Time is an important tool in space. And yet, when Omega first designed its Speedmaster range in 1957, whose variation would acquire the moniker of Moonwatch in the decades to come, it was deemed a timepiece meant for sporting activities, racing in particular. Since 1932, the Swiss watchmaker had been the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games. But a growing interest in space exploration and the importance of timekeeping meant the science and art of watchmaking had to be relooked.
Following a foray into wristwatches with the 28.9 chronograph, the first Speedmaster, CK 2998, was developed in 1946. By 1959, a newer version in a black aluminium base and tachymeter 500 bezels was designed — one that NASA astronaut Wally Schirra decided to take with him for the Mercury programme in personal capacity. The Speedmaster hadn’t received the green signal for space flights from NASA at the time. When the American space agency finally conducted a trial, testing timepieces from world’s leading brands that included Longines and Breitling, it decided to go for the most rigorous testing to determine which watch was the best fit for space flights.
Some of the tests included subjecting the watches to 0 degree to 200 degrees Fahreinheit temperatures, 40 G shocks, low and high pressures and humidity, and heavy vibrations. The watch that stood the tallest in the end was the Speedmaster — the 105.003 chronograph manufactured by Omega. It would be the beginning of a historic association that has left an indelible mark on the popular culture for decades.
In 1965, astronauts John Young and Gus Grissom wore the Speedmaster during the Gemini 4 programme after NASA qualified it for space travel. In June of that year, Ed White became the first astronaut to spacewalk with a 105.003 Speedmaster. But history would be made in 1969. All Apollo 11 astronauts were given the Speedmaster 105.012. However, when Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon, he kept it behind in the lunar module. Buzz Aldrin, who followed him, tied his Speedmaster onto his right wrist, owing to the robust spacesuit, making it the first watch to be worn on the moon.
The 60s may have been a defining decade of the last century, but with the Apollo 11 feat, space became the new frontier, and the Moonwatch became a reminder of mankind’s greatest achievement. It was also the time when Charles M. Schulz was speaking to the world in a language that felt all too relatable.
Cloaked in humour, Peanuts incisively analysed politics, society, gender and mental health. If the space programme was a portal to study and research the universe, Peanuts compelled a generation to think differently. When cabin fire thwarted the first crewed Apollo mission during a rehearsal test, aerospace safety became a major talking point.
In 1968, Snoopy became the mascot for NASA’s aerospace safety messaging. The same year, astronauts aboard Apollo 8 had Silver Snoopy lapel pins with them, a tradition that has continued for a while even as Snoopy toys and figurines are often sighted in the space agency. NASA, on its part, instituted the Silver Snoopy Award the same year to recognise the achievements of those whose work ensures safe space flights. The award, among other things, comprises the iconic silver lapel pin with Astronaut Snoopy embossed on it, a design Schulz himself is believed to have come up with.
While Snoopy became a reminder of the need for human safety during space flights, the Speedmaster played a historic role in reinforcing the same in 1970. Today, “Houston, we have a problem” is a pop culture reminder of the Apollo 13 incident when explosion of an oxygen tank put the lives of three astronauts in danger.
Upon entering the lunar module, they realised it had limited power and used the Speedmaster Professional 105.012-66 in order to time the engine to ensure safe landing through the atmosphere. Those 14 seconds were crucial for the astronauts to ensure they entered at just about enough speed so that the module did not burn upon re-entry. In playing this definitive role, the Speedmaster not only etched its name in history, but was also awarded the Silver Snoopy Award in 1970. To commemorate the 45th anniversary of Apollo 13, Omega launched a limited edition Speedmaster Apollo 13 Silver Snoopy Award model.
Decades have passed and space travel continues to open new worlds of possibilities for scientific research and advancement. Tomorrow, as Omega unveils its all-new, all-white Mission to the Moonphase model, as part of its collaboration with Swatch, with Snoopy motifs on the rotating disk of the timepiece and the ‘poetic’ moonphase complication enabling the tracking of the moon cycle, it will not only serve to remind us of mankind’s greatest achievement but also one of its greatest collaborations — between Snoopy, space and the Speedmaster.
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