Dave Scott’s NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster was associated with Apollo 15, not Apollo 11. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum says Scott wore the watch during his first two lunar spacewalks; NASA transferred it to the museum in 1977. The title’s Apollo 11 attribution is incorrect.
Which mission did Dave Scott wear the Speedmaster on?
Scott wore the NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster during Apollo 15, the July 1971 lunar mission he commanded. NASA lists the crew as commander David R. Scott, lunar module pilot James B. Irwin and command module pilot Alfred M. Worden. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum collection record says Scott wore the chronograph during his first two lunar extravehicular activities (EVAs), or spacewalks.
The Apollo 11 association belongs to the Speedmaster’s broader lunar history, not to Scott’s documented mission. Omega says the Speedmaster was the first watch worn on the Moon on July 21, 1969; that is the company’s account of the watch’s Apollo 11 legacy, and it does not make Scott’s watch an Apollo 11 artifact. Omega’s space-legacy history makes that company attribution.
Why did NASA select the Omega Speedmaster?
The museum says NASA selected the Speedmaster after rigorous tests demonstrated precision and reliability. Its stated requirements included manual winding and chronograph functionality, along with performance demands for water, shock, magnetism, temperature and acceleration.
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- Model 310.30.42.50.01.002
- It had to be a manual-winding wrist chronograph.
- It had to be water-proof, shock-proof and anti-magnetic.
- It had to withstand temperatures from 0 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
- It had to withstand accelerations up to 12 g.
The Smithsonian says the Speedmaster was chosen for the U.S. space program in 1964, certified first for Gemini, and purchased for Apollo and later programs. This describes the historic selection and certification process, not a blanket claim about every Speedmaster model sold today. Omega’s own timeline also dates NASA’s request for wrist chronograph proposals to 1964 and describes the Speedmaster’s Gemini 3 flight in 1965. Omega’s timeline is the manufacturer’s account.
What is known about Scott’s watch?
The museum catalogs the artifact as an Omega Watch Co. chronograph with a stainless-steel case and Hesalite synthetic crystal. NASA transferred the watch to the National Air and Space Museum in 1977, according to the museum’s undated collection record. The record says it is not currently on display and may be on loan or in storage, so visitors should not assume it can be seen in the galleries.
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- Stainless steel case
- Black dial
- Swiss-automatic movement
- Case diameter: 40mm
- Water resistant to 330 feet
The collection record documents wear during Scott’s first two lunar EVAs. It does not, by itself, establish which watch he wore on a later EVA or settle accounts about a crystal coming off. Without an authoritative source directly documenting those details, they should not be treated as confirmed facts.
How demanding was Apollo 15’s lunar work?
Apollo 15 was the first of NASA’s longer-duration lunar surface exploration missions. NASA reports that its three lunar surface EVAs totaled 18 hours and 37 minutes, and that the crew traveled 17.5 miles in the lunar rover. Those mission figures convey the scope of the activity during which Scott wore the watch; they do not show that the watch caused or enabled any particular scientific result. NASA’s Apollo 15 overview provides the mission context and figures.
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Is the modern Speedmaster Moonwatch the same watch?
No. Scott’s Speedmaster is a specific NASA-issued historical artifact held by the Smithsonian. Omega’s current Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional is a retail model, not Scott’s flown watch. Omega’s Japanese catalog lists a 42 mm stainless-steel Moonwatch Professional; that listing is geographically specific, and local availability and specifications may differ. Omega’s Japanese catalog listing is a reference for that modern model.
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- Rubber
- Rotating bezel, gmt
- Automatic-self-wind movement
- Case diameter: 40mm
- Water resistant to 330 feet
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| Point of comparison | Scott’s Apollo 15 artifact | Current Moonwatch Professional |
|---|---|---|
| Identity and provenance | NASA-issued Speedmaster worn by Scott during his first two lunar spacewalks; now in the Smithsonian collection. | Modern catalog model; not Scott’s historic watch. |
| Purpose | Historical artifact for study and preservation. | Contemporary watch offered for ownership. |
| Availability | Museum-held; the Smithsonian says it is not currently on display and may be on loan or in storage. | Listed in Omega’s Japanese catalog; availability elsewhere is not established by that listing. |
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