Bendix Keyboard/Control Panel from NASA

[snuci]

I just found this keyboard/control panel about two weeks ago and was able to get it sent to me; arriving today. This is a Bendix keyboard/control panel that was originally purchased from from a surplus auction at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. It looks like it's from NASA and it is!

From the military components used internally, it is dated from 1974 and contains a custom Bendix PCB with Clare Pendar S840 model switches. These switches have two sets of contacts. I can only guess that it's for military redundancy.

As you can see, this keyboard needs some restoration. I'll post some pics when I'm done. I think this keyboard is pretty awesome for the history behind it. I'd love to figure out what it was connected to one day. I have done extensive searching through old NASA photos but haven't been able to find anything.

Here are some pics with more to follow when it's cleaned up:

Bendix keyboard - front view

Bendix keyboard - front view.JPG (345.09 KiB) Viewed 8518 times

Bendix keyboard - profile view

Bendix keyboard - profile view.JPG (305.58 KiB) Viewed 8518 times

Bendix keyboard - keyboard profile

Bendix keyboard - keyboard profile.JPG (330.56 KiB) Viewed 8518 times

Bendix keyboard - rear view

Bendix keyboard - rear view.JPG (239.09 KiB) Viewed 8518 times

Bendix keyboard - military connector

Bendix keyboard - military keyboard connector.JPG (496.83 KiB) Viewed 8518 times

Bendix keyboard - rear label

Bendix keyboard - rear label.JPG (590.66 KiB) Viewed 8518 times

Bendix keyboard - bottom panel removed

Bendix keyboard - bottom panel removed.JPG (574.38 KiB) Viewed 8518 times

Bendix keyboard - PCB

Bendix keyboard - PCB.JPG (524.95 KiB) Viewed 8518 times

Bendix keyboard - PCB markings

Bendix keyboard - PCB markings.JPG (511.48 KiB) Viewed 8518 times

Bendix keyboard - components on keyboard PCB from 1973 - 1974

Bendix keyboard - components on keyboard PCB from 1973 - 1974.JPG (594.11 KiB) Viewed 8518 times

Bendix keyboard - key switch overhead view

Bendix keyboard - key switch overhead view.JPG (336.46 KiB) Viewed 8518 times

Bendix keyboard - key switch overhead view

Bendix keyboard - key switch slider.JPG (394.08 KiB) Viewed 8518 times

Bendix keyboard - keyboard mechanism side view

Bendix keyboard - keyboard mechanism side view.JPG (320.87 KiB) Viewed 8518 times

[Ratfink]

NASA, eh? Better get it working with modern computers so you can play Kerbal Space Program with it.

Really cool board. I've love to see it after a good cleaning.

[livingspeedbump]

I know you have warehouses full of keyboards ...

...but this may be my favorite one from you yet, just because of the history. I wonder if you can find out more on exactly what it was used for.

[snuci]

Thanks for the comments. I'll keep looking to see what I can figure out. I am particularly thrilled about finding this one because the NASA auction happened a long time ago and I asked the seller of another item if they had anything interesting and he mentioned this. It was a total fluke of luck.

I think for this year of posting keyboards, it may be a toss up between this and the MacCharlie keyboard extension which others seem to think is interesting too. The MacCharlie I've had for quite a while but this one came out of nowhere and is a treasure.

[seebart]

While your MacCharlie is really nice this is historical, very impressive!

[snuci]

The clean up is coming along pretty well so far. I can't take decent pics until the weekend due to no decent light but this is the first time I've done the three step wax method on a keyboard

[snuci]

Here are some pics of the Bendix NASA Console cleaned up. I haven't found any information yet but it was acquired in a NASA surplus auction sometime between 1984 and 1987.

