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Author
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Topic: Rarity of early shuttle launch and entry suits
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Chuckster01
Member Posts: 873
From: Orlando, FL
Registered: Jan 2014
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posted 08-04-2017 06:47 PM
   
I just purchased what I believe to be Owen Garriott's STS-9 launch and entry coveralls. These have a manufacture date just 3 to 4 months before the launch.I am assuming these where used in training as they are well worn but have no Velcro for an STS-9 crew patch and from walkout pictures they all had crew patches for the flight. I wanted to see if anyone knew how many sets of launch and entry coveralls an astronaut might have been issued and if anyone else has a set as I have not seen any come up for sale in many years. Also there are sewn red lines on the neck tag instead of sharpie. is there any significance to the red lines being sewn? Any information would be greatly appreciated.  
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neo1022
Member Posts: 281
From: Santa Monica, CA
Registered: Jun 2013
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posted 08-04-2017 11:15 PM
Similar marking on other ILC products (and I believe all flight articles) indicates a "Class III" item--not for flight/training use only. |
Greggy_D
Member Posts: 977
From: Michigan
Registered: Jul 2006
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posted 08-05-2017 06:13 AM
Launch/Entry Coveralls are extremely rare to find in private collections. There was a rumor that after 51L, the coveralls were sent to the Kansas Cosmosphere along with the like-colored STS flight jackets, trousers, and shorts. The jackets, trousers, and shorts however were used through STS-36.With regards to your specific STS-9 coverall, it is VERY likely that Garriott wore it on STS-9. Astronauts were assigned one coverall to wear for their mission. After the mission, the coveralls were turned in, cleaned, and then put back into the rotation for assignment for a new flight (quite often for a different astronaut). The flown coveralls did not have velcro to hold the crew patch. All crew patches were stitched to the coveralls, removed after flight, and were presented to the crew member. As noted above, this particular coverall was demoted to a Class III training article along the way. However, it may have flown a time or two after STS-9, while it still held a Class I status. |
Chuckster01
Member Posts: 873
From: Orlando, FL
Registered: Jan 2014
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posted 08-05-2017 05:52 PM
Thank you so much for all that information.
It is a great item and was found in a thrift shop in Titusville, Florida. We will also have another pair in the upcoming American Space Museum auction. |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3445
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 08-06-2017 10:30 PM
One of Hartsfield's suits was used in training by Taufik Akbar. There was a blog with photos but unfortunately that blog is no longer active. |
Chuckster01
Member Posts: 873
From: Orlando, FL
Registered: Jan 2014
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posted 08-12-2017 05:41 AM
I was emailed yesterday by someone who sent a link about David Leestma's launch and Entry suit selling about 2 years ago for about $3,600. There is no mention in the article of who sold the suit.I cannot find anything on this auction. Does anyone know who the auction house was that sold his suit? |
Greggy_D
Member Posts: 977
From: Michigan
Registered: Jul 2006
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posted 08-12-2017 08:55 AM
It was an Astronaut Scholarship Foundation auction in 2010. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 08-14-2017 08:51 PM
Here's the story behind the flight suits. In addition to a close-out crew suit and the aforementioned Owen Garriott suit, there were also suits for George "Pinky" Nelson, Robert Parker and Charles Walker. Talia Rappa and Skyer Ashworth turned summer bargain shopping at a Titusville Thrift store closeout into the stuff of NASA collectors' legend when the central Florida college students paid 20 cents each for five rare NASA flight suits that experts say could be valued at $5,000 each or more.The five blue NASA flight suits, along with a white "control suit," were in the bottom of a plastic bin tucked under some forgotten winter sweaters. Chuck, out of curiosity, have you or have the students who found them run the suits by NASA to make sure they aren't still federal property that was misappropriated? |
Chuckster01
Member Posts: 873
From: Orlando, FL
Registered: Jan 2014
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posted 08-15-2017 07:11 PM
Robert, I did inquire and it is my understanding that the early suits were either given to the astronauts (flown) or disposed of through GSA (training). |
Greggy_D
Member Posts: 977
From: Michigan
Registered: Jul 2006
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posted 08-16-2017 09:46 AM
Something else I just thought of: Did the label for Charlie Walker's suit say "C WALKER"? Otherwise it may have been assigned to Dave Walker for STS-51A. |
4allmankind
Member Posts: 1043
From: Dallas
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 08-16-2017 10:02 AM
Interesting find by those students! If permitted to be in public hands, I hope they do well with the auction results. If I'm understanding the article correctly, they chose to outright privately sell only the Garriott and public auction the others? |
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