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Author
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Topic: Black band on Gemini astronauts' right legs
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Explorer1
Member Posts: 88
From: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Registered: Apr 2019
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posted 08-05-2019 10:26 AM
   
On the Gemini missions, every crew walk out picture on launch day shows the astronauts wearing a black band around their right leg. Does anyone know what those bands were?Here is a crop from a photo of the Gemini 8 crew showing the leg bands.  |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3207
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-05-2019 11:03 AM
Some were worn on the left leg. Were they velcro strips for a clipboard/checklist?
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Philip
Member Posts: 5952
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 08-05-2019 01:01 PM
All Gemini crews except Gemini III... |
Explorer1
Member Posts: 88
From: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Registered: Apr 2019
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posted 08-06-2019 12:04 AM
Probably not for checklists. The suits had various pockets that could have stored items.Also what is important to note is that both the Command Pilot and Pilot wore these black bands. So they were for internal use inside the spacecraft and not for EVA purposes. Also, it appears these black bands were worn throughout the entire mission. Note that the Gemini 4 crew wore these bands on their left leg instead of right leg. And also note that Ed White during his space walk was wearing the black leg band. |
oly
Member Posts: 905
From: Perth, Western Australia
Registered: Apr 2015
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posted 08-06-2019 02:38 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Explorer1:
Note that the Gemini 4 crew wore these bands on their left leg instead of right leg.
Is there a chance that the Gemini 4 crew were both left handed? I believe that, as mentioned above, these were pilot knee board straps, designed to retain the checklists during flight. |
Mike Dixon
Member Posts: 1397
From: Kew, Victoria, Australia
Registered: May 2003
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posted 08-06-2019 03:12 AM
Young was right handed. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3207
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-06-2019 08:06 AM
Wally Schirra and Dick Gordon were left-handed and wore the strap on the left leg.Gemini 10 photo S66-42424 gives a good view of the strap that John Young wore on his right leg.
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David C
Member Posts: 1014
From: Lausanne
Registered: Apr 2012
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posted 08-06-2019 01:17 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Philip:
All Gemini crews except Gemini III...
My research of boarding photographs shows:Not worn by the Gemini III, VII and XII crews. - McDivitt (right handed) wore it on both legs in training but left for the actual flight.
- Cooper didn't wear one on V.
- Schirra (left handed), wore his on the left leg for VIa.
- Collins didn't wear one on X.
- Conrad didn't wear one on XI.
Note that the XII crew had large velcro strips sewn on the thighs of their pressure suits.I believe it's a velcro cue card/checklist holder rather than a conventional kneeboard holder (so no writing required). I suspect it was fiddly to attach when strapped into an ejection seat wearing a pressure suit, which is why they were strapped on prior to boarding. White probably didn't remove his for the EVA for the same reason. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3207
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-06-2019 02:53 PM
It looks like there are velcro strips on the document that Jim McDivitt is holding in this launch day photo. It is described as a crew procedures flip book in the photo caption. |
David C
Member Posts: 1014
From: Lausanne
Registered: Apr 2012
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posted 08-06-2019 03:39 PM
Yup there's quite a few similar Gemini crew pictures with white or black velcro on the back of ring bound cards. |
ejectr
Member Posts: 1751
From: Killingly, CT
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 08-07-2019 12:04 PM
I contacted David Clark Co. in Worcester, MA who made the Gemini suits to see if they could shed light on the black knee bands.The vice president of aeronautical products told me he was unsure what they were but the suit was supplied by David Clark without this item. Obviously an add on item. |
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