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Author
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Topic: Apollo 13 crew swap and spacesuit use
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carmelo
Member Posts: 1051
From: Messina, Sicilia, Italia
Registered: Jun 2004
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posted 06-10-2018 05:33 PM
   
Bill Ayrey at ILC said that from a certain period they did not make new suits for backup crew, rather NASA recycled them from previous missions to save money. For example, a suit for the backup command module pilot of Apollo 12 (Alfred Worden), According to the serial number, might have been Buzz Aldrin's backup Apollo 8 suit (Buzz was originally slated to be CMP on 8, then switched to the LMP position on Apollo 11). If the backup crew had "used" spacesuits, when Jack Swigert became prime CMP on Apollo 13, did he have a brand new suit (custom tailored in few days) or did he fly with his "used" backup crew suit? |
Fra Mauro
Member Posts: 1624
From: Bethpage, N.Y.
Registered: Jul 2002
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posted 08-03-2018 03:28 PM
He must have flown a backup suit that didn't have much wear and tear on it. No way a custom suit could be made in a few days. No account of the crew change mentions Swigert going for a suit fitting. |
Andy Anderson
Member Posts: 87
From: Perth, Australia
Registered: Dec 2009
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posted 08-03-2018 08:38 PM
The Apollo 13 Crew Training Summary does mention that Jack had a suit fit at MSC on at least one occasion, (September 15, 1969) but obviously it does not detail which suit that was.By comparison, Mattingly had two suit fits in the training program listed in the training summary — both in August, 1969 — one at ILC and one at MSC. Also, on a different subject, 24 hours into the flight, Jack got his suit out to practice donning and doffing as I suppose he wanted to do so in the space environment since he would be doing that solo when Lovell and Haise would be returning from the moon which was probably the last time he wore it unless for this;  |
Fra Mauro
Member Posts: 1624
From: Bethpage, N.Y.
Registered: Jul 2002
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posted 08-07-2018 08:25 PM
If it was a used suit, Swigert was 5'11" I believe. So it would have to be someone of similar height. |
DG27
Member Posts: 178
From: USA
Registered: Nov 2010
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posted 08-07-2018 09:19 PM
Yes, if they are very close in height and weight and preferably similar in upper torso to lower torso ratio they will fit in another suit. The arms and legs had some length adjustment, but not much.The suit in the photo is a later style than was used on his flight, so it's not his Apollo 13 suit. Nice photo. |
Mike Dixon
Member Posts: 1428
From: Kew, Victoria, Australia
Registered: May 2003
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posted 08-07-2018 10:05 PM
Look at the high resolution version, even the "Swigert" name tag is velcroed across the A7LB original astronaut tag. |
Rolf
Member Posts: 21
From: Netherlands
Registered: May 2007
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posted 08-08-2018 05:41 AM
The picture posted by Andy Anderson was made in 1971 (S71-52266). In that year NASA released new portraits of most of the active astronauts in civil suit and the Apollo A7LB suit. In the Apollo Lunar Surface Journal one can find the details of the Apollo suits. So Swigert already had his own suit, no. 088. On July 29, 1969, he had a fit check at ILC. Here is a picture of Swigert in the suitroom at Kennedy Space Center on launch day, April 11. 1970.  |
Marc05A
Member Posts: 39
From: Reims, France
Registered: May 2009
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posted 08-08-2018 01:22 PM
The font used on the Swigert nametag always looked odd to me, especially the "W," quite different from any other nametag. Maybe added at KSC on short notice? |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3324
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-14-2018 12:52 PM
Swigert seems to be wearing an EVA version of the A7L suit in this training photo. Can't read the name tag. |
Andy Anderson
Member Posts: 87
From: Perth, Australia
Registered: Dec 2009
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posted 08-14-2018 10:22 PM
quote:
Originally posted by LM-12:
Swigert seems to be wearing an EVA version of the A7L suit in this training photo.
Interesting image although Jack only had two days in the SIM - on the 9th and 10th of April, 1970 prior to launch on the 11th.TK was still in the SIM on the 8th as this image shows him practicing TEI procedures before being removed from the flight.  I believe these images of Jack (with his name tag) were taken in the altitude chamber in August or September, 1969.  
I also have got to wondering how the suits were transported and if indeed, Jack's flight suit was still at Houston prior to the crew swap or already at KSC. |
heng44
Member Posts: 3413
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 08-15-2018 03:11 AM
I can confirm that those two photos of a suited Swigert were taken during a simulated altitude chamber test at KSC with John Young and Charlie Duke on August 29, 1969. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3324
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-15-2018 08:41 AM
quote:
Originally posted by LM-12:
Can't read the name tag.
Maybe Swigert was borrowing Duke's training suit in the photo. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3324
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-27-2018 10:15 AM
Swigert and Duke (backup LMP) were the same height: - Swigert: 5 feet, 11-1/2 inches
- Duke: 5 feet, 11-1/2 inches
- Mattingly: 5 feet, 10 inches
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spaced out
Member Posts: 3117
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 08-27-2018 01:07 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Marc05A:
The font used on the Swigert nametag...
As noted on the beta cloth page of my CrewPatches website, Swigert was one of the astronauts (Gordon and Duke are the others I know of) who used a name tag with the distinctive Phenix American typeface on his suit. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3324
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-27-2018 05:19 PM
Paul Weitz also.
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