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Author
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Topic: Signing experience: 2017 NASA astronauts
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 50021
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-07-2017 07:20 PM
   
At the end of the day on Wednesday (June 7), the manager of the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at Johnson Space Center in Houston asked that the 12 new members of NASA's 2017 astronaut class to add their autograph to a plaque that will be hung in the building:  |
Mike_The_First
Member Posts: 436
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2014
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posted 06-07-2017 07:21 PM
Am I correct in my recollection that it'll be about a year or so before they graduate and can get mail, lithos, etc.? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 50021
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-07-2017 07:26 PM
Basic training takes about two years to complete. The 2013 class had their official portraits released in digital format about eight months after they were announced. The first reports on collectSPACE of readers receiving autographed lithos from Johnson Space Center was in January 2015. |
BMckay
Member Posts: 3959
From: MA, USA
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 06-14-2017 05:48 PM
If you could give autograph signing comments/suggestions to the ascans what would it be? I would tell them: - Not to sign through the mail until they are past their two year training.
- Inscribe everything
- Only do through the mail if they supply return envelope (might cut down time)
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Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3460
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 06-14-2017 06:15 PM
If the concern with No. 2 is that inscribing cuts down the value, I'd say, not by much. Female astronaut-signed photos sell for more than their male counterparts, and inscriptions are seen as helpful in determining whether a signature is real or not because of the added writing (and autopens are usually NOT inscribed.)As for No. 3, they report to Houston before their two-year training period is up. So not including a SASE when they're in Houston won't make a difference since the CB office uses NASA envelopes regardless (I've included one when it's something I particularly wanted returned, and sometimes it's used, sometimes not). As for including a SASE before that time they report to Houston, that should be a given. |
Bob M
Member Posts: 1844
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 08-04-2017 09:39 AM
An eBay seller has already sold an autograph by one of the new NASA Group 22 ascans. An STS-64 cover signed by Raja Chari sold on eBay (253056851160).Autographs of new astronauts have become harder and harder to acquire, with astronauts from Groups 20 and 21 much more reluctant to sign than previous ascan groups. Of course, very possibly the main reason for this reluctance is seeing their freshly signed material appearing on eBay soon after signing. Possibly the other eleven members of Group 22 have learned of their colleague's autograph selling and that will certainly not encourage them to sign so this dealer can make more money off of them. Those of us who are serious astronaut autograph collectors, some of us for many years, can't be encouraged that any of the other eleven Group 22 ascans will be cooperative about signing (none have other than Chari for me) after learning of a colleague's autograph being turned into merchandise by one dealer. |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3460
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 08-07-2017 04:24 PM
Now that the cat's out of the bag, so to speak (the ink is out of the Sharpie?) I will just comment that some of the Group 22s have signed, albeit one seemed reluctant to. |
Bob M
Member Posts: 1844
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 08-08-2017 07:46 AM
As far as letting the cat out of the bag, the eBay seller who has publicly advertised and sold one of the new ascan's autographs on eBay, has actually opened the bag. |
Bob M
Member Posts: 1844
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 08-15-2017 04:13 PM
A second seller has now gotten in on the act and has put his freshly signed Raja Chari photo on eBay. If any of Chari's Group 22 colleagues learn of these sales, and especially the second seller's very hefty asking price, it certainly won't encourage them to sign for any others.And the first eBay seller has successfully sold his second Chari autograph. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 50021
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 08-15-2017 04:46 PM
I don't like seeing the sales on eBay. That said, the 2017 incoming class probably has more to be concerned about than what happens to their autographs, at least at this point in their burgeoning astronaut career.Something else to consider: this class mostly grew up in the eBay era. Some were only six years old when eBay came online. Their views on their signatures being sold online may be different as a result. Likewise, their views on signing autographs in general may also be different. Time will tell. |
Bob M
Member Posts: 1844
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 08-16-2017 10:19 AM
Obviously, I don't like seeing these new ascans autographs being sold either and it would be expected that they don't either. But as was suggested above, they may even expect their autographs to be sold; maybe some don't care, but surely most do. But actually seeing them on public sale can't encourage them to sign, especially after seeing the huge amount one seller wants for his Chari autograph (272786125306).Commercialization has greatly discouraged astronauts from signing, as previous ascan groups were cooperative about signing during their three-month pre-reporting time. NASA Ascan Group 8 through about Group 19 were generally cooperative about signing before or shortly after reporting, with one-half to two-thirds of entire groups signing for this long-time collector early on. But with group 20 in 2009, things started to change, with the Internet/eBay providing opportunists a convenient stage to openly sell astronaut autographs. And so with this Group 22 ascan class scheduled to report to JSC on August 21, I suspect that the two of the twelve group 22 ascans that have signed for me will be the only ones. |
eurospace
Member Posts: 2668
From: Berlin, Germany
Registered: Dec 2000
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posted 08-18-2017 10:11 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Bob M:
A second seller has now gotten in on the act...
