Piers Sellers' NASA T-38 Flight Helmet and Oxygen Mask
Piers Sellers' NASA T-38 Flight Helmet and Oxygen Mask
This modified NASA flight helmet is based on a PRK-37/P shell with double visor and MBU-5/P oxygen mask. It was worn by astronaut, Piers Sellers, when flying in NASA Northrop T-38 Talon jet aircraft.Flight helmets typically protect a pilot from the risk of head injury and wind blast, in the event of having to eject in an emergency to a parachute landing. The helmet also has two visors to protect against the glare of sunlight, inbuilt attachments to allow connection to radio transmission, and an oxygen mask - as T-38s can fly at altitudes where breathing assistance is required.
Piers wore this helmet as he flew in T-38s whilst training for his Space Shuttle missions. During long days flying to the Kennedy Space Center from the Johnson Space Center carrying out test work and procedural evaluation on the hardware he later installed on the International Space Station, he could see the Shuttle launchpad he would go on to use from his T-38 cockpit.
All images:
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![Piers Sellers' NASA T-38 Flight Helmet and Oxygen Mask]()
Piers Sellers' NASA T-38 Flight Helmet and Oxygen Mask -
![Piers Sellers' NASA T-38 Flight Helmet and Oxygen Mask]()
Piers Sellers' NASA T-38 Flight Helmet and Oxygen Mask -
![Piers Sellers' NASA T-38 Flight Helmet and Oxygen Mask on display]()
Piers Sellers' NASA T-38 Flight Helmet and Oxygen Mask on display -
![Two NASA Northrop T-38 Talon jet aircraft flying over NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The Shuttle Atlantis can be seen in the background - Credit: NASA]()
Two NASA Northrop T-38 Talon jet aircraft flying over NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The Shuttle Atlantis can be seen in the background - Credit: NASA -
![NASA astronaut Piers Sellers - Credit: NASA]()
NASA astronaut Piers Sellers - Credit: NASA
More information
Object number
2017-1
Location
Welcome Hall
Has this object been into space?
No
Dimension - Dimension, Value, Measurement unit
Height: 30.5cm
Width: 27.9cm
Depth: 27.9cm
Material
Fibreglass
Leather
Acrylic
Metal
Plastic
Rubber
Associated Organisation
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Associated Person
Piers Sellers
Object Production Date
Circa 1996
Object Production Organisation
Gentex
Object Production Place
United States
On Display Status
On display
Copyright and Photos
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
