Saturday, December 29, 2018

Lloyd Blaine Hammond The Earlist Rolex Aboard A Space Shuttle Mission




Earliest Documented Rolex GMT-Master 

Aboard a NASA Space Shuttle Mission




Lloyd Blaine Hammond

1991 Space Shuttle DISCOVERY Mission STS-39 

Pepsi-GMT-Master

As we head into 2019, I am really excited to share this superb story with you of the first Rolex aboard a Space Shuttle Mission which was STS-39 Discovery, and the Pepsi GMT-Master was space worn by Lloyd Blaine Hammond as seen below in his official NASA portrait.

Lloyd Blaine Hammond pictured above in 1984 wearing his Pepsi GMT-Master

The photo above shows Lloyd Blaine Hammond 35 years ago—in 1984—sporting his Pepsi GMT-Master. Hammond is a Gulfstream test pilot and former US Air Force officer and former NASA Astronaut who flew on two Space Shuttle Missions. 



The photo above and below show Hammond taking-off aboard Space Shuttle Mission STS-39 on April 28, 1991 from Kennedy Space Center on Launch Complex LC-39A at 11:33:14 UTC.



The photo below shows the prime crew of Space Shuttle STS-39 and we see Hammond pictured third from the right where you see his GMT-Master peaking out of his NASA space-suit.



The photo below shows Hammond aboard Space Shuttle STS-39 in 1991, and he is pictured in the back row in the center wearing his Rolex GMT-Master. STS-39 was the twelfth Space Shuttle Mission of Shuttle Discovery




This story is obviously a very exiting revelation in putting together pieces of the Rolex In Space puzzle and it comes with a superb twist. I have been communicating with Philip who is the administrator of the Moon Watch Universe MWU-blog which focuses on space-flown wrist watches. 

Philip is working on a new article which will be published in the BIS monthly magazine Spaceflight, and his upcoming article is named "Shake Rattle & Rolex." This exciting new article will add many new puzzle pieces to the space-flown Rolex story and feature many never before published photos that document the history of Rolex in space. The photo above and below of Hammond wearing his Pepsi GMT-Master in this story appear courtesy of Philip. Philip worked for 35 years as an officer in the NATO Integrated Air Defense System.  To learn more about Philip you can check out this fascinating interview on MoonwatchOnly.com.




The photo below above and video below show Space Shuttle Discovery Mission STS-39 successfully landing at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The photo below shows the crew of STS-39 standing in front of the Space Shuttle after landing. You can learn more about Rolex aboard Space Shuttle in my story on Dr. Leroy Chiao.












 Space Shuttle DISCOVERY 

1994 STS-64

Lloyd Blaine Hammond was the pilot of the 1994 Space Shuttle Mission and we see him wiping his glasses with his Pepsi GMT-Master front and center. In between STS-39 and STS-64 Hammond's personal Rolex GMT-Master stayed 19 days and 6 hours in space!!!



STS-64 was an unusual mission that tested Lidar-In-Space Technology Experiment (LITE) which studied cloud formations and Earth's atmosphere with laser beams. 



STS-64 was also the first untethered space walk in a decade. STS-64 also studied the sun's corona and solar wind with a Spartan satellite that was deployed and later retrieved by the Space Shuttle.




The photo below shows STS-64 touching down at Edwards Air Force Base in Califorina by pilot, Lloyd Blaine Hammond in 1994.



The photo below shows STS-64 Discovery riding piggyback on a 747-SCA as it takes off from Edwards Air-Force Base in California on its ferry flight ride back to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.