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Author
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Topic: Apollo suit serial numbers in sequence
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LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 06-23-2020 11:31 AM
  
Tom Sylvester was another pressure suit test subject who apparently had his own Apollo A7L suit. There is a photo of the outer suit cover with his name tag sewn on this thread. The outer suit cover (ITMG) had its own serial number. Sylvester's looks like "933". Some other ITMG serial numbers: - suit 056 - Armstrong ... ITMG 063
- suit 077 - Aldrin ... ITMG 071
- suit 067 - Bean ... ITMG 077
- suit 090 - Shepard ... ITMG 098
- suit 073 - Mitchell ... ITMG 085
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Rolf
Member Posts: 79
From: Netherlands
Registered: May 2007
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posted 06-23-2020 02:45 PM
quote:
Originally posted by LM-12:
There is a photo of the outer suit cover with his name tag sewn on this thread.
Also a very interesting thread. |
Explorer1
Member Posts: 238
From: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Registered: Apr 2019
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posted 06-23-2020 10:34 PM
Who was the other pressure suit test subject who had his own A-7L suit? |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 06-23-2020 10:48 PM
Jack Mays. I believe he had A7L suits 039 and 050. See list on page 2. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 06-24-2020 01:08 AM
Here are some relevant diagrams:Torso-Limb Suit Assembly (TLSA) Integrated Thermal Micrometeoroid Garment (ITMG) |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 06-25-2020 11:18 AM
In the ASTP crew photo, Stafford and Slayton are wearing "Class III Not for Flight" suits. Their training suits, it would seem. Re-used suits perhaps?I don't think there were any 800-series training suits made for the ASTP prime and backup crews. Brand's training suit was number 403. |
Rolf
Member Posts: 79
From: Netherlands
Registered: May 2007
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posted 06-25-2020 12:11 PM
A little speculation on the basis of the spreadsheet. The suits 404 and 402 (Evans, Apollo 17) and 401 (Roosa, Apollo 16/17) could be the training suits for Stafford and Slayton. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 06-25-2020 02:14 PM
Even if all the 400-series suits (flown and unflown) were used as ASTP training suits, they still would have needed two more from somewhere. |
Rolf
Member Posts: 79
From: Netherlands
Registered: May 2007
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posted 06-25-2020 03:14 PM
Indeed, the numbers of the backup crew training suits (Bean, Evans and Lousma) are missing from the spreadsheet. However, it seems logical that suit 404 or 402 was Evans' ASTP training suit.Except for 4 known new build 400 series pressure suits to support Apollo 17, all of the remaining A7LB CMP suits were retrofitted A7L PSA inventory. It is currently unknown which two missing suits were transformed into a suit in the 400 series for ASTP. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 06-25-2020 04:59 PM
The "Class III Not for Flight" sticker is sometimes in a different location on the neck ring, like it is seen here on Young's flown Apollo 16 suit. If that is his flown suit, then the original name tag has been replaced. |
Rolf
Member Posts: 79
From: Netherlands
Registered: May 2007
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posted 06-29-2020 04:44 AM
quote:
Originally posted by LM-12:
Apollo 15 was planned as a H-mission when the prime and backup crews were announced in March 1970. They trained from April to August, including suit fits. Those must have been A7L suits. I wonder what the suit numbers were.
I have now added the Apollo 15 H-mission to the spreadsheet. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 07-02-2020 06:25 PM
Jack Schmitt's flown Apollo 17 suit (329) has the same ITMG number: 329.That raises an interesting question: is that just a coincidence, or was the ITMG serial number 329 mistaken as the suit serial number? On Armstrong's flown suit, the liner assembly serial number (076) was once mistaken in a NASA photo as the suit serial number, which is 056. See this thread. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 07-05-2020 02:45 PM
NASA photo S69-19051 shows an A7L suit with a (Jack) MAYS name tag. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 07-08-2020 10:26 AM
Here is a post-flight image of Bean's Apollo 12 flown suit. The torso section of the ITMG is not the flown ITMG. The lower arms and legs of the ITMG detach, and those parts seen in the photo are from the flown ITMG. Here is a launch day photo of Bean's suit. |
nasamad
Member Posts: 2191
From: Essex, UK
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 07-08-2020 11:07 AM
Any ideas what the brown staining could be on the left hip section of Beans suit? |
Explorer1
Member Posts: 238
From: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Registered: Apr 2019
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posted 07-08-2020 08:21 PM
Are you saying the lower arms and legs are from the flown ITMG because they are dirty looking? |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-01-2020 10:09 PM
Robert Crippen in photo S79-25007 seems to be wearing an A7LB suit during EVA training for the STS-1 mission. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-03-2020 08:47 PM
quote:
Originally posted by LM-12:
There seems to be an error in the beta cloth NASA meatball patches on the A7L suits.
