|
Author
|
Topic: Artemis II: The new Moonwatch?
|
CMD_OVRD
Member Posts: 92
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Jul 2009
|
posted 01-13-2026 10:03 AM
   
It looks like all four crewmembers on the Artemis II flight were wearing the Omega Speedmaster X-33 Gen 2 wristwatch during the recent dress rehearsal. No surprise as it’s been in NASA’s inventory for decades now and Omega continues to service the model.  Still, from a watch enthusiast's perspective, this is pretty historic. For a watch that never really caught on with the general public, it certainly has had it’s share of firsts and this flight adds to that list. I’m sure that the X-33 will gain some renewed interest during and after the flight, much like it did following the SpaceX Demo-2 flight in 2020. Perhaps Omega might consider offering the model to the general public again as a tribute to this historic flight! |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 55874
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 01-13-2026 12:12 PM
Indeed, and to that end, I asked Christina Koch about her and her Artemis II crewmates' watches and she said... We will have a NASA [issued] watch. It's the one that we've all flown with before on ISS, I believe, or have had the option to. We have one issued so that we can get used to in the training. This is because our watches are operational. We use it to set mission elapsed time, and we practice that in our sims. |
CMD_OVRD
Member Posts: 92
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Jul 2009
|
posted 01-13-2026 06:26 PM
It’s incredible how hard these are to find today as well. Many watch sites, as well as eBay, have quite a few of the Gen 1 versions of the X-33. But the Gen 2 is pretty rare. The ones I typically see have to be shipped from Japan. I know that they're still out there, but perhaps the owners know what they have and are unwilling to part with them. That's why I was hopeful for a re-issue, but I’m not sure if Omega could use the NASA connection like they've done with the original Speedmaster for so many years. I'd be surprised if there wasn't some type of agreement in place to prevent Omega from capitalizing on their contract. |
TLIGuy
Member Posts: 270
From: Virginia
Registered: Jul 2013
|
posted 01-13-2026 06:39 PM
It's great to see that the Omega X-33 is still flying given all the other options out there now. I'm aware of a handful of X-33 "Lemons" that have been reported by a few astronauts, but they are far and few between. The X-33 is truly a fantastic piece of hardware and will serve the Artemis crew well.This is as good a place as any to share my X-33, since the lineage of today's Generation 2 X-33 being flown begins with the early tested watches. After the X-33 prototypes were tested beginning with STS-75 changes were made per astronauts feedback and the Generation 1 X-33 was produced. The watch was again tested by the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds before being introduced to the public onboard MIR in March 1998. My Generation 1 X-33 was purchased from one of the Blue Angels demonstration pilots that began flying and testing the watch beginning in 1997 and flew with it for three show seasons. Team members were provided watches to test for feedback to Omega. Once the testing was completed the watches were returned to Omega where the Blue Angels patch was engraved on the case back and then offered to the pilots for purchase. This watch sat in the pilots drawer for over 20 years until I purchased it. I replaced the battery and it has been keeping time flawlessly ever since.  I recently had the opportunity to take the watch on a visit out to the USS George H.W. Bush as they prepare for their upcoming deployment. While pictures of X-33 taken in the ISS cupola are cool, I think mine on the bridge of the carrier at the Captain's chair is pretty great.  
