Posts: 109 From: Bogangar NSW Australia Registered: May 2018
posted 07-14-2019 04:41 AM
I have been reading up on NASA's autopen practices of the early astronauts and pose this question to my fellow collectors.
If the autopen patterns are based on one or more original patterns/examples ...are there any of the originals still out there?or were they destroyed in the process or just lost to time?
albatron Member
Posts: 2732 From: Stuart, Florida Registered: Jun 2000
posted 07-14-2019 06:17 PM
It's my understanding that once the astronaut passes the plate(s) are destroyed.
Ianhetho Member
Posts: 109 From: Bogangar NSW Australia Registered: May 2018
posted 07-15-2019 02:36 AM
Thanks. Yes that's the plates or the templates, but what of the original autograph penned by the astronaut used to make the plates or template?
SVaughan Member
Posts: 42 From: Toronto, Canada Registered: Aug 2006
posted 07-24-2019 09:32 AM
I asked a few astronauts about this in the 1980s and 1990s when I was delving into NASA autopens. Some recalled that NASA had asked them to sign a 3x5 card that was then used to make the matrix for their autopen, others said they had no idea where NASA got the signature from that was used for their autopen (they admitted that they could have been asked to sign something for that express purpose but given the whirlwind of duties and processes that takes place during an astronaut's onboarding, they might well have either forgotten or just not realized). However, all said they assumed that the original signature had been discarded once the matrix had been made.
On the agreement of anonymity, I also once had a great interview with someone in the Astronaut Office. I had asked whether the matrixes were locked-up forever when an astronaut died, or if they were destroyed. She said they were most definitely destroyed as were any worn-out matrixes that needed to be replaced.