The NASA insignia seen at the SpaceX DM-2 post-splashdown ceremony shows yet another variation of the logo: all the letters in "NASA" and the whole orbit path are in front of the red vector.
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LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-06-2020 10:06 AM
It was mentioned earlier on this thread that A7L suit number 036 was made for Buzz Aldrin, and then modified and used again by William Pogue.There is a photo of that suit in this 2019 news article about ILC Dover. I wonder if that is the suit that Aldrin wore in the Apollo 11 crew portrait photo. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-15-2020 01:32 AM
There were 25 A6L PGA suits made for the Apollo astronauts. The serial numbers were 001 to 025. The latest delivery date I have seen is June 1968, and that was suit number 019.The LTA-8 and 2TV-1 crews did wear A6L suits.
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LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-16-2020 01:33 AM
All the Apollo astronauts seem to have at least one missing suit number or suit assignment, except Charlie Duke. Looks like all his suits are accounted for: - 062 - Apollo 13 backup crew primary suit
- 021 - Apollo 13 backup crew training suit
- 327 - Apollo 16 flight suit
- 323 - Apollo 16 backup suit and Apollo 17 backup crew primary suit
- 304 - Apollo 16 training suit and Apollo 17 backup crew training suit
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LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-18-2020 01:11 AM
quote:
Originally posted by LM-12:
I suspect that Mike Collins' Apollo 11 suits (#026, 033 and 034) may have also been his Apollo 8 suits when he was on that original crew, based on where the suits are located on the list.
This is interesting: the low suit numbers seem to indicate that these were Collins' original Apollo 8 suits before he was replaced on the prime crew by Jim Lovell, but the Apollo 8 suits had blue neck rings, and the Apollo 11 flight and backup suits had red neck rings. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-19-2020 12:17 AM
The number "7-020" can be seen on the left shoulder of McDivitt's Apollo 9 flown suit (#020).The number "7-044" can be seen on the left shoulder of Cernan's Apollo 10 flown suit (#044). The number "7" refers to A7L, it would seem.
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LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-20-2020 03:03 AM
What type of suit were the Apollo 1 astronauts wearing in this photo? Those look like Gemini suits.
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Rolf
Member Posts: 79
From: Netherlands
Registered: May 2007
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posted 08-20-2020 04:17 AM
Gemini-based A1C David Clark Apollo Block 1 suits. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-22-2020 03:09 AM
The heroicrelics.org website has this photo of an A7L space suit with a "LIND" name tag. The number "7L-038" is written on the suit just below the red neck ring.Suit 038 is one of the missing suit serial numbers in the first post. The photo appears to agree with "038 - Lind" in the missing suit numbers list on page 2. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-26-2020 10:31 PM
Any idea why Lind had an A7L suit? He was not assigned to any of the A7L missions, not even as a support crew member.
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 51815
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 08-26-2020 11:11 PM
Prior to Apollo 11, Lind was assigned to work out the human factors for the early moon landings. From his oral history: I was responsible for human factors. Can the astronaut perform the task with the restriction of his pressurized gloves in the pressure suit, which restricts his movements somewhat, in either the zero-G of space or the one-sixth-G on the Moon? So I made hundreds of parabolic flights in the zero-G aircraft or the one-sixth-G aircraft; same thing, just a slightly different parabola. So I worried about what was going to happen between touchdown and liftoff on the lunar surface.I don't say this boasting, but I knew more about what Neil [A. Armstrong] and Buzz [Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr.] were supposed to do on the first mission and Pete [Charles Peter Conrad, Jr.] and Al [Alan L. Bean] were supposed to do on the second mission than they did, because at that time we were spending about 80 percent of our time training for malfunctions. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-27-2020 01:55 AM
That's interesting. I was not aware of Lind's EVA work in support of Apollo 11 and 12. I suspect that this photo might show Lind suited up for an EVA simulation in Houston, with Aldrin watching from the sidelines. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-27-2020 02:28 PM
Here is a similar photo with the following caption:
Astronauts Schmitt (left and middle) and Lind (right) during a simulation of the deployment of the EASEP. Aldrin, in the white shirt behind the dish antenna, observed the simulation with great interest. |
heng44
Member Posts: 3717
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 08-29-2020 05:47 AM
Astronauts Don Lind and Jack Schmitt went through a simulation of deploying the lunar surface experiments package during training activity in Building 9 at the Manned Spacecraft Center on January 21, 1969. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 09-05-2020 11:00 AM
Another find: the NASM has this photo described as Anders' Apollo 8 training suit. The number "7L025" is marked on the left sleeve pocket.Suit 025 is one of the missing suit serial numbers in the first post. |
Rolf
Member Posts: 79
From: Netherlands
Registered: May 2007
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posted 09-05-2020 01:49 PM
I will remove the question mark from suit 025 in the spreadsheet. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 09-05-2020 08:29 PM
This latest revision of the spreadsheet now has Anders' Apollo 8 training suit 025. Thanks, Rolf and Robert. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 09-11-2020 10:35 PM
This A7L suit has a "SPECIAL" name tag.
