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Author
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Topic: Irwin, A17 back-up!
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Rick Mulheirn
Member Posts: 4167
From: England
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 03-07-2003 02:50 PM
   
Does anybody out there have any photos depicting Jim Irwin in his roll as back-up LMP on Apollo 17? More specifically during EVA simulation?I'm interested in a scan or perhaps photo reference numbers for any such images. Regards, Rick |
RichieB16
Member Posts: 552
From: Oregon
Registered: Feb 2003
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posted 03-07-2003 07:43 PM
I thought the Apollo 17 back-up crew was:
CDR: John Young
CMP: Stu Roosa
LMP: Charlie Duke |
Matt T
Member Posts: 1368
From: Chester, Cheshire, UK
Registered: May 2001
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posted 03-08-2003 06:13 AM
Initially the Apollo 15 crew were to have been the Apollo 17 backups, but they were replaced following the Sieger covers scandal.
Cheers,
Matt |
Rick Mulheirn
Member Posts: 4167
From: England
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 03-08-2003 03:09 PM
I know that as late as April 1972 EVA gloves were manufactured for Jim Irwin; he was still back-up at this time. I am looking for photos of Jim taken at or about this time simulating EVA activities.Regards, Rick. |
Gordon Reade
Member Posts: 334
From: USA
Registered: Nov 2002
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posted 03-08-2003 06:35 PM
I just reread Irwin's book TO RULE THE NIGHT to refress my memory on this point.Irwin wrote, "I do not know whether John (Young) ate his corned beef sandwich or not. We certainly had to "eat" our envelopes." Irwin also wrote that he did not enjoy nor did he see any point in backing up Jack Schmidt on Apollo 17. Irwin felt that the powers that be were so intent on having a scientist on the moon that even if Jack broke his leg they would delay the flight until it heeled. |
Gordon Reade
Member Posts: 334
From: USA
Registered: Nov 2002
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posted 03-08-2003 07:45 PM
[This message has been edited by Gordon Reade (edited March 09, 2003).] |
Ken Havekotte
Member Posts: 2912
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 03-12-2003 07:32 PM
To help set the record straight, Irwin was the first of the original backup crewmembers for Apollo 17 to consider leaving NASA for other post-astronaut endeavors. Along with Scott and Worden, they were assigned to backup Apollo 17 in Nov. 1971, after the Apollo 15 crew had returned from a three-month public relations tour. He was assigned to backup LMP Schmitt that would require a good 6-month training commitment, but even at this time in the Spring of 1972, Irwin was already seriously thinking about leaving the astronaut corps, which by the way, really had nothing to do with the postal cover controversy. When astro-boss Slayton asked Irwin about his future plans, Jim indicated that he was no longer fully interested in working a "non-flight" backup assignment, which he had already done for Apollo 12. He was thinking about retiring after 20 years with the Air Force and the Space Agency--coming up in July 1972--and Deke thought that was a good idea. At this time, of course, Scott and Worden were still assigned their backup roles...but once Irwin decided to take retirement in July...the original backup team was broken apart and Slayton reassigned another team. And yes, on top of that, Slayton thought it was best not to have the original crew working backup for Apollo 17 as much of their time would now be focused on an upcoming Senate investigative hearng about the flown covers, even though Irwin wanted out before all of this started to occur. As this is a CollectSpace post, one of my favorite non-space flown postal covers was created on March 29, 1972, in which Irwin notated on the envelope; "H-13 Helicopter/Practicing Lunar Landings/3-29-72...This Cover was Flown on a H-13 Helicopter Flight Test while I was Practicing Lunar Landings as Backup Apollo 17 LMP 3-29-72." The cover was signed "Jim Irwin" twice, including "Apollo 15 LMP" after the second signature. |
albatron@aol.com
New Member Posts:
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posted 03-13-2003 09:27 AM
Thanks for the great insight into Irwins (non)role as A-17 back up Ken. As always you are THE space historian the go to guy. I also appreciate your negating the cover controversey in regards to his leaving NASA and reassignment. All too quickly people blame this controversey on anything the crew did or did not do later on.As you know I have a stake in my feelings about this. The whole story involving the covers is a story that will shock a lot of folks who only know the tip of the iceberg (which is 99.999% of the folks). Once this story is finally released - I know of 2 "hero's" who won't be regarded as so much of a hero afterwards - and hopefully the derision some folks project in regards to this "cover scandal" towards the A-15 crew will cease. The ice has already been broken in this regards by Scott Carpenter. I have begged and begged someone close to me to write this book for years as he has been unfairly subjected to quite a bit of heartache over the years in regards to this misconception. And finally it took Bill Anders to push him over the edge as far as putting pen to paper to, as Gen. Anders said, " to get the REAL story out so you can finally get some relief ". I've no idea when the book would be out - I am helping somewhat with research on it but a big name author should be the actual writer, in concert with this astronaut. But as careful as the research is being done, I suspect it down the road aways. Thanks again Ken. Al |
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