God Speed John Glenn - 50 yrs ago

[pktexas]

Do you remember this day? Feb 20th, 1962. I was 8yrs old. It sparked my interest in following the space program and working at NASA someday.

I got to full fill that dream 18 yrs later, working at the Johnson Space Center in Houston at the beginning of the Space Shuttle Program.

[Owen]

I do remember hearing those words on the radio... way back when...

 

[Pegasus1300]

Oh yes I remember very well.I was 15 and i was so proud of the US.John Glenn has been one of my heros ever since

[Brenda H]

I remember that myself. It was quite something!

 

I also remember the stink some peple raised when he went up in the shuttle. Stuff them!! If anyone had the right to go up again, it would be one of the Mercury astronauts!

[MiCarl]

Has always been an area of interest for me. My Dad sold NASA the Mercury space suits.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/top-stories/local-history-akron-spacesuit-is-right-stuff-for-astronaut-john-glenn-in-1962-1.265804

 

The engineer who developed them, Russ Colley, was a very talented man with a long list of patents.

 

The original design had no provision for the astronauts to relieve themselves. I believe it was Shepard who had an extended launch delay and needed to wet his suit. After that there was a rush program to provide for a more comfortable solution. The answer was a nested pair of condoms, one with a slit in the tip and the other with an X cut in the tip attached to a piece of hose. Colley received a patent for the "Trojan Check Valve". You think NASA could accomplish that today for less than $5 million?

 

My dad got to purchase and expense the condoms. He got a call from accounting along the lines of: "Galloway, we know you guys are just @#$%ing around up there, but shouldn't you be buying your own rubbers?".

 

The airtight seals behind the Mercury space suit zippers can now be purchased at the grocery store. They're called Ziploc bags.

 

Much of the testing of the Mercury suits was done at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. After dad passed we donated the remainder of his memorabilia to the Air Force Museum which is located there. One of the items was a demonstration doll: http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=16037. We also donated a glove that had lights in the finger tips per Glenn's request.

[pktexas]

Has always been an area of interest for me. My Dad sold NASA the Mercury space suits.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/top-stories/local-history-akron-spacesuit-is-right-stuff-for-astronaut-john-glenn-in-1962-1.265804

 

The engineer who developed them, Russ Colley, was a very talented man with a long list of patents.

 

The original design had no provision for the astronauts to relieve themselves. I believe it was Shepard who had an extended launch delay and needed to wet his suit. After that there was a rush program to provide for a more comfortable solution. The answer was a nested pair of condoms, one with a slit in the tip and the other with an X cut in the tip attached to a piece of hose. Colley received a patent for the "Trojan Check Valve". You think NASA could accomplish that today for less than $5 million?

 

My dad got to purchase and expense the condoms. He got a call from accounting along the lines of: "Galloway, we know you guys are just @#$%ing around up there, but shouldn't you be buying your own rubbers?".

 

The airtight seals behind the Mercury space suit zippers can now be purchased at the grocery store. They're called Ziploc bags.

 

Much of the testing of the Mercury suits was done at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. After dad passed we donated the remainder of his memorabilia to the Air Force Museum which is located there. One of the items was a demonstration doll: http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=16037. We also donated a glove that had lights in the finger tips per Glenn's request.

 

Carl, great bit of history. Thanks for the links. Enjoyed reading them. Been to the museum several years ago, great place to visit.