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Author
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Topic: Jim Irwin's family at the launch of Apollo 15
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4allmankind
Member Posts: 1043
From: Dallas
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 09-13-2010 03:19 PM
   
I was wondering if anyone is aware of any photos or video of Jim Irwin's family (parents, brothers, children, etc) attending the launch of Apollo 15? |
heng44
Member Posts: 3387
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 09-15-2010 12:31 AM
I think I have seen almost all of the photos that NASA released of the activities surrounding the Apollo 15 launch, but there were none of the Irwin family. Perhaps they were guests at a private gathering? |
Rick Mulheirn
Member Posts: 4167
From: England
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 09-15-2010 06:36 AM
It has been a while since I read Irwin's autobiography but would it not say in there where the family were at launch; or maybe Mary Irwin's own book "The Moon is Not Enough"... if my memory serves me right? |
robsouth
Member Posts: 769
From: West Midlands, UK
Registered: Jun 2005
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posted 09-15-2010 08:54 AM
From the, 'The Moon Is Not Enough', by Mary Irwin and Madalene Harris. I arranged with our PIO men (Public Information Office) to seek out a quiet, private spot just for family members of the crew. The one they chose was perfect for viewing. It was a small rise situated immediately beside a bayou, and although it was the prescribed three miles from the rocket, which is the closest NASA allowed, it seemed much closer because of the immense size of that 360-foot monster poised and waiting on Launch Pad A. Mary Irwin chose not to view the launch of Apollo 15 from the astronaut family viewing area because of the ever increasing number of people gathering there to view the launches. She said that after Sue Bean had been unable to see much of her husband's launch on Apollo 12, she had asked for another spot to view the start of her husband's mission. |
4allmankind
Member Posts: 1043
From: Dallas
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 09-15-2010 09:35 AM
I own the two viewing room badges worn by Jim Irwin’s mother and father from the flight as well as the launch pass worn by Jim's brother Charles. In doing some research on the badges, I have not yet seen any photos of any of them in attendance. It would have been a dream to have found photos of them actually wearing the badges, but images of them just at the launch would have been nice as well. What Irwin said above (thanks for posting it, robsouth) makes the likelihood of finding photos like that highly unlikely. Thanks for all of the replies, gentlemen. |
413 is in
Member Posts: 628
From: Alexandria, VA USA
Registered: May 2006
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posted 09-15-2010 11:28 AM
As a "hardcore" badge collector, I'm always on the lookout for photos of anyone wearing badges of any type. If I ever come across any Apollo 15 Irwin related photos that may be of help to you, I'll be sure to let you know. With that said, if Hengeveld hasn't seen it, well, it probably doesn't exist.  You mention "viewing room" badges. Without seeing them, I would assume that these were for the glass-windowed viewing room that was located directly behind the MOCR at JSC. If this is indeed the case, these badges would not have been used by the Irwin family during the launch itself but would have been utilized for MOCR viewing access during other times of normal mission operations. |
4allmankind
Member Posts: 1043
From: Dallas
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 09-15-2010 12:14 PM
413, thanks for that great information. While I do own a small number of NASA-issued badges, I am by no means an expert. May I email you a photo of these to get your thoughts on if the parent's ones in particular would have been worn during some other time during the flight other than launch?
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FFrench
Member Posts: 3161
From: San Diego
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 09-15-2010 12:33 PM
There are photos such as AS15-0579-371-601-25A and AS15-0574-71P-471 showing people at the launch wearing special badges. In some of the crowd shots, if you know who to look for, you might be able to spot a family member such as Jim's brother. There is a lady in one shot who looks like Jim's mother, but I have not seen enough photos of her to know for sure.I've seen press photos from the time of crew family members in the viewing room in Houston. You might want to search on newspapers of the time online using the parents' names (James and Elsie) - something might come up. They would probably be AP rather than NASA photos. There is a lady in NASA photo AS15-1045-71H-1273 over George Low's shoulder behind the viewing room glass who looks just like Jim's mother - but it is through the glass, so not easy to tell. I believe the photo was taken at splashdown.  This would tie in with the PAO announcement of the time: "This is Apollo Control at 293 hours, 37 minutes. Mr and Mrs James Irwin, the parents of Apollo 15's Lunar Module Pilot, have arrived in the viewing room here at the Control Center." |
413 is in
Member Posts: 628
From: Alexandria, VA USA
Registered: May 2006
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posted 09-15-2010 01:14 PM
quote:
Originally posted by 4allmankind:
May I email you a photo of these to get your thoughts on if the parent's ones in particular would have been worn during some other time during the flight other than launch?
Sure, no problem. |
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