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  Apollo-era NASA-issued unflown crew equipment

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Author Topic:   Apollo-era NASA-issued unflown crew equipment
spaced out
Member

Posts: 3110
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 06-08-2012 04:01 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for spaced out   Click Here to Email spaced out     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
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: 494
From: Italy
Registered: Dec 2010

posted 06-08-2012 05:07 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Charlie16   Click Here to Email Charlie16     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I inform you with pleasure that the flashlight of Slayton is in my personal collection.

kyra
Member

Posts: 583
From: Louisville CO US
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 06-09-2012 03:08 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for kyra   Click Here to Email kyra     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
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
unregistered
posted 06-09-2012 03:27 AM           Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
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: 4437
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 06-09-2012 07:31 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for SpaceAholic   Click Here to Email SpaceAholic     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
No doubt some unflown articles used in training have been commingled in crew member stowage and released/certified as flown.

MadSci
Member

Posts: 226
From: Maryland, USA
Registered: Oct 2008

posted 06-15-2012 01:18 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for MadSci     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
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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