toyhaven: G.I. Joe Space Shuttle Astronaut REVIEW

Monday, July 11, 2011

G.I. Joe Space Shuttle Astronaut REVIEW

On April 12, 1981, NASA launched the first re-usable orbiter into space. The Orbiter OV-102 Columbia (better known as "The Space Shuttle Columbia") left the launch pad for it's two day mission, ushering in a new era in the annals of space travel.

This is the 1997 released Hasbro G.I. Joe 1:6 scale Shuttle Astronaut "Robert Crippen" 12-inch figure from the Classic Collection series. The Space Shuttle Astronaut is outfitted in a space suit with patches and air hose connector, helmet with communications link and visor, gloves, air hose, ventilator, boots and dog tags. Robert L. Crippen piloted the first Space Shuttle flight in 1981 and commanded three other shuttle missions in the next 3 1/2 years.

Sadly, the last mission in NASA’s decades-long space shuttle program is now underway. Atlantis rocketed into orbit at 11:30 a.m. July 8, 2011 and flew at 17,500 mph around the Earth. The mission, STS-135, will catch up with the International Space Station in two days. They expect to land July 20 at 7:06 a.m. [ source: wired ]

The G.I. Joe Classic Collection Shuttle Astronaut came in a standard box with a cover and an additional flap that was shaped like the Earth (only half of it). If you bought the Mercury Astronaut boxed set which has the other half of the globe, then you could form the whole Earth when the boxes are placed side by side.

Here's how the box looks when it is opened up

Click on the picture for a bigger and better view :)

This is a picture of the Hasbro G.I. Joe Classic Collection 1:6 scale Shuttle Astronaut "Robert Crippen" 12-inch figure out of the box and without his helmet, showing off the Robert Crippen head sculpt and NASA dog tags.

Robert L. Crippen became a NASA astronaut in 1969. His first flight assignment was aboard Columbia as pilot of the maiden Space Shuttle mission, a 54 1/2-hour, 36-orbit engineering test. He and Spacecraft Commander John Young evaluated shuttle hardware and software systems, thermal protection, attitude, maneuvering and guidance, and launch and landing operations of the first true reuseable manned spaceship. Crippen and Young also achieved the first winged reentry of a vehicle to a conventional runway landing.

The latest space shuttle launch marks the last in NASA’s history, closing out a government-funded space program that lasted 30 years. The space agency ultimately launched 135 space shuttle missions since 1981 at a total cost of about $209 billion. For all its setbacks, however, the program is on schedule to complete the most ambitious orbital laboratory ever conceived. It also delivered (and repaired) the Hubble Space Telescope, as well as an army of other artificial satellites.

Close-up pictures of the Space Shuttle Astronaut helmet with dual visors - one clear and one tinted.

The helmet has some nice details besides the dual visors, including communications link and air hose

Hasbro G.I. Joe Classic Collection 1:6 scale Shuttle Astronaut "Robert Crippen" 12-inch figure wearing the helmet

Robert L. Crippen is wearing the Shuttle Ejection Escape Suit. These suits were used from STS-1 (1981) to STS-4 (1982) by a two-man crew in conjunction with the then-installed ejection seats. It allowed ejections up to Mach 2.7 and 24.4 km (80,000 ft). Both the ejection suits and ejection seats were removed after the shuttle became certified.

Here's a picture I found of Spacecraft Commander John Young wearing the Shuttle Ejection Escape Suit.

The future of U.S. human spaceflight won’t end with the conclusion of Atlantis‘ mission. But the shape of things to come is uncertain. No American spacecraft is ready to ferry astronauts to the space station during its anticipated 10-year lifespan. NASA is seeding money to commercial spaceflight companies to develop a human-ready spaceship, but the space agency expects a viable spacecraft to emerge no earlier than five years from now. Until then, the United States will purchase flights on board Russia’s Soyuz system for its astronaut corps. U.S. astronauts and their international partners will be hitching rides on Russian Soyuz spacecraft, at about $60 million a seat, for trips to and from the International Space Station.

Here's a picture of the crew of Atlantis, on mission STS-135. From left to right: Rex Walheim, pilot Douglas Hurley, commander Christopher Ferguson, Sandra Magnus (Credit: NASA)