Author
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Topic: Astronaut stripes from Apollo spacesuits
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Altidude Member Posts: 57 From: Registered: Jan 2016
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posted 04-28-2019 07:05 PM
Does anyone collect Apollo commander stripes from Apollo spacesuits? Did they remove the stripes from only the flown suits or from all of the suits? |
Mike Dixon Member Posts: 1397 From: Kew, Victoria, Australia Registered: May 2003
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posted 04-28-2019 09:11 PM
I very much doubt that the five flown suits would have been touched. |
Rick Mulheirn Member Posts: 4167 From: England Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 04-29-2019 02:45 AM
While crewmen were usually gifted their mission patches (US flag, NASA meatball, mission patch and name tag) from their flown suits the stripes I'm certain were untouched.Shuttle EMU stripes are attached using velcro and are a different matter altogether. |
Altidude Member Posts: 57 From: Registered: Jan 2016
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posted 04-29-2019 11:56 AM
That's good information. I saw on the episode of Space Dealers that one of the commanders had his stripes framed, so I figured that the same may be for the Apollo missions as well. I did not know that the shuttle stripes were attached differently. However, I would not think that it would be a very complicated matter for them to have removed the stripes from the Apollo suits as well. Especially since they did do this for the patches of the flown spacesuits for the Apollo missions. |
Altidude Member Posts: 57 From: Registered: Jan 2016
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posted 04-30-2019 08:09 PM
Just to clarify, has anyone seen any examples of commander’s stripes being removed from any of the Apollo suits? |
Larry McGlynn Member Posts: 1255 From: Boston, MA Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 04-30-2019 08:54 PM
No. All the A7L suits retained their stripes. I have seen Shepard's, Scott's, Young's and Cernan's suits and they all have their stripes on them. I do have Scott Kelly's CDR stripes from his year-long mission. |
Altidude Member Posts: 57 From: Registered: Jan 2016
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posted 04-30-2019 09:06 PM
However, they also have their patches as well which were removed and replaced later. So, can you be sure?Just playing devil's advocate. Not trying to be controversial. |
Rick Mulheirn Member Posts: 4167 From: England Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 05-01-2019 08:59 AM
Larry is correct. I have seen Apollo astronaut flown patch presentation pieces and none have included the red stripes. Perhaps it was something to do with affecting the integrity of the suit since the stripes went around the entire circumference of each leg and arm. |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42981 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-01-2019 09:26 AM
There may have been a sense of fairness to it, too. If NASA gave out the red stripes, then the commander of each mission would have received an additional significant piece of his suit that his two crewmates did not receive. Whereas with the patches, all three crew members received the same items. |
Larry McGlynn Member Posts: 1255 From: Boston, MA Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 05-01-2019 07:04 PM
Questioning is always good. It keeps things honest. I have seen several Apollo spacesuit patch sets. Stafford's, Cernan's, Scott's, Duke's and Bean's (or what was left of them) in their homes or Stafford's museum. Young's were sold at Heritage with no stripes. There would only be five sets of stripes. Apollo 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17. Dave Scott and Gene Cernan did not have stripes included in their patch displays. Did not see any stripe with Young's patches at the auction. I have not seen Shepard's or Lovell's patch displays. The first stripe I ever saw was of a lucite containing a fragment of Story Musgrave's stripe from his first EVA. |
Altidude Member Posts: 57 From: Registered: Jan 2016
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posted 05-01-2019 07:38 PM
I have actually seen a set of stripes from Apollo reportedly from Shepard on Apollo 14. I will have to see if I can get in contact with the person who has these to find out more info. |
Go4Launch Member Posts: 542 From: Seminole, Fla. Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 05-01-2019 08:22 PM
I have seen a nice mint, unused set of the red CDR stripes in a private collection. They were obtained from an Apollo NASA suit tech some years ago. |