A cable that was essential in ensuring the safety of astronauts aboard the third manned space mission approximately 47 years ago is now on display in Valencia.

The “Bio-Harness” Assembly, is a cable that was built by Valencia based company Cicoil for the 1969 Apollo 9 Space Flight, and was acquired by Cicoil in a NASA Apollo Space Program Auction last year, said Howard Lind, President and CEO of Cicoil.

The cable was worn under the astronauts garments and enabled continuous monitoring of vital signs, such as pulse, respiration, body temperature and pulse rate for each astronaut during flight, orbit and spacewalk operations.

The 26-inch long electrical biomedical harness was worn by Commander Jim McDivitt during the Apollo 9 flight, that launched into orbit on March 3 and returned to Earth 10 days later.

“It was only the fourth cable like that ever produced,” said Lind.

This particular cable was worn by McDivitt, but astronauts David Scott and Rusty Schweickart also utilized Bio-Harnesses made by Cicoil on the Apollo 9 Space Mission as well.

“Amazingly, the harness looks virtually brand-new, considering its age and the number of miles it has travelled,” said Lind.

Cicoil’s Flat Cable Harnesses were also used to help Astronaut John Glenn, Mercury-Atlas 6, to become the first American to orbit the Earth, Edward White, Gemini 4, to be the First American to Walk in Space, Neil Armstrong, Apollo 11, to take his historical “first step” on the surface of the Moon and Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11, to take his infamous second walk on the Moon, said Cicoil officials.

In addition to every Apollo Space Flight, Cicoil has manufactured cable assemblies for the Mercury and Gemini Space missions, Skylab, Mercury Voyager, The Space Shuttle, Tri-ATHLETE Lunar Vehicle, The Mars Rover; and today are utilized on Space Transport Rockets and Satellites.

The cable will soon be on display in the company’s lobby located at 24960 Avenue Tibbitts Valencia, CA 91355.