Shuttle Flight Jackets at KSC

[AstroBeatle]

Hey, NSF! I'm pretty sure that most of you here have been to the Kennedy Space Center. I have a question regarding the Space Shop; for those of you who have recently visited, do they still sell the blue shuttle flight jackets? I do not mean MA-1 jackets or bomber jackets, but the blue flight jackets very similar to what the astronauts wore (see attachment). My friend will be visiting KSC this December and I asked him to get a flight jacket like one of these, but I don't know whether they still sell them...it did not appear when I checked the online store. The last time I remember, they sold them back when I visited in 2008 (I was 10 at the time).

[Ronpur50]

I don't remember!  I have one already so haven't looked for one.  I will be going back in about two weeks, but someone may be going sooner.

[AstroBeatle]

I don't remember!  I have one already so haven't looked for one.  I will be going back in about two weeks, but someone may be going sooner.

Please tell me as soon as you get there! Thanks.

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Tapatalk

[clevelas]

You can also call the shop.  My daughter lost an astro teddy I got her there.  It wasn't listed on their website, but one call and they were shipping us a new one.  I think it was just the 1-800 number listed on their website.

[p51]

They still had them in 2014 when I was there last time.
They're okay (I have one with my space camp patches on it) but not very accurate in comparison to the issued ones that people can buy themselves. Here's mine after swapping patches around:

You can get a real Gibson and Barnes one for not much more: http://www.gibson-barnes.com/ufs-294626/Classic-Jacket.html
FYI, if you a fan of the show, "Big Bang Theory," Howard wears one of these with a production-made nameplate and fake mission patch...

they didn't even use a different NASA meatball patch on it...

[AstroBeatle]

You can also call the shop.  My daughter lost an astro teddy I got her there.  It wasn't listed on their website, but one call and they were shipping us a new one.  I think it was just the 1-800 number listed on their website.

I live in Indonesia, so an international call such as this would be expensive.

[Lar]

You can also call the shop.  My daughter lost an astro teddy I got her there.  It wasn't listed on their website, but one call and they were shipping us a new one.  I think it was just the 1-800 number listed on their website.

I live in Indonesia, so an international call such as this would be expensive.

Not too bad if you can use Skype or something similar... or maybe use whatsapp or whatever to communicate with a US user in real time while they call for you.

[NASAGeek]

I called the KSC gift shop and asked about the jacket since it wasn't on the site anymore.  They said they don't sell it any longer. I own one also and was interested in buying another one.

[Lar]

I merged two topics started by AstroBeatle, so things may seem a bit choppy but I think the user may have started two by mistake. Now there's one and it's in the right place. 

[AstroBeatle]

I called the KSC gift shop and asked about the jacket since it wasn't on the site anymore.  They said they don't sell it any longer. I own one also and was interested in buying another one.

Just as I suspected. Thanks, NASAGeek. I'm a little disappointed, but on the bright side I may buy a plain flight jacket from Gibson and Barnes (as Lee Bishop/p51 had previously mentioned) and add a couple of accurate patches including a correctly sized NASA logo patch, a custom nameplate and even an Orion patch in light of the future of NASA. I'd have to say that the flight jackets sold by KSC back then were inaccurate, with the NASA logo on the right side of the jacket, for example.

[AstroBeatle]

they didn't even use a different NASA meatball patch on it...

Hey, Lee. What is the accurate size of a NASA patch on a typical space shuttle flight jacket or flight suit? I assume it must be a 3" sized patch.
I am also aware that you have your own custom nameplate (yes, I've seen your old post somewhere, not that I'm stalking you  ) and if I'm not wrong it comes from a supplier that you personally know. Do you know any other supplier who makes custom astronaut nameplates, or would it be okay if you tell me who your supplier is?

[AstroBeatle]

I merged two topics started by AstroBeatle, so things may seem a bit choppy but I think the user may have started two by mistake. Now there's one and it's in the right place.

Thanks, Lar!

[p51]

I just looked on the website for Alpha, the outfit who made the jacket for the gift shop, and they're not on their website anymore. eBay turns up quite a few of them, though.

Hey, Lee. What is the accurate size of a NASA patch on a typical space shuttle flight jacket or flight suit? I assume it must be a 3" sized patch.
I am also aware that you have your own custom nameplate (yes, I've seen your old post somewhere, not that I'm stalking you  ) and if I'm not wrong it comes from a supplier that you personally know. Do you know any other supplier who makes custom astronaut nameplates, or would it be okay if you tell me who your supplier is?

The standard 3" NASA patch is the proper one. That's an easy find.
As for the nameplate, you can get embroidered ones with a NASA wing here:
https://www.nametags4u.com/designer/embroidered/?pid=1148
Or a USAF astronaut wing here:
https://www.nametags4u.com/designer/embroidered/?pid=1148
This is where I got mine with the NASA meatball on black leather:
http://www.flightbadge.com/misc.htm#Listing

[Kansan52]

Closest one I could find:

https://www.amazon.com/Aeromax-Astronaut-Flight-Jacket-Medium/dp/B01AC0LTES/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&keywords=nasa%20jacket&qid=1461198675&ref_=sr_1_4&sr=8-4&linkCode=sl1&tag=geekw00-20&linkId=6568a971b15cb713f4a34f2bc4121930

[AstroBeatle]

I just looked on the website for Alpha, the outfit who made the jacket for the gift shop, and they're not on their website anymore. eBay turns up quite a few of them, though.

Hey, Lee. What is the accurate size of a NASA patch on a typical space shuttle flight jacket or flight suit? I assume it must be a 3" sized patch.
I am also aware that you have your own custom nameplate (yes, I've seen your old post somewhere, not that I'm stalking you  ) and if I'm not wrong it comes from a supplier that you personally know. Do you know any other supplier who makes custom astronaut nameplates, or would it be okay if you tell me who your supplier is?

The standard 3" NASA patch is the proper one. That's an easy find.
As for the nameplate, you can get embroidered ones with a NASA wing here:
https://www.nametags4u.com/designer/embroidered/?pid=1148

Do you know where to get a nametag with MS wings?

[p51]

Do you know where to get a nametag with MS wings?

NO.
There are no vendors that I know of who make MS wing ones. Someone made a special run for Space Camp fans a couple of years ago, but they aren't making any more now.
I was lucky to have gotten one when the initial order went out.

Before you ask, this is a NASA-issued suit I got from a friend at Ellington Field right before they went to using the Gibson and Barnes flight suits as well as jackets. The flag patch is from AB emblem, the NASA contractor, but as I understand it, they no longer have them (I was lucky to get two of them. One went on this suit, and other on my G&B jacket). The correct flag patch for NASA is a 3X5" one with a white surround, but if you're a smaller person, they can look very large on your shoulder.
I searched on eBay and found a few 3X5 inch ones with white borders, so they don't seem to be that difficult to find, only getting one from AB is the hard part.

last month, 'Hoot' Gibson told me a funny story about the MS wings. He said the patch people at Ellington were going to all-embroidered nameplates and they said they needed a wing design for the mission specialists. John Young put it to the new classes of astronauts to come with a design, but everyone had their own ideas and nobody wanted to back down. So, years went by with no design. Frustrated, Gibson sketched out a astronaut pin design with a surround, onto a backing of Navy wings (note that the finished deign looks more like the USAF wings) and took the sketch to John Young. Young took one look, OK'd it, and history was made that day.