Artifact: Apollo 15 flown voice and data tape segment.
Date of use: July 26, 1971 - August 7, 1971.
Dimensions: 2.58 x 8 cm (tape sample), 21.6 x 28 cm (presentation).
Flown Status: flown.

Description:

Voice and data tape segment (34/200) flown around the Moon on Apollo 15. The reel was lot #539, purchased at auction in the Spring of 2000 by collector Mike Smithwick. It comes with copies of its corresponding documentation, which includes transit tags, bonded storage documents and laboratory reports.

The Data Storage Equipment (DSE) recorded the voice and data aboard the Command Module. It included two eight-inch (20.32 cm) reels that that spooled through read-write heads approximately 2,250 feet (685.5 m) of one-inch Mylar magnetic tape. The 14-track tape had a storage capacity of over four hours of voice and data.

DSE (Data Storage Equipment). Credit: Photo: S66-22993. Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.

The DSE (Data Storage Equipment) was used during the crucial Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI) burn performed by the Command and Service Module (CSM) while situated on the opposite side of the Moon, beyond the reach of Earth communication, and during re-entry. Throughout this interval, the DSE recorded the dialogue of the crew, as well as critical data related to the engine and system operations. Subsequently, these recorded inputs were transmitted to the ground for detailed engineering assessment as the spacecraft flew into Earthrise and reestablished radio contact with Mission Control.

More information:

Spaceholic.com - Artifact: Data Recorder, Apollo Command Module Data Storage Equipment (DSE), Block II

Artifact: Apollo teflon-coated fiberglass lacing tape
Size: 13.8 x 10.4 cm.

Status: unflown

Description: Presentation with a swatch of teflon-coated fiberglass lacing tape material that was used in the Apollo program following the tragic Apollo 1 fire on January 27th, 1967.

Following the tragic Apollo 1 fire on January 27,1967, a series of full-scale flammability tests of the Apollo Command Module (CM) were performed in a CM Boilerplate test chamber to attempt to determine the cause of the fire. These were followed by additional flammability tests in the CM Boilerplate and in a Lunar Module (LM) Boilerplate test chamber to evaluate improved fire-resistant materials to allow the resumption of the Apollo flights. One of the fire-resistant materials tested, and then incorporated into the Apollo CM and LM spacecraft, was teflon-coated fiberglass lacing tape, which was used to tie groups of wires and cables into bundles.

Above: Example of wire bundles held together with the teflon-coated laced tapes inside the Lunar Module during the Apollo 13 mission. Photo: AS13-62-8929. Credit: NASA.

Presentation #68/299 and certified by Paul Hartunian.

Item: Liberty Bell 7 flown sealing tape.
Size: 21 x 29.2 cm (presentation). 1 x 0.6 cm. (fragment).

Description: Attached to this certificate is a piece of sealing tape which formed part of the Liberty Bell 7 Mercury spacecraft. It was recovered from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean on July 20 1999 from a depth of 16,043 feet. Mercury Redstone 4 was the second US manned space mission. It launched on July 21 1961 and carried astronaut Virgil "Gus" Grissom on a suborbital spaceflight lasting 15 minutes 30 seconds in the Liberty Bell 7 capsule. Just after splashdown the hatch of the capsule blew resulting in it sinking into the Atlantic Ocean. It comes with a Certificate of authenticity signed by Curt Newport, Liberty Bell 7 Expedition Leader.

Item: Sputnik signal recording

Size: 80,5x3,5 cm
Date: 1957-10

Origin: Institut für Fernmeldetechnik der TH Darmstadt, Germany.

Description: Acquired through the son of an engineer who worked at the Institut für Fernmeldetechnik der TH Darmstadt (Institute of Telecommunications Technology of the Technical University of Darmstadt). 20 Mhz signal, tape speed: 5 cm / sec. (approx). Ribbon break, restored.

Above: image of the entire tape.

Item: Rocketdyne rocket fuel Identification Tape

Part number: MDI 75-5024-0001

P.O. number: P000064968

Lot number: 1277227

Size: 12 x 2.5 cm.
Weight: 194 gr.

Manufacturer: Rocketdyne

Description: Identification Tapes are used to identify various type of fluid lines and tubing used in the aerospace and aviation industry. In this case, the ID tape is used for identifying rocket fuel systems of the Space Shuttle's Main Rocket Engine.