What type of timing instrument was NASA initially using during Project Mercury missions?
Answer
Personal, off-the-shelf wristwatches.
Before the formal qualification process, astronauts often utilized their own personal, commercially available wristwatches for timing functions during the earlier stages of human spaceflight like Project Mercury.
#Videos
Why NASA chose the Speedmaster - Best explanation you will hear
Related Questions
What was the core reason NASA selected the Omega Speedmaster for spaceflight qualification?When did NASA officially declare the Omega Speedmaster flight qualified for all manned space missions?What type of timing instrument was NASA initially using during Project Mercury missions?What specific accuracy margin did the Speedmaster need to maintain after enduring the full battery of environmental tests?Which watch is often cited as the primary competitor to the Speedmaster during NASA's evaluation process?What was the nature of the qualification trials conducted by NASA on the submitted watches?What crucial role did Jack Swigert's Speedmaster play during the Apollo 13 emergency?Why was the Hesalite crystal often favored in the official flight-qualified version of the Speedmaster?At the time of qualification, what critical engineering limitation meant quartz watches were not considered for spaceflight?What specific historical event cemented the Speedmaster's reputation as an indispensable hero rather than just qualified equipment?What specific characteristic distinguished the NASA qualification process from many terrestrial product claims of meeting military standards?Who was the astronaut credited with wearing the first watch worn on the lunar surface?