Speedmaster Skywalker X-33 - Clock for astronauts

The high-end Swiss watchmaker Omega joins the European space agency ESA, which has just launched a watch for astronauts called Speedmaster Skywalker X-33.

This is the latest version of this special watch series since the Speedmaster Professional Chronograph for the Mercury project launched in the early 60s. Skywalker X-33 is based on the idea of ​​astronaut Jean- Francois Clervoy of ESA copyrighted. Not only is a time-tracking tool, the Skywalker X-33 is also specially built to withstand the harsh conditions of space and bring many useful features for astronauts.

Speedmaster Skywalker X-33 is an improved version of Speedmaster Professional X-33. The watch uses a chronograph mechanical system driven by advanced multi-function quartz crystals, of size 5619, along with a thermal compensation circuit and upgrade software. This system is placed on the 45mm class 2-inch titanium milling cover, which surrounds the watch face with ceramic borders with aluminum nitride etched timelines. The 60-minute mark is marked by a Super-LumiNova luminescent emitting green light. Grade 2 titanium watch strap with grade 5 titanium joints.

Inside is a black / analog digital watch face with a white hour / minute clock coated with Super-LumiNova, the second hand is red. Minutes and hours are also highlighted in white while below is an LCD screen displaying gray characters. A common problem for digital / analog watch faces is that needles often obscure digital information. However, Skywalker has been designed with detachable needles when it is necessary to leave the screen space available.

Jean-Francois Clervoy

Jean-Francois Clervoy (pictured above) flew three times into space in the 90's and he came up with an idea to improve his watch so that the watch could follow mission events in the most appropriate for astronauts. 2 mission elapsed time (Mission Elapsed Time - MET) and time elapsed time (PET) allow astronauts to set timelines or time periods for a certain task in any past or future day and calculate the remaining or elapsed time. In addition, Skywalker is also integrated with 19 other functions including multiple alarm modes with various alert tones, different time zones, schedules, timer and countdown functions.

ESA currently holds patents on Skywalker and Omega still operating under the ESA license. Although not involved in the production or trading of this watch, the European space agency is responsible for conducting rigorous tests to ensure Skywalker can serve the space mission. The test was conducted at the technical center ESTEC of ESA in Noordwijk, Netherlands and at the nuclear testing facility in Sweden under the supervision of the ONERA / DESP space center of France. Skywalker underwent concussion tests and simulation acceleration when the spacecraft was launched, tested in a vacuum, temperatures from 45 ° C to 75 ° C and tested under space radiation.

Omega President Stephen Urquhart said: "We are pleased that ESA has tested and approved the use of the X-33 Speedmaster Skywalker for all their manned missions. This also helps us continue. Expanding long-term relationships with NASA in space programs ESA possesses enormous capabilities and ambitions and this has been proven through successful missions with Rosetta and Philae. proud that their name and their approval is an honor for this iconic chronograph watch ".

It is known that the Omega Speedmaster Skywalker X-33 sells for $ 5,900.

Reference: ESA.