# Space Watches



## Shurik (Oct 16, 2006)

Has anyone ever compared the watches used by the NASA and the ones used by the soviet union for their space trip?

as far as i know both speedmaster and 24h navitimer did the us trip

and strela or shturmanskie for the ussr

is there a wab site comparing the models?


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## Chascomm (Sep 9, 2005)

Shurik said:


> Has anyone ever compared the watches used by the NASA and the ones used by the soviet union for their space trip?
> 
> as far as i know both speedmaster and 24h navitimer did the us trip
> 
> ...


Well there's Chuck Maddox's site, but virtually all his 'facts' regarding Soviet space watches are incorrect, so there's not much help there.

There were many different models used by the USSR e.g. Shturmanskie non-chrono, Strela, Vostok Amphibia, Shturmanskie/Okeah/Poljot chrono, Speedmaster.

From about 1980 until the post-Soviet era, digital multifunction watches were most common due to their convenience (most Soviet missions being long-duration Salyut and Mir station missions). However for EVA use, the standard remains hand-winding watches only. They don't trust quartz in space. And I've yet to see any evidence of an Omega X-33 being worn on the outside of an EVA suit by NASA either.

The Vladimir Dzhanibekov-designed Spetsnaz Kosmonavigator has been confirmed used in EVA. The Fortis Cosmonaut was issued for one German/Russian joint mission to Mir.


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## Xantiagib (Apr 22, 2005)

Gratuitous opportunity to show this photo:


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Chascomm said:


> They don't trust quartz in space.


That's interesting. Any reason why?


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## Shurik (Oct 16, 2006)

Thanks chascomm you seem to know what you re talking about

but what do you mean by EVA?

and do you have a picture of this Vladimir Dzhanibekov-designed Spetsnaz Kosmonavigator?


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## limey (Aug 24, 2006)

EVA = Extra Vehicular Activity or spacewalk to us mere mortals


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## Shurik (Oct 16, 2006)

thanks i only knew spacewalk !









i check the maddox web site but i m afrÃ©aid its a bit enormous to read every singleday page to find a post interesting my question







(derechef)


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## dapper (Jun 18, 2004)

Shurik said:


> do you have a picture of this Vladimir Dzhanibekov-designed Spetsnaz Kosmonavigator?


Here's one







:


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## mrteatime (Oct 25, 2006)

does anyone know where to get one?


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## dapper (Jun 18, 2004)

mrteatime said:


> does anyone know where to get one?


Hello Mrteatime. You could ask our host, Roy, if he can get one for you









Forum rules don't allow links to commercial watch sites but the Cosmonavigator was made by the Right Move watch company & they might be able to help.

Or you could have a trawl around the online Russian watch dealers - one dealer that has them listed is 'sold out'.

According to Right Move it was a limited edition of 350 pieces. However, with Russian watches, 'limited edition' is a very flexible term


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## kinaed (Feb 21, 2006)

My space watches:























































-k


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## raketakat (Sep 24, 2003)

kinaed said:


> My space watches:
> 
> -k


That's a lovely group of watches, and nicely photographed to boot  .


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## mrteatime (Oct 25, 2006)

dapper said:


> mrteatime said:
> 
> 
> > does anyone know where to get one?
> ...


thanks dapper, i'll have a look....cheers mate


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## Chascomm (Sep 9, 2005)

pg tips said:


> Chascomm said:
> 
> 
> > They don't trust quartz in space.
> ...


I'm not sure why. Possibly something to do with radiation frying the electronics, or possibly the temperature variation is the problem. Maybe they're just being over-cautious. One thing that is certain however is that LCD is unlikely to ever be rated for EVA, because of the limited temperature range within which it can function.


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## Roger (May 17, 2003)

> They don't trust quartz in space


Well....that is really a strange and sweeping statement; strange and completely incorrect.

If they did not trust quartz, they would have no guidance,no computing power, no data transmission, no v oice radio. almost all the electronic systems are controlled by quartz oscillators.

The wristwatch would probably be near the bottom of the pile when it comes to the worry-about-quartz league.

