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Author
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Topic: Apollo A7L/B spacesuits: Red and yellow stripes
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Rick Mulheirn
Member Posts: 4208
From: England
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 04-06-2011 06:52 PM
   
It is well known that starting with Apollo 13, red stripes were added to the arms and legs of the commander's spacesuit so TV cameras could determine which astronaut was which.During Apollo 15 back-up crew EVA training, Dick Gordon was photographed sporting yellow stripes. When I recounted the observation to Dick, he remembered the yellow stripes but thought them perhaps some kind of practical joke or gotcha. Can anybody shed any further light on this spacesuit departure? |
AGF767
New Member Posts: 2
From: Egg Harbor City, NJ, USA
Registered: Jan 2010
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posted 04-24-2011 12:22 PM
I always thought the yellow stripes on Dick Gordon's Apollo training suit was his salute to Navy Gold. |
Rick Mulheirn
Member Posts: 4208
From: England
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 12-18-2014 04:36 PM
Is anybody able to shed any more light on this? |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3324
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 12-21-2014 12:50 PM
Not sure if there is a connection, but Scott and Irwin are wearing yellow arm bands on their protective garments in this LRV training photo. The colour looks the same. Another piece of the puzzle, perhaps. |
schnappsicle
Member Posts: 396
From: Houston, TX, USA
Registered: Jan 2012
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posted 12-23-2014 07:22 AM
One possibility is the yellow stripes were used to differentiate between the prime CDR and the backup during training. I'm not sure, but something tells me that the four crew members would be training fully suited at the same place and at the same time. That does leave me to question what they did with the LMP, but I can't think of any other reason for putting the yellow stripes on the backup CDR's suit.The yellow stripe could also be used to differentiate the flight suit from a training suit. I can't imagine them ever using a yellow stripe on a flight suit. Yellow would not show up very well in EVA photos, or on TV. In regard LM-12's comment, the yellow stripes could simply mean crewmember or VIP as everyone else in the photo seems to be wearing the same white coveralls. |
schnappsicle
Member Posts: 396
From: Houston, TX, USA
Registered: Jan 2012
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posted 12-23-2014 07:48 AM
Something I noticed in the Gordon photo was the black pouch directly behind the CDR seat. It says "Lunar Safety Line" on it. Obviously, that was never included on any of the flights, but I've always felt like should have been. Granted nothing happened, but you never know. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3324
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 12-23-2014 08:41 AM
In the clean room photos that I have seen, the yellow arm bands on the garments that Scott and Irwin are wearing seem to be unique to Apollo 15. Young and Duke did not have them, for example. And the yellow colour is virtually identical to the stripes on Gordon's EVA suit. That seems like more than just a coincidence to me. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3324
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 12-23-2014 09:58 AM
In this photo dated 14 May 1971, would you say that Richard Gordon is wearing yellow or red stripes on his EVA suit? They look darker to me, so I would say red. |
Rick Mulheirn
Member Posts: 4208
From: England
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 12-23-2014 10:08 AM
The red stripes were a bold colour and in a grey scale I'd imagine they would appear darker than they do in this photo so I'd plump for yellow. It would probably be possible to check the date of this photo against the known colour/yellow stripe examples and see whether they match. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3324
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 12-23-2014 10:44 AM
The yellow stripe colour photo in your first post Rick is dated 20 July 1971. Here is an outdoor photo of Gordon and Schmitt also dated 14 May 1971. |
Rick Mulheirn
Member Posts: 4208
From: England
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 12-23-2014 05:43 PM
Terrific photo. I love those EVA simulation shots. Thanks for posting. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3324
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 12-23-2014 06:03 PM
That is a great black and white shot. The LRV that Scott and Irwin drove in the training area had different wheels. But that is drifting off-topic a bit. |
mark plas
Member Posts: 385
From: the Netherlands
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 01-07-2015 04:45 AM
In this old cS post there is a picture of Gordon's Apollo 15 backup suit. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3324
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 01-07-2015 06:14 AM
That is the first colour photo I have seen showing red stripes on Gordon's suit. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3324
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 09-22-2015 02:21 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Rick Mulheirn:
During Apollo 15 back-up crew EVA training, Dick Gordon was photographed sporting yellow stripes.
I believe that is LMP Jim Irwin (not backup LMP Jack Schmitt) training with backup commander Dick Gordon. Same date (July 20, 1971) photo 71-H-1103 shows the Irwin name tag. Perhaps the yellow stripes were worn to indicate the cross-training by prime and backup crewmembers. |
Daniel on the Moon
Member Posts: 354
From: Bronxville, NY
Registered: Jun 2015
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posted 01-12-2016 12:50 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Rick Mulheirn:
Can anybody shed any further light on this spacesuit departure?
That is a great question and one that I cannot answer with 100% accuracy. However, I will give you my opinion based on the following: - Thinking that the "yellow stripes" were used to identify the B/U CDR (prime crew CDR, as we know wore "red Stripes") is at first glance a logical answer. However, being involved in every KSC EVA Crew Training Exercise for both Prime and Backup Crews I cannot recall any other B/U crew CDR wearing "yellow stripes."
The photo below showing the Apollo 15 Prime Crew Scott and Irwin wearing yellow stripes (keeping in mind that Gordon was Apollo 15 B/U commander wearing yellow) would seem to negate the B/U CDR ID explanation! - After considerably thought I came up with a possible logical explanation. First, the photo of Gordon below (with the yellow arm and leg bands) was taken on may 27th, 1971. That date is very close to the Vietnam War May Day Anti-war protests. The May Day protest (that lasted several days) in early May, 1971 was the largest anti-war protest at the time.
It would seem logical that Gordon, Scott and Irwin wearing Yellow might have been their way of honoring and supporting our troops, keeping in mind that they all served their time in the military. Also, yellow ribbons were and still are the accepted way of acknowledging support for our troops.
If anyone else has a more accurate answer please post it. 
(For more about my background, see: My personal Apollo story (Dan Schaiewitz).) |
Space Cadet Carl
Member Posts: 225
From: Lake Orion, Michigan
Registered: Feb 2006
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posted 01-13-2016 08:05 AM
Wow Daniel, interesting theory! I don't think anyone else would come up with the "Vietnam" angle but you just might be on to something. Anyone that was around in the late 60's and early 70's remembers how emotional and divisive an issue that war became. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3324
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 01-13-2016 08:48 AM
There are several photos that show Scott and Irwin wearing the yellow stripes. The earliest one I have seen (Scott) is dated April 1, 1971.Dick Gordon's LEVA helmet also had the yellow stripe. |
carmelo
Member Posts: 1051
From: Messina, Sicilia, Italia
Registered: Jun 2004
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posted 01-13-2016 10:39 AM
The Vietnam theory is very interesting and probably right.But is possible that the stripe on Gordon's suit were yellow-gold because this is the color of US Navy? |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3324
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 01-13-2016 11:15 AM
Scott, Worden and Irwin were all Air Force guys. I doubt if they would have worn Navy yellow stripes. |
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