Hello all. 

 I remember a flashlight in the early eighties designed for astronauts? with a near-zero self-discharge and with guarantee to work after stored for 10 years.  Can you remember something about its name, chemistry...?   Was sold as a 'high-end' gadget to fancy buyers to brag about it if they did not need a flashlight a decade later...

I do not think batteries were removable nor replaceable. Looked like a stubby aluminium cylinder, took a couple of seconds to shine.

Possibly silver-zinc batteries by Eagle Picher. That was the portable source on missions, it seems.

Found it. The above was for bigger stuff. It was an ACR Model FA-5 Penlight.

"Indeed, Lovell notes in a later letter[3] that when he found his Apollo 13 penlight in a drawer in 1981 it still lit up even though the batteries were the original set installed and used 11 years previously."

Second one down in link.

http://spaceflownartifacts.com/flown_flashlights.html#:~:text=The magnesium flashlight was powered,powering down their stricken spacecraft.

N.B. It only had 100 charge-discharge cycles.

Edited October 16, 20241 yr by StringJunky

Thanks. 

That is a seventies model.  The one I remember was like 40mm diameter x 120mm long; silver.  Well, I will investigate the silver-zinc side of it...

8 hours ago, StringJunky said:

"Indeed, Lovell notes in a later letter[3] that when he found his Apollo 13 penlight in a drawer in 1981 it still lit up even though the batteries were the original set installed and used 11 years previously."

I have a 1980's Canon F-44 Scientific Calculator that still works on the original batteries.

20 minutes ago, LaurieAG said:

I have a 1980's Canon F-44 Scientific Calculator that still works on the original batteries.

I always thought there was always some parasitic discharge when left in a device. Clearly, some are better than others.

It still performs all of its functions without a hitch, the only noticeable thing is the LCD display is a bit fainter.