Pete Conrad's Apollo 12 Suit

Pete Conrad's Apollo 12 Suit

Photographed at the Space Center Houston on 30 July 2004 by Ulrich Lotzmann.
Last revised 6 May 2006.

A detail from AS12-49-7318
shows Pete with the Hand Tool Carrier
near the south rim of Surveyor Crater.
(Click on the image for a larger version.)

Suit at Garber Facility

View of Pete Conrad's Apollo 12 Suit at Space Center Houston on 30 July 2004.

Ulli writes, "The label on the display says this is Dick Gordon's training suit, but that's not true! Amanda assures me it is definitely Pete's flown AP12 suit. Because the originals were discarded on the Moon, the LEVA and the EV gloves are, of course, spares or training items. In the case of the LEVA, the one shown is typical of those used by the LMPs on Apollo 13 and later missions. Except for the Apollo 11 suits, the original name tags, patches, and flags were removed from the suits after the missions and were given to the astronauts. The ones seen here are replacements. Each of the astronauts also kept his Omega Speedmaster Professional watch, so the one shown here is not a flown article."

Suit Front ( 0.9 Mb ): View of the entire suit from the front.
Suit Front ( 0.8 Mb ): View from the wearer's right.
Suit Front ( 1.3 Mb ): Closer view from the wearer's left. The pressure gauge is partly visible on the wearer's right sleeve just above the gauntlet. Note that the 'Red Apple' release and the purge valve are improperly installed in the red connector to the wearer's left of the vertical centerline. That connector was normally used for PLSS O2/CO2 outflow. The purge valve should be installed in a second gas outflow connector, which is out-of-frame in the corresponding location on the wearer's right of the vertical center line. See Karl Dodenhoff's connector layout diagram. See, also, training photo KSC-69PC-545.
Suit Front ( 0.8 Mb ): View from the wearer's right.
Suit front, wider view ( 1.6 Mb ): The PLSS upper attachment bracket is on the vertical centerline of the suit near the top, with the neckring tiedown / torso adjustment strap hanging below.
Lateral view from left to right ( 0.9 Mb ): This view shows the waist tether connection on the wearer's left hip, a watch - not the flown article - strapped to the arm just above the elbow, a shoulder pocket just above the watch, the pressure relief valve just above the gauntlet, and the left-side connectors beyond the arm.
LEVA ( 1.1 Mb ): View from the right of a LEVA, but not the one worn during the mission. In the foreground are the red gas outflow connector where the Purge Valve was normally installed and, above it, the blue gas inflow connector where the OPS O2 hose was attached.
Electrical Connector ( 1.2 Mb ): Detail of the connector from the left. The PLSS upper attachment bracket is immediately to the wearer's left of the electrical connector, with the neckring tiedown / torso adjustment strap hanging below, The blue PLSS/LCG water connector is beyond the strap.
Suit Gas (PLSS O2) Inlet Connector ( 1.2 Mb ): This connector is in the middle of the three on the wearer's left in the wider suit-front view, above. A diverter valve is to our right. Compare with a diagram of the connector and diverter valve ( 88k ) from the Apollo 14 EMU Handbook ( 4.4 Mb ).
Suit Gas (PLSS O2) Outflow Connector with Purge Valve Installed ( 1.6 Mb ): This connector is in the bottom of the three on the wearer's left in the wider suit-front view, above. In normal operation the purge valve was installed in the outflow connector on the other side of the vertical centerline and the PLSS return hose was attached here.
Suit front, zipper cover ( 1.6 Mb ): Showing the zipper cover over the crotch and the 'Red Apple'.
Upper Torso and Arms ( 1.0 Mb ): View from the front.
Upper Right Arm ( 1.0 Mb ): The pocket is on the upper arm, just below the shoulder. Note that the pocket flap opens toward the vertical center line.
Upper Right Arm ( 1.0 Mb ): View from the shoulder down to the top of the pressure gauge.
Upper Left Arm ( 1.0 Mb ): The flap on this larger pocket opens upward. The non-flown watch displayed on this suit is on the lefthand edge of the picture.
Pressure Relief Valve ( 1.4 Mb ): Close-up from the left. This valve opened automatically between pressures of 4.8 and 5.5 psi to prevent suit overpressurization. It was fully seated at pressures below 4.8 psi to maintain pressure integrity of the suit.
Suit Pressure Gauge ( 1.5 Mb ): Close-up. The gauge registered internal suit pressures above 2.5 psi in increments of 0.1 psi. Because the displayed suit in not pressurized, the gauge indicator is pegged just below 2.5 psi. The gauge was on the right arm just above the glove connector. In this image, the center line of the torso is up and the glove is to the right. When the astronaut bends his arm inward, he sees the gauge in normal orientation for reading.
Left glove ( 1.1 Mb ): View from the right of a left glove, but not the one worn during the mission. In the foreground are the red gas outflow connector where the Purge Valve was normally installed and, above it, the blue gas inflow connector where the OPS O2 hose was attached. We have a side view of the pressure relief valve just above the gauntlet.
Lower Torso and Legs ( 1.2 Mb ): View from the front, showing the thigh pockets on the wearer's left leg, the pressure relief valve above the left gauntlet, red, gas-outflow connectors on either side of the vertical centerline, and the pressure gauge above the right gauntlet. Neither of the gloves were used during the mission. The purge valve has been inserted in the left gas connector but normally was inserted in the other gas connector.
Right Leg ( 1.0 Mb ): Note that there is no Velcro on this part of the suit for use with strap-on pockets.
Left Leg ( 1.1 Mb ): Showing a sewn-on thigh pocket. Velcro tabs can be seen under the coverflap on the left.
Left Leg ( 1.0 Mb ): View from the left showing an additional pocket on the outside of the leg.
Left Leg, Pocket Detail ( 1.3 Mb ): Close-up from the left of the pockets on the left leg.
Right Shoulder ( 1.0 Mb ): Pete would have been able to reach the pocket only with his left hand, hence the side-opening flap.

Journal Home Page

Apollo 12 Journal