{{Short description|1969 cassette recorder}} The '''Sony TC-50''' was a compact cassette recorder and portable audio player designed and marketed by Sony. It was conceived for the purpose of dictation but gained popularity with the general public after its use during the Apollo program lunar missions. It was released commercially in 1968.
thumb|right|alt=Sony TC-50 cassette tape recorder on display at the Houston Space Center|Sony TC-50 cassette tape recorder on display at the Houston Space Center NASA furnished every astronaut with a Sony TC-50 from Apollo 7 in 1968 onward.<ref name=vanityfair_12.14.2018>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/12/mickey-kapp-apollo-11-astro-mixtapes|title=Music on the Moon: Meet Mickey Kapp, Master of Apollo 11's Astro-Mixtapes|magazine=Vanity Fair|accessdate=August 23, 2019}}</ref> Procured to facilitate the recording of personal mission logs, negating the need for additional paper work, the TC-50 was also used by astronauts to play their favorite mixtapes in the Apollo spacecraft. "Rather than blast off with only blank cassettes, the astronauts took tapes that had been pre-filled with music befitting their tastes" and recorded over them as the mission advanced forward.<ref name=vanityfair_12.09.2018>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/12/apollo-11-50th-year-anniversary|title=The Found Footage That Provides a Whole New Look at the Apollo 11 Moon Landing|magazine=Vanity Fair|accessdate=August 23, 2019}}</ref> Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and several other astronauts were provided with cassette recordings by Al Bishop and Hollywood producer Mickey Kapp.<ref name=vanityfair_12.14.2018 />
The TC-50 has variously been described as a "predecessor" or "proto-Walkman" due to its compact design and similarity.<ref name=vanityfair_12.09.2018 /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/sony-the-best-and-worst-gadets-9113012.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/sony-the-best-and-worst-gadets-9113012.html |archive-date=2022-05-24 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=The Best And Worst Gadgets From More Than 50 Years Of Consumer Electronics|website=The Independent|accessdate=August 23, 2019}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links==
*[https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/recorder-audio-cassette-apollo-12/nasm_A19740665000 National Air and Space Museum] - Apollo 12 Sony TC-50 held by the Smithsonian *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJXRVyszFbo Sony's proto-Walkman that went to the moon] An examination of the TC-50 *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_pQCB5nCNo "Fly Me to the Moon"] Gene Cernan plays Frank Sinatra as the crew orbits the Moon on Apollo 10
{{Sony Corp}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sony tc-50}} Category:Audio players Category:Portable media players Category:Products introduced in 1968 Category:Sony hardware