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Author
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Topic: Mercury, Gemini, Apollo astronaut transfer vans
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astro-nut
Member Posts: 491
From: washington, Illinois USA
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 06-18-2011 10:22 AM
   
Do any fellow collectSPACE members have any information and/or photos of the astronaut transfer vehicles used for the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo eras? I know that the current Astrovan/Airstream has been in service since STS-9 (1983). Any photos or information would be greatly appreciated. |
alanh_7
Member Posts: 843
From: Ajax , Ontario, Canada,
Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 06-18-2011 02:05 PM
One of the astronaut vans is on display at the Apollo Saturn V Center at Kennedy Space Center.I may be wrong but I also heard Tom Hanks production of "From the Earth to the Moon" paid to have one of the Apollo era vans refurbished for use in filming the show. I am not sure if this is the same van on display at the Saturn V museum. |
APG85
Member Posts: 238
From:
Registered: Jan 2008
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posted 06-18-2011 03:57 PM
What will happen to the current Van when the Shuttle retires? Any interior pictures? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 26375
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-18-2011 04:19 PM
The current Astrovan was initially offered to museums as part of NASA's on-going artifact disposition process but it was soon thereafter withdrawn to be saved for use for the next program. This Behind the Scenes video from NASA has a footage of the STS-131 crew riding on the Astrovan. |
FullThrottle
Member Posts: 84
From: Seattle, WA, USA
Registered: Sep 2010
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posted 06-18-2011 06:20 PM
Here's a set of five pictures that I took of the Astrovan parked in the KSC Saturn V Center. I also had a rear taillight and door pic and a front head on but I can't find them on my computer. If you want/need original sized pics of any of these let me know. 
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APG85
Member Posts: 238
From:
Registered: Jan 2008
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posted 06-19-2011 07:21 AM
Any interior shots of the current van? |
Rusty B
Member Posts: 239
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: Oct 2004
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posted 06-20-2011 09:24 PM
Looking at old photos it appears that the Project Mercury astronaut transfer van was a semi-truck with a modified trailer. |
Skylon
Member Posts: 137
From:
Registered: Sep 2010
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posted 06-21-2011 06:26 AM
When was the old van last used? I've seen pictures of it used for STS-1. I'd guess it remained in use for the other OFT missions, and maybe STS-5 and 6. |
ea757grrl
Member Posts: 537
From: South Carolina
Registered: Jul 2006
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posted 06-21-2011 08:08 AM
quote:
Originally posted by APG85:
Any interior shots of the current van?
This article appears to have a picture of the current van's interior. Interesting background text, too. |
astro-nut
Member Posts: 491
From: washington, Illinois USA
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 06-23-2011 05:24 PM
Yes the Mercury transfer van was a semi with a modified trailer, but does anyone know what kind of semi and modified trailer it was and what has become of it? Any information on the Gemini crew transfer van would be helpful. I know that the Apollo van was used from Apollo 7 until STS-6. STS-7 and STS-8 used an RV camper type of vehicle. The current Astrovan was used since STS-9. It would of have been neat to see all the astronaut transfers vehicle in a museum lined up in order of their use. Thank you and still hoping to find information on the Gemini astronaut transfer vehicle. Thanks again. |
astro-nut
Member Posts: 491
From: washington, Illinois USA
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 06-24-2011 08:37 PM
Another question with regards to these vehicles is does any collectSPACE member have any models of these vehicles or know where one might be able to purchase one at? |
Jay Chladek
Member Posts: 2176
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2007
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posted 06-25-2011 01:26 AM
The only shuttle era astrovan replica I know of comes with the 1/144 Bandai shuttle replica I believe. I've thought about scratchbuilding one, but it is so different from other RVs out there I don't know exactly what to start with. |
PeterO
Member Posts: 173
From: Rochester, NH
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 06-25-2011 04:22 PM
One of Dragon Wings' 1/400 scale Orbiter/SCA combos came with four NASA buses. They're minuscule, only 0.7" long, but nicely done. Two have "worms" on each side, and two have vectors. |
Rusty B
Member Posts: 239
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: Oct 2004
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posted 06-25-2011 11:21 PM