This second seller is actually a very young man from India who is in contact with some of us for some time. His first idea for the Chari autograph was $150, which I already found quite steep, but $350 is probably outrageous. But if he sells it... young people learn from experience. To my knowledge, currently two new ascans have responded favourably to autograph requests, so the number of autographs heading for the market is probably rather limited. But I agree that these hasty sales ruin the possibility for serious collectors to get their stuff signed for free. |
Bob M
Member Posts: 1844
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 08-20-2017 10:07 AM
By my experience and of some others, only three of the twelve Group 22 Ascans have now signed by mail. With Monday being the day they report to JSC, we can probably not expect any more to sign for some time, with it expected that they will not sign during their 2-year training and evaluation period. That brief signing opportunity has now passed, but now conveniently available on eBay is a cover signed by Kayla Barron. However the cover she signed is not an ideal or relevant cover for this new age of human spaceflight, being a 25 year-old STS-46 landing cover canceled in Bethpage, NY. But for those only interested in getting signed material to sell, most anything will do. |
Mike Dixon
Member Posts: 1625
From: Kew, Victoria, Australia
Registered: May 2003
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posted 08-20-2017 03:31 PM
General question regarding this matter: How does one authenticate a signature from a new class member with (potentially) nothing on file to guide them? And no, not referring to through the mail requests, but rather eBay and the like. |
Bob M
Member Posts: 1844
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 08-23-2017 10:43 AM
Reports are that now four of the twelve Group 22 ascans have signed for collectors. But with the entire group now at JSC for training and evaluation, the window of autograph opportunity is expected to be closed for approximately two years. It is disappointing that only four, 33%, of the twelve Group 22 ascans have signed for collectors. The effect that the public selling (on eBay) of their autographs had on the eight who didn't sign is unknown, but surely didn't help. One who did sign, Matthew Dominick, signed very nicely for me on an appropriate Orion EFT-1 cover. My request to him was sent to the USS Reagan and he thoughtfully had the USS Reagan's ship's rubber stamp cachet applied to the back of my SASE.  |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 50021
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 08-23-2017 11:29 AM
Bob, so you were one of the two collectors who reached Dominick on the ship.I interviewed him by phone yesterday and he recounted receiving his first autograph requests. He was impressed; in part because the address used was slightly incorrect; it should not have reached him but it did. Also, at least one of the requests beat him to the ship so it was waiting for him upon his return. He made no mention of the eBay sales, though I didn't ask him about it either. |
Bob M
Member Posts: 1844
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 08-23-2017 03:14 PM
Well, it's better to be lucky than good. Hart found the address for the USS Reagan and evidently the address we used was close enough. But surprising that he and I were the only two to reach Lt. Cmdr. Dominick on his ship and in time. Our requests were sent out just a day or two after the names of the new ascans were announced. |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3460
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 08-23-2017 06:19 PM
The address for the USS Ronald Reagan was off their website; at the time I sent in my request (within two days of announcement) I did not know his squadron assignment and so followed what the website had, which was "c/o Commanding Officer."It was coincidence that I had sent it there; that is, I think I sent off the request (which arrived in about three or four days time, judging by the postmark from the carrier) before it was mentioned that he would be flying back to the USS Ronald Reagan to wrap up loose ends. |
eurospace
Member Posts: 2668
From: Berlin, Germany
Registered: Dec 2000
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posted 08-24-2017 03:34 AM
I hear from a fellow collector that he had a positive reply from the new Canadian astronaut candidate Joshua Kutryk. He replied from Houston (sent to Montreal), sent a signed photo and a personal note.And also my request sent to Rubio at his former office address came back as undeliverable. |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3460
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 08-26-2017 11:37 AM