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LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 09-13-2020 12:09 AM
Here is my attempt to list the Apollo suit serial numbers by astronaut. Four of the astronauts (Bean, Brand, Cernan, Young) have at least seven known suit numbers with mission assignments. Test subjects are listed at the end. - 036 - Aldrin: Apollo 8 backup crew primary suit and Apollo 11 training suit
- 058 - Aldrin: ?
- 076 - Aldrin: Apollo 11 backup suit
- 077 - Aldrin: Apollo 11 flight suit
- 025 - Anders: Apollo 8 training suit *
- 031 - Anders: Apollo 8 flight suit
- 032 - Anders: Apollo 8 backup suit
- 054 - Anders: Apollo 11 backup crew primary suit
- 079 - Anders: ?
- 027 - Armstrong: ?
- 035 - Armstrong: Apollo 8 backup crew primary suit and Apollo 11 training suit
- 056 - Armstrong: Apollo 11 flight suit
- 057 - Armstrong: Apollo 11 backup suit
- 018 - Bean: Apollo 9 backup crew primary suit and Apollo 12 training suit *
- 067 - Bean: Apollo 12 flight suit
- 070 - Bean: Apollo 12 backup suit and ASTP backup crew training suit *
- 608 - Bean: Skylab 3 training suit
- 620 - Bean: Skylab 3 backup suit
- 632 - Bean: Skylab 3 flight suit
- 809 - Bean: ASTP backup crew primary suit
- 024 - Borman: Apollo 8 training suit
- 029 - Borman: Apollo 8 backup suit
- 030 - Borman: Apollo 8 flight suit
- 053 - Borman: ?
- 055 - Brand: Apollo 15 backup crew training suit
- 096 - Brand: Apollo 15 backup crew primary suit
- 403 - Brand: ASTP training suit
- 611 - Brand: Skylab 4 backup crew primary suit and Skylab Rescue backup suit
- 623 - Brand: Skylab Rescue flight suit
- 806 - Brand: ASTP flight suit
- 807 - Brand: ASTP backup suit
- 626 - Carr: Skylab 4 flight suit
- 635 - Carr: Skylab 4 backup suit
- 009 - Cernan: Apollo 7 backup crew primary suit
- 044 - Cernan: Apollo 10 flight suit and Apollo 14 backup crew training suit *
- 049 - Cernan: Apollo 10 backup suit
- 087 - Cernan: Apollo 14 backup crew primary suit
- 315 - Cernan: Apollo 17 training suit
- 328 - Cernan: Apollo 17 flight suit
- 330 - Cernan: Apollo 17 backup suit
- 026 - Collins: Apollo 11 training suit
- 033 - Collins: Apollo 11 flight suit
- 034 - Collins: Apollo 11 backup suit
- 016 - Conrad: Apollo 9 backup crew primary suit
- 065 - Conrad: Apollo 12 flight suit
- 068 - Conrad: Apollo 12 backup suit
- 310 - Conrad: Skylab 2 training suit
- 602 - Conrad: Skylab 2 backup suit
- 614 - Conrad: Skylab 2 flight suit
- 040 - Cooper: ?
