NASA's Scientist-Astronauts David J
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
NASA's Scientist-Astronauts David J. Shayler and Colin Burgess NASA's Scientist- Astronauts Published in association with Praxis Publishing Chichester, UK Mr David J. Shayler, FBIS Mr Colin Burgess, BIS Astronautical Historian Space¯ight Historian Astro Info Service Bonnet Bay Halesowen New South Wales West Midlands Australia UK www.astroinfoservice.co.uk SPRINGER±PRAXIS BOOKS IN SPACE EXPLORATION SUBJECT ADVISORY EDITOR: John Mason B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. ISBN 10: 0-387-21897-1 Springer Berlin Heidelberg New York Springer is part of Springer-Science + Business Media (springeronline.com) Library of Congress Control Number: 2006930295 Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside those terms should be sent to the publishers. # Copyright, 2007 Praxis Publishing Ltd The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a speci®c statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. Cover design: Jim Wilkie Project Copy Editor: Mike Shayler Typesetting: Originator Publishing Services Ltd, Gt Yarmouth, Norfolk, UK Printed in Germany on acid-free paper Contents Foreword............................................ xv Authors' Preface ....................................... xvii Acknowledgements...................................... xxiii List of Illustrations ..................................... xxvii List of Tables ........................................xxxiii List of Abbreviations .................................... xxxv Other Works ......................................... xli Prologue ............................................ xliii 1 The Wrong Stuff .................................... 1 Organising the effort ................................. 1 A manned satellite project.......................... 2 Orbital piloted spaceship of the Soviet Union ............. 3 Security over science? . .......................... 3 Who should or could ¯y? .............................. 7 Requirements for astronaut selection ± the USAF approach . 7 Requirements for astronaut selection ± the NASA approach . 8 The ®rst cosmonauts . .......................... 12 Pilot-astronauts not scientist-astronauts ................. 13 Science and manned space ¯ight ......................... 13 NASA's long-term planning 1959±64 ................... 14 In a packed programme ... ........................ 17 Science and manned orbital space ¯ight 1961±76 ............... 19 Salyut, Skylab and Spacelab ± orbital research labs for scientists? 22 References ........................................ 23 vi Contents 2 Scientists as Astronauts................................ 25 An essential part of future exploration ..................... 26 Under careful study .............................. 27 Taking immediate steps ........................... 29 Reasonably strong case for immediate selection ............ 30 Selecting the selection board ........................ 32 A change in selection criteria............................ 34 A new breed of astronaut .......................... 35 Going through the process ......................... 36 NASA's astronaut selection process.................... 37 Scientists as cosmonauts ............................... 39 Voskhod ± the ®rst opportunities ..................... 40 Academy of Sciences Cosmonaut Group . .............. 42 Lack of assignments.............................. 43 Demise of the scientist-cosmonaut group . .............. 43 Waiting for the call .............................. 44 Military scientists ............................... 44 Physician cosmonauts............................. 45 Other selections................................. 46 Science not a priority ............................. 46 Changes in selection.............................. 48 A good career move? ............................. 48 References ........................................ 48 3 The Scienti®c Six ................................... 51 A gamble for glory .................................. 51 A propaganda machine............................ 52 Testing the candidates ................................ 52 Garriott's diary ................................. 54 The chosen few..................................... 57 Owen K. Garriott ................................... 57 In the footsteps of pioneers ......................... 58 An interesting proposition .......................... 61 Edward G. Gibson .................................. 62 An inauspicious start ............................. 63 Changing careers ................................ 65 Joseph P. Kerwin ................................... 66 Just like Copernicus.............................. 67 Flight surgeon school ............................. 70 F. Curtis Michel .................................... 71 A career in science .............................. 72 Rice University ................................. 73 Harrison H. Schmitt ................................. 76 Hereditary interest in geology ....................... 76 Looking at the Moon............................. 79 Contents vii Duane E. Graveline.................................. 80 Early in¯uences................................. 80 Flight surgeon ................................. 81 A time of devastation. .......................... 84 Other roads to travel . .......................... 86 The ``almost'' scientist-astronauts (1965) .................... 88 References ........................................ 91 4 School for Scientists.................................. 93 Flight training ..................................... 93 Screaming Purvis................................ 97 Technical assignments and the AAP Of®ce ............... 99 Work begins in earnest. .......................... 100 General training .................................... 102 General training plan ± 1966 ........................ 102 General training overview .......................... 102 Science and technology summary courses ................ 103 Operational brie®ngs . .......................... 105 Spacecraft systems training ......................... 106 Wilderness and survival training ...................... 109 Control task training . .......................... 111 Launch vehicle abort training ....................... 114 Aircraft ¯ight programme .......................... 115 A hectic diary ..................................... 115 References ........................................ 116 5 The Excess Eleven ................................... 117 A second selection................................... 117 The screening process. .......................... 118 The Group Six selection ............................... 121 Joseph P. Allen IV .................................. 122 A distinguished heritage . .......................... 122 Deciding on a future . .......................... 124 Philip K. Chapman .................................. 126 Growing up in Australia. .......................... 126 International Geophysical Year ...................... 128 Anthony W. England................................. 130 A family on the move . .......................... 131 A real turning point.............................. 133 Karl G. Henize..................................... 135 Just like Daniel Boone . .......................... 135 The skies and a thesis . .......................... 137 Donald L. Holmquest ................................ 139 A strong educational discipline....................... 139 Applying to NASA .............................. 142 viii Contents William B. Lenoir ................................... 142 A natural-born engineer ........................... 143 Research for Apollo.............................. 145 John A. Llewellyn ................................... 146 Early in¯uences................................. 148 Working in Ottawa .............................. 149 F. Story Musgrave .................................. 150 A childhood ®lled with despair ...................... 150 Settling into the Marine Corps....................... 152 Brian T. O'Leary ................................... 154 The in¯uence of the heavens ........................ 154 Overcoming the obstacles .......................... 157 RobertA.R.Parker.................................. 157 Astronomy beckons .............................. 159 Reasons against selection .......................... 160 William E. Thornton ................................. 161 A fascination with anything aeronautical . .............. 162 Introducing electronics into medicine................... 164 The other ``almost'' scientist-astronauts (1967) . .............. 165 References ........................................ 168 6 ``Flying Is Just Not My Cup of Tea'' ...................... 171 Knuckling down to the task ............................ 173 Back to school ................................. 174 Flight training ..................................... 177 Strapping on the jets ............................. 181 Eleven becomes ten, then nine ....................... 183 Looking to the future ................................ 189 Jobs on the line