Flashlights on the Space Shuttle and ISS

[kb0rrg]

Does anyone know which flashlighs have been sent into space? I tried to research this but I could not find a brand or model. I would suspect that it is a explosion proof model. I read some where about a 5-cell NiCad spotlight (6v) that was used.

 

[lightlover]

Mag-Lite once publicised that a few 2AA's of theirs had been sent into Space on a mission, can't remember which one.

lightlover

Ps - On the Apollo mission (Apollo 13 ?) when they had a problem on the Capsule Oxygen supply, they used a "Fisher Space Pen" to fix the problem.

PPs - Aluminium becomes as brittle as glass at -70 degrees C.

 

[PeLu]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by *something ridiculous:
Aluminium becomes as brittle as glass at -70 degrees C.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

But LED lights get really bright then! (if the power sorce can manage it)

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I saw them on TV using a flashlight in space a month or two ago, don't remember exactly what for, something to do with a gas leak in some plumbing maybe -- it seemed to be of AA width, and was mouth-held a few times, the beam appeared to be incandescent, as there were some rings...

 

[lightlover]

Just remembered - I once saw a site with a photo of a 2AA type torch, made out of Brass, (Brass ?!?! ) which was used on one of the earlier Space missions.
As I remember, it had a cylindrical head, radiused to meet the 2AA body, with some knurling. Very 60's styling.

I'd post a link, but I lost that favourite in a crash ......

lightlover

 

[kb0rrg]

Typical NASA (at least the old NASA) would have had a contractor spend $750,000 in R&D to develop a flash-light and then build 100 lights. Each would be hand made and very expensive.

I think the new NASA is a bit more economical and utalizes off the shelf hardward more.

I wonder how an alkaline or lithium battery would react to a depressurization. Not good I would expect. I would think a light rated for diving would survive a vacume better.

 

[lightlover]

Found this:

QUOTE -
"Another recognition of the Photon Micro-Light as the best product of its kind came in January 1997 when the 81st flight of the Space Shuttle took the product along for use by U.S. Astronauts. In the cramped area of the Space Shuttle, the compact brightness of the Photon Micro-Light really made sense. NASA has recently confirmed that the U.S. astronauts made a gift of white Photons to their Russian cosmonaut colleagues."

@ http://www.photonlight.com/company_info/lri_profile.html