- 045 - Cooper: Apollo 10 backup crew primary suit
- 071 - Cooper: Apollo 10 backup crew training suit
- 006 - Cunningham: Apollo 7 flight suit
- 012 - Cunningham: Apollo 7 backup suit
- 021 - Duke: Apollo 13 backup crew training suit
- 062 - Duke: Apollo 13 backup crew primary suit
- 304 - Duke: Apollo 16 training suit and Apollo 17 backup crew training suit
- 323 - Duke: Apollo 16 backup suit and Apollo 17 backup crew primary suit
- 327 - Duke: Apollo 16 flight suit
- 005 - Eisele: Apollo 7 flight suit
- 011 - Eisele: Apollo 7 backup suit and Apollo 10 backup crew primary suit
- 015 - Engle: Apollo 14 backup crew training suit
- 023 - Engle: ?
- 064 - Engle: Apollo 14 backup crew primary suit
- 034 - Evans: Apollo 14 backup crew training suit *
- 064 - Evans: Apollo 17 training suit
- 092 - Evans: Apollo 14 backup crew primary suit
- 402 - Evans: Apollo 17 backup suit
- 404 - Evans: Apollo 17 flight suit
- 804 - Evans: ASTP backup crew primary suit
- 609 - Garriott: Skylab 3 training suit
- 621 - Garriott: Skylab 3 backup suit
- 634 - Garriott: Skylab 3 flight suit
- 309 - Gibson: Skylab 4 training suit
- 628 - Gibson: Skylab 4 flight suit
- 636 - Gibson: Skylab 4 backup suit
- 017 - Gordon: Apollo 9 backup crew primary suit and Apollo 12 training suit *
- 066 - Gordon: Apollo 12 flight suit
- 069 - Gordon: Apollo 12 backup suit *
- 313 - Gordon: Apollo 15 backup crew training suit
- 317 - Gordon: Apollo 15 backup crew primary suit
- 022 - Haise: ?
- 051 - Haise: Apollo 8 backup crew primary suit and Apollo 13 training suit *
- 060 - Haise: Apollo 11 backup crew primary suit and Apollo 13 backup suit
- 061 - Haise: Apollo 13 flight suit
- 305 - Haise: Apollo 16 backup crew training suit
- 324 - Haise: Apollo 16 backup crew primary suit
- 080 - Irwin: Apollo 12 backup crew primary suit
- 312 - Irwin: Apollo 15 training suit
- 316 - Irwin: Apollo 15 backup suit
- 320 - Irwin: Apollo 15 flight suit
- 603 - Kerwin: Skylab 2 training suit
- 615 - Kerwin: Skylab 2 flight suit
- 631 - Kerwin: Skylab 2 backup suit
- 612 - Lenoir: Skylab 3 and Skylab 4 backup crew training suit
- 624 - Lenoir: Skylab 3 and Skylab 4 backup crew primary suit
- 038 - Lind: EVA procedures *
- 613 - Lind: Skylab 3 and Skylab 4 backup crew training suit and Skylab Rescue flight suit
- 625 - Lind: Skylab 3 and Skylab 4 backup crew primary suit
- 610 - Lousma: Skylab 3 training suit
- 622 - Lousma: Skylab 3 backup suit
- 635 - Lousma: Skylab 3 flight suit
- 808 - Lousma: ASTP backup crew primary suit
- 028 - Lovell: ?
- 037 - Lovell: Apollo 8 flight suit
- 052 - Lovell: Apollo 8 backup suit
- 055 - Lovell: Apollo 8 training suit
- 074 - Lovell: Apollo 11 backup crew primary suit and Apollo 13 backup suit
- 075 - Lovell: Apollo 13 training suit *
- 078 - Lovell: Apollo 13 flight suit
- 059 - Mattingly: Apollo 13 training suit and Apollo 16 training suit *
- 072 - Mattingly: Apollo 16 backup suit
- 082 - Mattingly: Apollo 16 flight suit
- 607 - McCandless: Skylab 2 backup crew training suit
- 618 - McCandless: Skylab 2 backup crew primary suit
- 014 - McDivitt: Apollo 9 backup suit
- 020 - McDivitt: Apollo 9 flight suit
- 062 - McDivitt: ?