Bendix NASA Console - console

Bendix NASA Console - console.JPG (297.63 KiB) Viewed 8341 times

Bendix NASA Console - profile

Bendix NASA Console - profile.JPG (286.21 KiB) Viewed 8341 times

Bendix NASA Console - Bendix emblem

Bendix NASA Console - Bendix emblem.JPG (202.86 KiB) Viewed 8341 times

Bendix NASA Console - rear profile

Bendix NASA Console - rear profile.JPG (221.9 KiB) Viewed 8341 times

Bendix NASA Console - rear

Bendix NASA Console - rear.JPG (202.29 KiB) Viewed 8341 times

Bendix NASA Console - keycaps removed profile

Bendix NASA Console - keycaps removed profile.JPG (322.98 KiB) Viewed 8341 times

Bendix NASA Console - key switches

Bendix NASA Console - key switches.JPG (327.5 KiB) Viewed 8341 times

Bendix NASA Console - keyboard mechanism front

Bendix NASA Console - keyboard mechanism front.JPG (351.87 KiB) Viewed 8341 times

Bendix NASA Console - keyboard mechanism rear

Bendix NASA Console - keyboard mechanism rear.JPG (338.63 KiB) Viewed 8341 times

Bendix NASA Console - keyboard mechanism

Bendix NASA Console - keyboard mechanism.JPG (204.97 KiB) Viewed 8341 times

Bendix NASA Console - Military ICs

Bendix NASA Console - Miliary ICs.JPG (326.19 KiB) Viewed 8341 times

Bendix NASA Console - console internals

Bendix NASA Console - console internals.JPG (425.66 KiB) Viewed 8341 times

Bendix NASA Console - key caps

Bendix NASA Console - key caps.JPG (212.54 KiB) Viewed 8341 times

Bendix NASA Console - profile close-up

Bendix NASA Console - profile close-up.JPG (239.42 KiB) Viewed 8341 times

Bendix NASA Console - rear overhead

Bendix NASA Console - rear overhead.JPG (239.86 KiB) Viewed 8341 times

[ohaimark]

It uses AMD chips.

I assume you used automotive wax on it?

[livingspeedbump]

This looks museum quality all cleaned up. Such an interesting piece of history.

[ohaimark]

I just spoke with my stepfather, who trained to be an astronaut and often used equipment from that era, about this edifice.

In his opinion, it's basically an early KVM switch.

[snuci]

I assume you used automotive wax on it?

Yes, Meguiars' paint cleaner, polish and wax. The paint was so dry that cleaning it with normal cleaners left streaks.

In his opinion, it's basically an early KVM switch.

Yes, technically it would be a "KV" (no M for mouse) but I don't believe it was a keyboard for typing words or commands because there is no Enter key. I think it's a big keypad and monitor controller but there are also millimeter keys which I don't quite understand.

[ohaimark]

There actually is an enter key... It's just in an odd location. That may have been intentional, as hitting enter prematurely in a NASA program could have dire consequences.

The millimeter keys are quite confusing given America's obsession with inches. Maybe it stands for something else, even if that is doubtful. Maybe a hardware control for whatever it was attached to?

[snuci]

The millimeter keys are quite confusing given America's obsession with inches. Maybe it stands for something else, even if that is doubtful. Maybe a hardware control for whatever it was attached to?

I thought that the US military has always been metric or at least for a while now. I am I correct or incorrect?

[snuci]

Last thing on this one... the key switches. They are Clare Pendar but it's not 100% certain they are S840 series switches. These have some unique facets to it including dual contacts (perhaps for redundancy?) and gold cross point contacts. Here are some pics:

Switch facing to the left (triangle faces up usually):



These key switches are PCB mounted but the corner switches are enclosed in a cubic stabilizer unit that strengthens the edges from buckling.





Here are the key switch parts including the internal spring



Here you can see the dual set of gold cross point contacts and the pins underneath:

[ohaimark]

I think it only started using metric measurements in the 70s. They used SI units in joint military operations before that, but it wasn't the norm.

NASA was actually more stubborn than the US military.

http://www.space.com/3332-nasa-finally-metric.html