The Cassette Recorder That Went to the Moon
4 days ago
- #Cassette
- #NASA
- #Sony
- The compact cassette was developed by Philips in 1963, designed to be open and easy to share.
- Sony licensed the technology and introduced its first tabletop recorder, the TC-100, in 1966.
- In 1968, Sony launched the TC-50, a pocket-sized recorder with a built-in microphone, designed for one-handed operation.
- NASA used the TC-50 during the Apollo missions, starting with Apollo 7 in 1968, for recording mission logs and personal thoughts.
- Astronauts on Apollo 11 brought custom mixtapes, including Neil Armstrong's choice of 'Music Out of the Moon' and Buzz Aldrin's selections of 'Galveston' and 'People'.
- Sony leveraged the TC-50's space mission success in marketing, highlighting its durability and portability.
- The TC-50's design influenced future portable audio devices, including the Walkman.
- TC-50 units used in space missions are now part of museum collections.