is out there? If any collectors out there have NASA-issue pre-Shuttle unflown items of crew equipment I don't already have in my lists I'd love to hear from them. |
Charlie16
Member Posts: 324
From: Italy
Registered: Dec 2010
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posted 06-08-2012 05:07 PM
I inform you with pleasure that the flashlight of Slayton is in my personal collection. |
kyra
Member Posts: 517
From: Louisville CO US
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 06-09-2012 03:08 AM
These flashlights would sell like Space Pens if ACR ever reissued them. There must be more out there. They were also used on the Shuttle until 1986 - then they were replaced by the black standard Maglite on STS-26.Ive looked for the scissors and they were apparently sold as "Poultry Shears" in the day. |
freshspot
Member Posts: 281
From: Lexington, MA, USA
Registered: Dec 2005
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posted 06-09-2012 03:27 AM
I've got an unflown flashlight in my collection. It was an eBay find about 5 years ago. I've got a photo here.I'd happily trade it for flown example! I am a big fan of unflown hardware and have quite a few spacecraft parts, suit equipment, checklists and the like on my site. |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 3097
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-09-2012 07:31 AM
No doubt some unflown articles used in training have been commingled in crew member stowage and released/certified as flown. |
MadSci
Member Posts: 184
From: Maryland, USA
Registered: Oct 2008
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posted 06-15-2012 01:18 PM
I have Deke Slayton's Fisher Space Pen (thumb button, side button release, with his name engraved on it) ex Bobbie Slayton's collection. When I take my collection on the road to elementary schools, this is always the item the kids are most impressed with.  |
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