SkyMan is flying again. (Caution, Lots of big pix).
SkyMan
Posts: 9,567 ✭✭✭✭✭
So, what do Snoopy, fabric, bread and a gold coin all have in common? Yup, you guessed it, I just bought some more space flown items.
Starting it off, Snoopy was both the mascot of the astronaut corp, AND was the name given to the Lunar Module (LM) of Apollo 10. Apollo 10 was the dress rehearsal flight for Apollo 11, the first landing on the Moon. Apollo 10 went through all the maneuvers of Apollo 11 (bar the landing), and the LM came within 50,000 feet of the lunar surface. Here's the Snoopy pin I just got.
Of course, a practice flight is all very nice and good, but actually landing on the Moon is even better. The 2nd Moon landing was done by Apollo 12 on the Ocean of Storms. Here is a flown patch of the mission.
Now, if you are going to be on a spacecraft for more than a week you will certainly want to eat. Here's some bread that was flown on the mission.
Here's a partial mosaic of the landing site...
Of course, to get to the Moon there were many steps that were needed to be taken along the way. One of these was to "walk" in space. The Soviet astronauts were first to take this step, but the US followed very soon thereafter with a (twice as long) spacewalk by Ed White in 1965 from Gemini 4. His crewmate was Jim McDivitt. McDivitt brought with him a gold $2.50 Liberty on the flight. To the best of my knowledge this was the ONLY flown GOLD coin from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo era.
I'm not sure which astronaut is first in this pic, but his PPK (his personal items carrying kit, e.g. where he would store the gold coin) is the item that is just below his left knee.
Here White is in the foreground and McDivitt is in the background just prior to getting in the capsule. You can just see McDivitt's PPK below his knee. The coin would have been in there.
The launch.
Here's what makes the flight so special...
Here's the coin...
Starting it off, Snoopy was both the mascot of the astronaut corp, AND was the name given to the Lunar Module (LM) of Apollo 10. Apollo 10 was the dress rehearsal flight for Apollo 11, the first landing on the Moon. Apollo 10 went through all the maneuvers of Apollo 11 (bar the landing), and the LM came within 50,000 feet of the lunar surface. Here's the Snoopy pin I just got.
Of course, a practice flight is all very nice and good, but actually landing on the Moon is even better. The 2nd Moon landing was done by Apollo 12 on the Ocean of Storms. Here is a flown patch of the mission.
Now, if you are going to be on a spacecraft for more than a week you will certainly want to eat. Here's some bread that was flown on the mission.
Here's a partial mosaic of the landing site...
Of course, to get to the Moon there were many steps that were needed to be taken along the way. One of these was to "walk" in space. The Soviet astronauts were first to take this step, but the US followed very soon thereafter with a (twice as long) spacewalk by Ed White in 1965 from Gemini 4. His crewmate was Jim McDivitt. McDivitt brought with him a gold $2.50 Liberty on the flight. To the best of my knowledge this was the ONLY flown GOLD coin from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo era.
I'm not sure which astronaut is first in this pic, but his PPK (his personal items carrying kit, e.g. where he would store the gold coin) is the item that is just below his left knee.
Here White is in the foreground and McDivitt is in the background just prior to getting in the capsule. You can just see McDivitt's PPK below his knee. The coin would have been in there.
The launch.
Here's what makes the flight so special...
Here's the coin...
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Comments
-Paul
Sugar magnolia blossoms blooming, heads all empty and I don't care ...
<< <i>Always love seeing your space stuff. Very, very cool, Skyman.
-Paul >>
Collector of Early 20th Century U.S. Coinage.
ANA Member R-3147111
<< <i>Now, if you are going to be on a spacecraft for more than a week you will certainly want to eat. Here's some bread that was flown on the mission. >>
Hmmm. It looks like i'd need to starve myself for a whole week before wanting a toasted bread cube from the space program.
It is soylent brown.
Fascinating stuff. Thanks for sharing!
It sort of looks like he is dipping a coin!
Perhaps he is just pointing out the sweet proof in his collection?
Thanks for the trip down memory lane Sy. I remember that flight like it was yesterday. I was driving my Aunt's Ford and listening on the radio to every bit of that spacewalk. I think the whole country was on pins and needles.
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" Pablo Picasso
P.S. Anyone notice the word 'bread' misspelled (spelled it 'bred') in Bean's handwritten letter???
BTW, Apollo 10 reached an altitude of 47,000 feet over the Lunar surface, not 50,000
U.S. Type Set
My wife’s family was very close with family of the woman who married this guy:
About twenty years ago the family was sitting around the in-law’s living room in Albuquerque and in walks Harrison Schmidt (Apollo 17) and his wife. I was awestruck! My only question for him was … how was it? His answer … more incredible than you can imagine! Both of my sons were awarded with autographed photos of him in his moon-suit. What a day! Those guys really got the opportunity to do incredible things.
–John Adams, 1826
Congrats on your purchases. I not only like coins, but I also am a big fan of the US Space Program in the 1960's and 1970's. The Ed White, Gemini 4 Spacewalk pictures have always been some of my favorite pictures from that era.
If you have possession of the items you bought by Friday, I would love to see them on Saturday. SanctionII.