Description
Chromel R fabric – Original – Extremely rare.
Working with Global Effects, we obtained an original piece of a super rare Apollo spacesuit fabric. Known as Chromel R, it was used on the Boots, Gloves and a panel on the back of the Apollo A7L and A7Lb spacesuit to protect areas of high wear.
The lunar regolith is extremely abrasive, and the normal Beta glass fabric of the suit, could easily be worn through from this jagged lunar “dust”. The solution, was a woven metal fabric.
Not a “screen” but actual woven metal fabric. To achieve this, Litton Industries took an alloy of nickel and copper, drew it out into hair like filaments, bundled the filaments together to make a metal yarn, and then wove it into fabric.
This metal fabric was first tested on the Gemini suits. On Gemini 9, Gene Cernan’s G4C suit, had complete Chromel R fabric legs. One of NASA’s spacesuit engineers, said it was a “real nightmare to work with” and “Amazingly expensive”. Chromel’s properties also came in handy for Apollo’s folding antenna.
While we haven’t seen an actual invoice from Litton, reports say this material was in the neighborhood of $3,000 a yard, in 1966. In today’s dollars, this would equate to $23,000 a yard.
We say rare, because in 30 years of making replica spacesuits, and collecting artifacts, Global Effects said this is the first time they have ever seen a piece of this, not on a spacesuit. So we have taken a piece of this Apollo era Chromel R. (about 1 sq.inch) and mounted it on this 9″ x 12″ artwork, with a photo from the first lunar landing, Apollo 11.
Framed in a nice satin black wood frame, this handsome piece can be displayed on a desk, or hung on the wall. For those familiar with the materials and technology of the Apollo spacesuits, you will be aware of the rarity of this material.
Obviously, given the extremely rare nature of this fabric, we have a very limited number of these available. So we have to limit them 2 to a customer.
Here at Orbital Surplus, we collect odds and ends from anywhere in the galaxy. So depending on what empire has collapsed, space freighter has crashed or Transport “got lost”, we never know what we will receive next. However, we have lost our lease on the asteroid we have called home for more than 30 solar cycles and have to move. So we are finding stuff we forgot we had, and this is where you luck out, cause it all has to go!
(Display frame is third a party product.)
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