As an aside, I own both a Speedie Pro and an X33, and I can report to those who maybe have never handled and lived with an X33, that the X33, for the designed job , is vastly superior to the Speedie Pro.

I like my Speedie Pro, but against the X33, it is relegated to timing boiled eggs.

Roger


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## Regal325 (Aug 5, 2005)

> If they did not trust quartz, they would have no guidance,no computing power, no data transmission, no v oice radio. almost all the electronic systems are controlled by quartz oscillators.


That is so very true...quartz is probably one of the most dependable components


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## rhaythorne (Jan 12, 2004)

I could be talking rubbish here, but I think maybe what was meant by "in space" was the "vacuum of space", i.e. outside the spacecraft or worn on the outside of a spacesuit. The quartz and electronics inside the craft are insulated from the extreme cold outside, as is a watch worn inside a spacesuit.

However, I'd imagine that a quartz watch worn in the vacuum of space would stop pretty quickly if not only because the battery would be zapped by the cold. Come to think of it, I'm surprised the lubricant used in a mechanical watch doesn't freeze! Maybe it does if it's exposed long enough? Or perhaps if the watch is clamped to the surface of the space suit tightly enough, sufficient heat is transferred to prevent it from freezing?

I dunno, anyway the point is that the environment inside a space suit/craft if very different to the hostile environment outside and I'm guessing it's the latter environment that was being referred to.


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## Chascomm (Sep 9, 2005)

rhaythorne said:


> I could be talking rubbish here, but I think maybe what was meant by "in space" was the "vacuum of space", i.e. outside the spacecraft or worn on the outside of a spacesuit.


Yes, the discussion was particularly about the use of watches worn on the outside of a suit during EVA.

As I mentioned earlier, throughout the 1980s LCD digital watches were commonly worn by cosmonauts, but for EVA use it has only ever been mechanical watches e.g. Strela, 3133, Speedy Pro, Fortis and Kosmonavigator.

Interestingly, the X-33 was publicly debuted on Mir (how's that for a marketing coup!), but on that particular mission, when an EVA was undertaken, the watch worn was a Speedmaster Professional. I've read somewhere that the manufacturer's specs of the X-33 allow for EVA use, _but only with the LCD switched off_, and yet I have never seen any evidence presented that an X-33 has ever actually been used for EVA. Perhaps somebody has some details to offer here?


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## mrteatime (Oct 25, 2006)

Hope that this is allowed, if not my apologies....

This is a very interesting debate! My understanding of watches being used in the "Vacum of space" is that only mechanical watches work, Im not sure of the reasons why. Also the Omega Speedmaster was never made for any space program, and omega only found out after the watch was used on one of the early apollo missions. a good source of infomation is the nasa site (just type in "speedmaster" on the search bar) another good site is collect space, which has russian as well as american stuff on there.

Again, my apologies if this is not allowed!


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## rhaythorne (Jan 12, 2004)

This is conjecture, but I suspect the reliability and resiliance of quartz displays/circuitry/components has come a long way. I hadn't thought of it before but, If I cast my mind back 20+ years to when I was at school, during the winter months - after getting there by walking through the snow/public transport remember, not mummy's cosy 4x4! - I can distinctly recall that the displays of the relatively new LCD calculators and even watches in contact with the skin would be dim or even blank until they'd warmed up a bit (yes, we had the luxury of heaters in our classrooms







). Obviously these aren't going to work in space! And yet, more recently, I've used LCD watches (Avocet / Suunto, even a Â£14.00 Constant from Argos!) in outside temperatures down to about -15 to -20 degrees C with no apparent ill-effects at all.

Maybe today they could (if they haven't already) come up with a quartz watch with a built-in heating element that would keep it working even in the deep cold of space? Then again, if mechanicals work accurately enough for the relatively short duration of EVA's, why bother? Odd to think that such an old technology as "clockwork" may be better suited to the hi-tech environment of space exploration than its more modern quartz counterpart!


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## Ferrariman (Nov 10, 2007)

Xantiagib said:


> Gratuitous opportunity to show this photo:


I couldn't help myself.


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## mrteatime (Oct 25, 2006)

didnt the seiko gold 'pepsi go up as well?


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