British watchmaker Diatom has unveiled a new limited-edition watch strap incorporating material sourced from the nose landing gear tyre of NASA’s Space Shuttle Columbia, one of the most significant vehicles in the history of space exploration.
The independent brand, which specialises in space-themed timepieces crafted from rare and historic materials, said the new Space Shuttle Strap has been created exclusively for its Legacy Collection.
Space Shuttle Columbia made history on 12 April 1981 when it became the first reusable spacecraft to successfully travel into orbit and return to Earth. The vehicle went on to complete numerous missions during its operational lifetime, helping to transport astronauts, scientific equipment and research materials into space.
The material used in Diatom’s latest strap originates from Columbia’s nose landing gear tyre, which flew aboard mission STS-52 in October 1992. During the 10-day mission, the shuttle deployed NASA’s LAGEOS-2 satellite and hosted a range of scientific experiments within its cargo bay.
According to mission records, Columbia travelled more than four million miles during STS-52 and completed 159 orbits of the Earth before returning safely to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Following the mission’s conclusion, the nose landing gear tyre was removed from service as part of routine maintenance procedures. Designed to withstand the intense demands of atmospheric re-entry and landing, the tyre represented a highly specialised component of the shuttle’s engineering systems.
Diatom said elements of the decommissioned tyre have now been preserved within the new watch strap, allowing owners to wear a piece of aerospace history. The company has sought to retain visual characteristics associated with the original component, including its matte-black appearance, textured surface, raised longitudinal ribs and recessed identification markings.
The strap has been developed specifically for the Legacy Collection, a range of watches that also incorporates meteorite inclusions and authenticated material from the Apollo 11 Command Module.
Diatom said the release aims to celebrate Columbia’s contribution to spaceflight while providing collectors and enthusiasts with a distinctive connection to one of NASA’s pioneering spacecraft.
Diatom Watches stockist details:
www.diatomwatches.com
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