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Author
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Topic: Photo of the week 553 (May 30, 2015)
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heng44
Member Posts: 3387
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 05-30-2015 02:22 AM
   
 The spacesuits to be worn by Gemini 4 astronauts Jim McDivitt and Ed White hang in the suit storage area at Cape Kennedy, several days before the launch scheduled for June 3, 1965. Suit tech Joe Schmitt is in the background. |
hlbjr
Member Posts: 475
From: Delray Beach Florida USA
Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 05-30-2015 04:00 AM
What a striking image. In which building is this picture taken? |
heng44
Member Posts: 3387
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 05-30-2015 05:30 AM
The suit storage area was in the (then) new Manned Spacecraft Operations Building. |
328KF
Member Posts: 1234
From:
Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 05-30-2015 07:18 AM
If this photo was taken just several days prior to launch, it's interesting that the U.S. flags had not yet been sewn onto the sleeves. |
garymilgrom
Member Posts: 1966
From: Atlanta, GA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 05-30-2015 08:51 AM
I assume Ed's suit was different for his EVA. Is this the "whiter" (sorry) version in the foreground? Thanks Ed. |
heng44
Member Posts: 3387
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 05-30-2015 09:00 AM
The suit in the foreground is McDivitt's. I have never seen any training photos where the crew had the flag on their shoulder. That was probably a late addition. The earliest spacesuit photo with flag I have is dated May 28, 1965. |
alanh_7
Member Posts: 1252
From: Ajax, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 05-30-2015 09:17 AM
Looks like a perfect display for a Ron Woods painting. |
randy
Member Posts: 2176
From: West Jordan, Utah USA
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 05-30-2015 10:07 AM
Does the suit in the foreground have the boots attached yet? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-30-2015 10:24 AM
quote:
Originally posted by heng44:
That was probably a late addition.
McDivitt has said in the past that he and White personally bought the flags to be added to their suits, which could explain their late appearance. |
DG27
Member Posts: 173
From: USA
Registered: Nov 2010
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posted 05-31-2015 04:27 AM
quote:
Originally posted by randy:
Does the suit in the foreground have the boots attached yet?
The suit in the foreground does not have the boots attached yet. The pressure sock and some of the leg bladder is visible. The boots slip on and the top of the boot is attached with looptape to the blue band that is visible in the picture. The blue band is the bottom edge of the leg link net restraint. The leg opening of the coverlayer also attaches to the blue band via the zipper that is visible.As Robert indicated the flags on these suits were attached later. The flags and anything else that was added to a TMG after the suit was made had to be hand sewn to make sure the stitching only went through the outer cover and not the multiple layers of the TMG. For this mission White's suit had a half jacket TMG that was worn over the suit coverlayer and covered the arms and shoulders, although I do not see it hanging anywhere in the picture. A beautiful picture. It is always a delight to see these photos. Thanks for sharing. |
ejectr
Member Posts: 1751
From: Killingly, CT
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 05-31-2015 08:49 AM
Also not showing on McDivitt's suit is the many layers of insulation my cousin sewed on it just before launch. He was a suit tech for David Clark.They suddenly realized that White's door being open may bring sunlight onto McDivitt's lap causing it to heat up. As a late addition, they had my cousin sew many layers of insulation on the top of the space suit's legs and top area so he wouldn't get burned. Story is as told to me by my cousin. |
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