|
CMD_OVRD
Member Posts: 92
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Jul 2009
|
posted 01-14-2026 09:18 AM
Nice pics John (TLIGuy)! Thank you for posting those. That’s a very unique piece. I love a watch that comes with a good story. |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 5547
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 01-14-2026 11:00 AM
Very nice image (miss being at sea but not the sound of the cat shots while trying to sleep). |
Philip
Member Posts: 6373
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
|
posted 01-18-2026 04:01 AM
Indeed the Artemis II crew received NASA-issued X-33 for NASA training in August 2025. As usual NASA probably has reserved Omega Speedmaster X-33 chronographs for the actual mission, which the astronauts will put on during launch-day suit-up...2026 Anniversaries: NASA received the first X-33 prototypes in February 1996 (30 years) while the X-33 Gen2 Titanium Flight-Qualified (2001) will celebrate its 25th anniversary! |
TLIGuy
Member Posts: 270
From: Virginia
Registered: Jul 2013
|
posted 01-18-2026 06:34 AM
Here is a short story I wrote regarding the testing of the prototype X-33 Flightmaster with STS-79 Commander William Readdy during his 1996 mission to MIR.The X-33 Flightmaster and its mission to MIR.  |
CMD_OVRD
Member Posts: 92
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Jul 2009
|
posted 01-18-2026 03:01 PM
Good article John! I’ve looked around before trying to find the video of when Omega introduced the X-33 with the Russians in orbit. Any ideas where to see that? |
TLIGuy
Member Posts: 270
From: Virginia
Registered: Jul 2013
|
posted 01-18-2026 06:02 PM
I have gone down that hole many times. I have never been able to track down that piece of video either. I once reached out to a NASA archivist and NASA had no record of it. The archivist told me that the reason may be that the video transmission was from Mir and occurred on the Russian side. I also reached out to my Omega contact and they only have the still images we are familiar with. |
CMD_OVRD
Member Posts: 92
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Jul 2009
|
posted 01-18-2026 06:15 PM
I wasn’t even able to find the still images!! Do you have those? I’d love to see them! |
TLIGuy
Member Posts: 270
From: Virginia
Registered: Jul 2013
|
posted 01-19-2026 06:07 AM
I have not been able to locate the still images yet either. I've only seen them in the book Omega's Journey Through Time, authored by Marco Richon, and in an auction catalog or two.Here is an image that was shared at another forum from a poster that clams he has a friend at NASA that apparently shared with him this image of the Artemis 2 crew watches.  |
Philip
Member Posts: 6373
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
|
posted 01-19-2026 08:01 AM
I have the March 25, 1998 video of the "X33 Mars watch" presentation on VHS.CNN Official presentation Speedmaster X-33 Gen 1 (3290.50) during Live TV from Russian space station Mir: cosmonauts Nikolai Budarin and Talgat Musabayev.
|
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 5547
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 01-19-2026 11:01 AM
TLI...is that the standard Omega bands on those watches or NASA proprietary? Would like to acquire and retrofit to an X-33 if future availability becomes a thing. |
CMD_OVRD
Member Posts: 92
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Jul 2009
|
posted 01-19-2026 11:18 AM
They aren't proprietary. They're just really hard to find. It's the standard Omega kevlar strap that was made for the Gen 2. The Gen 1 had a different strap. The straps in the photo are one of two versions. One has black stitching and the other has white stitching. The backing is a tan leather with the Omega logo as well as the size printed on the back. They come with an Omega buckle. eBay has several right now of the black stitch version for around $200 and there's a white stitch version for $335. No buckles included. If you're in the market, be aware that there are long and regular versions of the straps as well. They have the same part number on the back but the long version will have an "L" after the number. |
TLIGuy
Member Posts: 270
From: Virginia
Registered: Jul 2013
|
posted 01-19-2026 11:33 AM
CMD is correct above. We posted at the same time. The strap shown is an OEM Omega X-33 Speedmaster Black fabric/Kevlar strap 20mm reference number 98000069. I don't believe they are available to buy directly from Omega any longer unless one is replaced during service. There are currently 2-3 on eBay.If you look closely at the watches strapped on the exterior of the flight suits 2 straps are joined together to accommodate the circumference. Once on orbit the straps are disconnected and the watch worn normally on one See Jeremy Hansen's watch on the table with two straps worked together.  |
CMD_OVRD
Member Posts: 92
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Jul 2009
|
posted 01-19-2026 11:53 AM
Hard to see in that photo, but the extension strap seems to be different than the Omega strap. It’s got the small holes in it like a racing strap and the backing appears to be black. |
TLIGuy
Member Posts: 270
From: Virginia
Registered: Jul 2013
|
posted 01-31-2026 03:17 PM
Great picture in the recent Time magazine article of Commander Weisman wearing a Speedmaster.  |
CMD_OVRD
Member Posts: 92
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Jul 2009
|
posted 02-01-2026 07:27 PM
That looks like one of the newer model Speedmasters based on the bracelet. It would be pretty cool if a descendant of the original Speedy made the trip. If it does, hopefully there's some good pics!I might have been wrong about a previous comment I made. There are some good photos of the strap on the X-33 in another thread about the dress rehearsal. Christina Koch's is obviously two of the same OEM Kevlar straps with white stitching linked together. |
advertisement