![]() The new Omega Co-Axial Chronograph does not have a manual wound movement like the one worn by Buzz Aldrin on the moon in 1969, nor does it have the shatterproof Hesalite crystal, triple register chronograph layout or the 40 mm – 42 mm case diameter (depending on which older version), still it is unmistakably a Speedmaster Moonwatch. ![]() The Speedmaster Professional still remains one of several watches qualified by NASA for spaceflight.įor 2011, Omega introduced a new variation of the Moonwatch. In 1970, after Apollo 13 was crippled by the rupture of a service module oxygen tank, Jack Swigert’s Speedmaster was famously used to precisely time the critical 14-second Mid-Course Correction 7 Burn (re-entry timing), allowing for the crew’s safe return. This is how the Speedmaster gained the Moonwatch designation.Ī cool fact, often overshadowed by the Speedmaster’s use during the first lunar landing, is its crucial importance during the re-entry of the Apollo 13 space shuttle. The subsequent Apollo 11 mission, in 1969, was, of course, the most famous, as it represented the first humans to walk on the moon. In 1965, the Omega Speedmaster was worn during the Gemini IV space mission, which was NASA’s second manned space flight, and more importantly the first spacewalk by an American. Up against brands such as Rolex, Breitling, and Longines – the Omega Speedmaster, which finished with rate results of approximately 5 seconds per day, was selected. Prior to the Gemini IV space mission, the Omega Speedmaster Professional was subjected to a series of rigorous tests conducted by NASA including temperature, oxygen, shock, acceleration, pressure, vibration and noise. The model featured a 12-hour, triple-register chronograph layout, domed Hesalite crystal (plexiglass), and high-contrast indexes. It was powered by the manually wound Omega caliber 321, developed in 1946 by Albert Piguet of Lemania, which had been acquired in 1932 by Omega’s parent company, SSIH. The Speedmaster was first launched in 1957 and was originally designed as a sports and racing chronograph in conjunction with Omega’s partnership as the official timekeeper of the Olympic games. A number of wristwatches have been worn in space, but none are as famous as the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |