Hi SD814

Thank you for your feedback

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I got reply from Rusty just two weeks ago for free! - he signed one item for me. I can share his address with you in exchange for Ken Mattingly´s address.

I'm also on the East Coast. Charlie Duke did an appearance in NJ as well as NYC. I met Bean in Delaware. Both Garriotts (Owen and Richard) did an appearance in NYC as well, which is where I met them. Carr did an appearance in Massachusetts for his art. Aldrin I know passes through the area (and within the last year, was in NJ when they renamed a school after him.)

Except for Bean, which was 2010, all of them were within the past two years. I heard Schmitt talk in Princeton and Mattingly in NJ (neither was signing, though) a few years back as well. Cunningham did NYC when he re-released his book. Haise did Long Island and I saw him again (along with Engle) when they dedicated Enterprise on the Intrepid. Just have to search for them.

Hartster wrote:Not signing TTM usually means not even for a donation. You are welcome to try. Just keep in mind his asking fee at a show for this year is $70.

Bean may or may not sign at one of his speaking events. I was surprised he did so for a good-sized audience back in 2010, and for free.

Yeah I'm sort of out of luck when it comes to meeting them IP. 90% of the Apollo guys are in TX or FLA. I live in the NE United States... They don't come up here.

Not signing TTM usually means not even for a donation. You are welcome to try. Just keep in mind his asking fee at a show for this year is $70.

Bean may or may not sign at one of his speaking events. I was surprised he did so for a good-sized audience back in 2010, and for free.

I was thinking of writing Paul Weitz. We both were born/grew up in the same area and went to rival schools! It would be cool getting his signature just based on the local factor. I see you're saying he doesn't sign TTM... I wonder if he would for a small donation?

I would love adding Bean to my collection too, but $200 is a little steep.

I collect Shuttle, since that's what I grew up with, although I have a few M/G/A/S (and cosmonauts) from those I've met. If you click thru my Flickr link, you can see which astronauts I've gotten TTM and which in-person. Sometimes they may be comments on them, like Bowersox, who doesn't sign TTM but does in-person only.

Out of the Skylab astronauts:

Conrad - deceased
Kerwin - doesn't sign TTM
Weitz - signs for a fee, but only at a show, not TTM
Bean - signs for a fee
Garriott - will sign in-person, not TTM
Lousma - signs for a fee TTM (also does Astronaut Encounter at KSC.)
Carr - signs for a fee TTM (also does Astronaut Encounter at KSC.)
Gibson - doesn't sign TTM (but does Astronaut Encounter at KSC.)
Pogue - deceased

I know you're not losing a ton of money, but I'd rather save the postage sending a photo to get signed to someone who does sign, or at least, there's a good chance they will sign.

Hi Hartster-
I agree... IDK about Skylab, but the Apollo Astronauts are near impossible. I just figure, hey, it's worth a shot. Since I print my own photos, I'm not losing a ton of money. I'm really psyched with the successes I had. I haven't really posted my successes, but will someday... I've had some incredible Gene Kranz successes, Charlie Duke, Walt Cunningham, and Fred Haise (paid) successes, and also had good luck with Griffin, Lunney, and Kraft. So yeah, whatever I get I'm grateful for, and I don't begrudge anyone who no longer signs. I accept that I missed out on the era these guys signed for free and signed often. Do you have all the Apollo Astronauts?

Many Gemini/Apollo/Skylab astronauts do not sign by mail, or if they do, have a fee. Rusty hasn't signed TTM for years; he does the rare in-person signature. Shuttle astronauts are also moving toward signing for a fee (at shows), although many of them still do sign TTM or in-person.

Another Apollo Astronaut fail. Mailed a LOR/SASE, black Sharpie, and (2) 5x7 photos to Rusty's private address in CA a couple weeks ago. Got my photos + LOR back with note on bottom:

Sorry- I do not sign mailed autograph requests

It was worth a shot. Just as an FYI to fellow space enthusiasts so you don't waste stamps, my 'stone-cold' Apollo rejections so far are:

Bill Anders (His Charity)
Frank Borman (Private Address)
Mike Collins (Private Address)
Rusty Schweickart (Private Address)

Alan Bean, Walter Cunningham, Charlie Duke, and Fred Haise will all sign for $$$. And I was lucky enough to get Ken Mattingly and Jim Lovell for free!