The Digital Sports Seiko A829-6019 That Went Into Space

October 27, 2010

comments 2

Yesterday, I blogged about the Dutch astronaut wearing a Seiko during his STS61A mission in 1985. It seems that the Seiko handed out to the astronauts of mid-1980s missions, is the digital chrono A829-6019 model as pictured below. It was available in two versions, the SMGG11 and the SMGG13 (black bezel and LCD inlay).

The picture above was found on The Digital Watch Library and it says that this watch was produced in 1982. Furthemore, the website states that these watches have not been “assigned” or selected by NASA, and were only “personal” choices made by the astronauts themselves. However, Dutch astronaut Wubbo Ockels cleary states in an interview in a recent magazine (belonging to HP De Tijd) that he received his one from NASA.

I found one on eBay, click here. It is currently on there for $425, is that too much to ask for NASA equipment?

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The Digital Sports Seiko A829-6019 That Went Into Space

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Michel Castonguay says:

Mar 24, 2018 at 12:18

I have purchased this specific Seiko myself in early 1983 (about $90) not knowing the background in the space program it will go through later on. I will find out much later while watching a iMax movie about the STS missions. Unfortunately the watch is no more functional after wearing it in all possible tough conditions for several years. It is now laying aside my Omega Speedy (Hesalite crystal)

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1. Laurent Gagnon says:
  
  Sep 12, 2019 at 01:53
  
  I purchased mine in the early 80’s. I’d considered a cheaper Seiko which could only run one function at a time; moving the bezel to a new function erased the former. The A829-6019 was flexible and very practical. It was accurate, and easy to use: I once allowed a leadership group I was working with to use it for micro-timing. If you put your hand over the watch on your wrist to operate the pushers, you could do an almost instantaneous start-stop timing since you were holding the watch steady under your palm with your hands parallel instead of pressing the watch away. With traditionally positioned pushers that action IS possible but more awkward as the wrists are then perpendicular.My local jeweller broke a micro switch doing a battery change making the watch unusable. Seiko Canada couldn’t get it working again, alas.
  
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