Perhaps you had a slightly incorrect address for Rubio? None of the requests I have sent out have come back as an RTS. |
eurospace
Member Posts: 2668
From: Berlin, Germany
Registered: Dec 2000
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posted 08-28-2017 05:06 AM
It was the standard address of the military institution he worked for. Anyway, with higher travelling times from Europe to the US, the reason might simply be that he had already left when the letter arrived at Fort Carson. From the announcement, ordering the photos, writing the letters and posting them until reaching the destination we probably had a time period of four weeks passing. Your request certainly reached him faster. |
eurospace
Member Posts: 2668
From: Berlin, Germany
Registered: Dec 2000
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posted 08-31-2017 05:26 AM
The signed Raja Chari photo offered by an Indian collector on eBay until today did not sell at the asked price of $350. I am not too surprised; few rookies sell for high prices just four days after they started training. |
eurospace
Member Posts: 2668
From: Berlin, Germany
Registered: Dec 2000
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posted 09-07-2017 04:08 PM
I have now heard about a positive reply from Rob Kulin. He signed three color photos for a friend of mine. |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3460
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 06-09-2018 01:42 PM
Received dedicated lithos from Jenni Sidey and Joshua Kutryk today (9 June 2018). |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3460
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 07-23-2018 11:56 AM
Received from Dr. Jonny Kim today (23 July 2018) my photo signed. |
MSS
Member Posts: 995
From: Europe
Registered: May 2003
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posted 09-22-2019 02:23 PM
From Gordon Oz Osinski on Twitter: Thanks for the memory Turtles and just remember, this is just the end of the beginning of your #geology explorations.  |
jiffyq58
Member Posts: 221
From: Durham, NC, USA
Registered: Jun 2011
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posted 11-08-2019 09:49 AM
Zena Cardman was great about signing three 8x10 photos for me yesterday at NASA Day at UNC at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. |
jfs2
Member Posts: 268
From: Flagstaff, Arizona
Registered: Aug 2012
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posted 01-10-2020 11:15 AM
Can anybody give me some direction on where to send requests or who to contact at NASA to request signatures of the new graduating class? Congratulations to these new space pioneers. Thanks. Editor's note: Threads merged. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 50021
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-10-2020 11:17 AM
Requests should be sent care of the Astronaut Office at Johnson Space Center: Name of Astronaut
NASA-JSC
Astronaut Office Mail Code CB
2101 NASA Road 1
Houston, Texas 77058-3696 It is not necessary to include return postage or envelope. |
MCroft04
Member Posts: 1807
From: Smithfield, Me, USA
Registered: Mar 2005
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posted 01-10-2020 09:01 PM
I'm embarrassed to say that even though I grew up in Florida and relished everything astronaut, I never wrote NASA for Mercury, Gemini or Apollo astronaut autographs. But I don't plan to miss out this time. But how does one tackle this group? Write individual letters to the address Robert provided, or just send a generic request for any or all of the new astronauts? |
Mike Dixon
Member Posts: 1625
From: Kew, Victoria, Australia
Registered: May 2003
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posted 01-10-2020 10:26 PM
I'd just love a group litho, but no luck with that I guess. |
astro-nut
Member Posts: 1028
From: Washington, IL
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 03-03-2020 03:02 PM
Received autographed photo from Jonny Kim and Raji Chari. |
Daugherty54
Member Posts: 621
From: Cabot, Arkansas, USA
Registered: Sep 2010
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posted 04-08-2020 08:20 PM
I've about given up on getting anything returned from the JSC office. The last three I've gotten are just autopens or preprints. |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3460
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 02-27-2023 06:26 PM
With the exception of Cardman and Moghbeli, and Rubio (currently on-orbit), I have the Group 22 signatures. The autographs that I didn't have since I last posted were all in-person, either myself or through friends. I sent requests to JSC for Cardman and Moghbeli, so we'll see what happens. |
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