- 041 - Mitchell: Apollo 14 training suit
- 046 - Mitchell: Apollo 10 backup crew primary suit and Apollo 14 backup suit
- 073 - Mitchell: Apollo 14 flight suit
- 321 - Mitchell: Apollo 16 backup crew training suit
- 325 - Mitchell: Apollo 16 backup crew primary suit
- 606 - Musgrave: Skylab 2 backup crew primary suit
- 036 - Pogue: Skylab 4 training suit *
- 627 - Pogue: Skylab 4 flight suit
- 637 - Pogue: Skylab 4 backup suit
- 085 - Roosa: Apollo 14 flight suit and Apollo 16 & 17 backup crew training suit
- 091 - Roosa: Apollo 14 backup suit
- 401 - Roosa: Apollo 16 and Apollo 17 backup crew primary suit
- 004 - Schirra: Apollo 7 flight suit
- 010 - Schirra: Apollo 7 backup suit
- 076 - Schmitt: Apollo 15 backup crew training suit
- 083 - Schmitt: ?
- 314 - Schmitt: Apollo 17 training suit
- 318 - Schmitt: Apollo 15 backup crew primary suit and Apollo 17 backup suit
- 329 - Schmitt: Apollo 17 flight suit
- 015 - Schweickart: Apollo 9 flight suit
- 021 - Schweickart: Apollo 9 backup suit
- 064 - Schweickart: ?
- 605 - Schweickart: Skylab 2 backup crew primary suit
- 013 - Scott: Apollo 9 backup suit
- 019 - Scott: Apollo 9 flight suit
- 063 - Scott: Apollo 12 backup crew primary suit
- 311 - Scott: Apollo 15 training suit
- 315 - Scott: Apollo 15 flight suit
- 319 - Scott: Apollo 15 backup suit
- 029 - Shepard: Apollo 14 training suit *
- 084 - Shepard: Apollo 14 backup suit
- 090 - Shepard: Apollo 14 flight suit
- 803 - Slayton: ASTP flight suit
- 805 - Slayton: ASTP backup suit
- 007 - Stafford: Apollo 7 backup crew primary suit
- 042 - Stafford: Apollo 10 backup suit
- 047 - Stafford: Apollo 10 flight suit
- 089 - Stafford: ?
- 801 - Stafford: ASTP flight suit
- 802 - Stafford: ASTP backup suit
- 088 - Swigert: Apollo 13 flight suit
- 604 - Weitz: Skylab 2 training suit
- 616 - Weitz: Skylab 2 backup suit
- 617 - Weitz: Skylab 2 flight suit
- 058 - Worden: Apollo 15 training suit
- 081 - Worden: Apollo 12 backup crew primary suit and Apollo 15 backup suit
- 094 - Worden: Apollo 15 flight suit
- 001 - Young: ?
- 002 - Young: ?
- 003 - Young: ?
- 008 - Young: Apollo 7 backup crew primary suit and Apollo 13 backup crew training suit *
- 042 - Young: ?
- 043 - Young: Apollo 10 flight suit
- 048 - Young: Apollo 10 backup suit
- 086 - Young: Apollo 13 backup crew primary suit
- 303 - Young: Apollo 16 training suit and Apollo 17 backup crew training suit
- 322 - Young: Apollo 16 flight suit
- 326 - Young: Apollo 16 backup suit and Apollo 17 backup crew primary suit
- 039 - Mays: pressure suit test subject
- 050 - Mays: pressure suit test subject
- xxx - Sylvester: pressure suit test subject
- xxx - von Ehrenfried: pressure suit test subject
* added since initial post |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 09-22-2020 12:22 AM
The caption for Apollo 10 photo S69-34482 must be wrong. That is not a launch day photo. John Young is wearing a suit with a "J. Young" name tag, so that can't be his flight suit.Might be the CDDT test on May 6. update: I have been corrected: apparently Young did wear a "J. Young" name tag on his suit on launch day. That is a real eye-opener. I had always thought that all the Apollo flight suits had surnames-only on the name tags on launch day. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 09-24-2020 10:54 PM
He did have a "Young" name tag on the training suit he wore that had the NASA insignia on the left (his left).(I suspect that is actually an Apollo 7 backup crew photo of Cernan, Stafford and Young taken on August 6, 1968.) |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3882
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 10-02-2020 03:26 AM
There is an A7L space suit with red stripes on display at the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. The suit has a SHEPARD name tag, and the number "7-029" is marked on the left shoulder. It is described as Shepard's Apollo 14 training suit.A7L suit 029 was also Borman's Apollo 8 backup suit. |
Rolf
Member Posts: 79
From: Netherlands
Registered: May 2007
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posted 10-03-2020 05:43 AM
I agree with that. quote:
Originally posted by LM-12:
I suspect that is actually an Apollo 7 backup crew photo of Cernan, Stafford and Young taken on August 6, 1968.
Yes, that is correct. |
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