This YouTube video has a sequence showing the Gemini 5 astronauts boarding the Gemini astronaut transfer van upon exiting the suiting trailer at LC-16, the van heading to LC-19 and the exiting the van at LC-19. This happens between 2:37 - 3:45 on the video.Still photos of Gemini astronaut transfer vans (Gemini 8 and Gemini 11 appear to be different from earlier vans). - s65-27488: Gemini 4 exits LC-16 suiting trailer to board van
- s65-29607: Gemini 4 exits LC-16 suiting trailer to board van
- s65-27487: Gemini 4 exits van and on way to LC-19 elevator
- s65-29660: Gemini 4 exits van and on way to LC-19 elevator
- s65-28737: Gemini 5 exits van and on way to LC-19 elevator
- s65-57962: Gemini 6 exits van and on way to LC-19 elevator
- s66-24447: Gemini 8 exits different van (shape different) and on way to LC-19 elevator
- s66-50780: Gemini 11 exits different van (shape different) and on way to LC-19 elevator
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APG85
Member Posts: 238
From:
Registered: Jan 2008
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posted 06-26-2011 07:13 AM
On the Kennedy Center Media Gallery there are some really nice shots of the current Transfer Van at Pad 39A in preparation for STS-135. The shots were just posted the other day... |
golddog
Member Posts: 173
From: australia
Registered: Feb 2008
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posted 06-26-2011 02:49 PM
Totally off topic but did you notice that Pete Conrad is wearing three watches, whilst Stafford and Schirra have Air Force and Navy wings respectively attached to their PGA's (you'll have to load the high res pics to see). |
Rusty B
Member Posts: 239
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: Oct 2004
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posted 06-27-2011 04:42 AM
Here are photos of the Project Mercury astronaut transfer van. The tow vehicle looks like it came from the military. |
Rusty B
Member Posts: 239
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: Oct 2004
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posted 06-28-2011 06:50 AM
It appears that the Mercury Chimps used the Astronaut van before the astronauts did.
"Chimpanzee "Ham" during preflight activity with one of his handlers prior to the Mercury-Redstone 2 test flight which was conducted on January 31, 1961. Here he is seen leaving suit trailer." |
SpaceDust
Member Posts: 92
From: Louisville, Ky USA
Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 07-27-2011 07:35 AM
It seems even after this vehicle became a museum piece the NASA logo on it changed. This photo of the transfer van I took in May of 1990 at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. When it became a part of the Apollo/Saturn V Center, was it restored back to the meatball to look like it did during the Apollo program? Does anyone have the history behind this and how many other Apollo museum artifacts have been altered even after reaching museum status?  |
LM-12
Member Posts: 695
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 07-27-2011 08:39 AM
I think the astronaut transfer van looks better with the NASA meatball logo. |
Skylon
Member Posts: 137
From:
Registered: Sep 2010
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posted 07-27-2011 09:34 AM
quote:
Originally posted by SpaceDust:
When it became a part of the Apollo/Saturn V Center, was it restored back to the meatball to look like it did during the Apollo program?
Looks like, as evidenced by this walkout photo from Apollo 10. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 695
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 01-15-2012 01:46 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Rusty B:
Looking at old photos it appears that the Project Mercury astronaut transfer van was a semi-truck with a modified trailer.
Here is some British newsreel footage showing Cooper and the transfer van outside Hangar S and arriving at Pad 14.There are also some great video clips of the Gemini transfer van and the suiting-up trailer at Pad 16 on this website. |
tetrox
Member Posts: 91
From: London England
Registered: Jan 2008
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posted 01-15-2012 04:51 PM
I really enjoyed the Pathe link kindly linked by LM-12 which includes the Mercury astronaut transfer van. I wonder if anyone could let me know the type of truck used to tow the trailer shown in the clip?I have tried Google and it looks similar to a "Consolidated 123" but I would be grateful if anyone could help me identify it. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 695
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 01-15-2012 05:46 PM
There is another good view of the Mercury astronaut transfer van and truck at the 1:19 point of this Glenn newsreel clip. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 695
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 03-18-2013 02:30 PM
quote:
Originally posted by golddog:
Stafford and Schirra have Air Force and Navy wings respectively attached to their PGA's
Conrad and Gordon had Navy patches on their Gemini 11 spacesuits. |
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