We are putting together a team.

In the wake of Sputnik 1, the U.S. needed to get serious about space.  This effort would include manned space launches.  The questions is who should go?

Transcript

Paula: 0:00

For the Best Aerospace Era this is mansplaining. Here is the host Anthony L. Sealey

0:11

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome. Whoever holds the high ground holds the advantage. There is no higher metaphoric high ground than space for the US to get there. A few vital components are needed in order for an ambitious space program to exist. First, the government needed the motivation, then a space agency to support and organize the various elements. Then someone with scientific expertise in rocket science would be needed, but most importantly, who is going to fly these experimental spacecrafts? We are going to have to put together a team. First, let's look at 1957. Dwight d Eisenhower was president. The Milwaukee Braves won the World Series defeating the New York Yankees. Hank Aaron was on that team. Also Jackie Robinson retired from baseball this year. Infamous serial killer Ed Gaine was arrested. A major hurricane named Audrey made landfall in Louisiana, killing 400 people. Sam Hanks won the Indianapolis 500. Elvis Presley's number one hit. Jailhouse rock was hitting the airwaves. Jimmy Hoffa was arrested on bribery charges. The Hamilton Watch company introduced the first electric powered wrist watch, and Auburn was a college football national champion. Those are just a few headline stories on your TV or radio or in the newspapers that you would see, but one event in October shocked the nation. Here's a headline printed in the Atlanta Journal Constitution in October, 1957. Sputnik whizzes by as thousands watch. Sputnik one was launched on October 4th, 1957. The satellite was launched from a Soviet complex near Baikonur Kazakhstan, using the intercontinental ballistic missile, the Semyorka or R seven Rocket. This scientific marvel occurred during the International Geophysical year. An unprecedented and cooperation and collaboration event between scientists from 67 nations to study the earth. And its atmosphere. Sputnik one was only a successful test that would set the stage for more ambitious space projects in the future. For the Soviets, the press and the attention globally brought shock and admiration. The Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev, and the Communist party officials saw this event. As a way to further their agenda. As I said before, throughout human history, whoever holds a high ground holds the advantage, and that's what the Soviet Union had achieved. If the R seven Rocket could deliver a satellite in orbit, then it could potentially deliver a human there as well. The more ominous realization was that the Soviets now had an intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM that could deliver a payload to anywhere on earth that includes atomic warheads of mass destruction. The Soviets had the high ground and the US government now had the motivation to get serious about space. On April 2nd, 1958, president Dwight d Eisenhower sent a message to Congress proposing with their support to the establishing of a space agency. In the message he emphasized it should be under civilian control rather than under the military. This is somewhat of a surprising decision by President Eisenhower as he was a highly decorated five star general of the US Army and the architect of the invasion of Normandy during World War ii. In his message, he said, a civilian setting for the administration. Of the space function would emphasize the concern of our nation, that outer space be devoted to peaceful and scientific purposes. The na CA, the National Advisory Committee of Aeronautics, a federal agency, formed all the way back in 1915 was the basis for this new administration. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration became official that July, 1958. So now the US had a government body to organize and spearhead the space effort. Now, as for rocket sciences, that of course would be Wernher von Braun and his team. If you listen to my episode, the Mouse Meet missile. Then you already have some background information on him. Von Braun and his team working out of the Army Ballistic Missile Agency, or A BMA out of Huntsville, Alabama used their rocket at Redstone to launch the US first satellite Explorer one on February 1st, 1958. This came after a failed attempt by the US Navy Project Vanguard. The McDonald Aircraft Corporation won the bid to build the first US spacecraft that would take an American into space. They designed and manufactured fighter jets for the US military, most notably the F four Phantom two. So they were our logical choice. This program to take a human into space for the first time in history would be named Project Mercury. By the way, has anyone seen a Mercury spacecraft or a Mercury capsule, as some people call it? You don't so much get into it as you put it on. There were openings for where your feet and legs fit into. It was very tight and cramped inside. We'll talk about the actual spacecraft in a future episode. Now? What should be the professional title for the humans that'd be launched into space? This was a whole new occupation. It was decided that these humans would be referred to as astronauts. The word astronaut is a combination of Greek words, astro, meaning star and naut, meaning sailor. But who should be considered for this endeavor? It was a lengthy process of around 500 candidates that were considered after our process of physical and psychological tests, seven were selected. Here they are in no particular order. Deke Slayton. Gus Grissom. Alan Shepherd. Wally Schirra. John Glenn Scott Carpenter, Gorden Cooper Let's have a look at their resumes and see why they were selected over so many other candidates. This will also indicate what kind of skills and background NASA was looking for in an astronaut. First there was Donald k Slayton, or Deke, as he would later be. Nicknamed Slayton was born in Sparta, Wisconsin in 1924. After graduating from Sparta High School, he joined the Army Air Corps in April, 1942. He served in the European Theater as a pilot in the hundred and 40th Bombardment Group. Slayton flew the legendary B 25 bomber in 56 combat missions in 1944. He returned to the US to be in his structure. However, world War II was not done with Slayton. In 1945, he returned to action in the Pacific Theater and flew seven more combat missions over Japan. Once the war was over, Slayton attended the University of Minnesota studying aeronautical engineering while serving in the Minnesota National Guard. He then went to work for Boeing for a short time before being recalled to service. He applied to be a test pilot and made his way to Edwards Air Force Base in the mid 1950s. This is where he got the nickname Deke, because there were two other test pilots named Donald serving there. He went by DK for a time, which morphed into Deke. He conducted test of a number of experimental jet aircraft while at Edwards. Next, let's have a look at Virgil. Ivan Grissom, better known as Gus Grissom. He was born in Mitchell, Indiana. On April 3rd, 1926, Grissom became an aviation cadet after graduating from Mitchell High School in 1944. However, he was discharged in November of 1945 as World War ii. Came to an end after graduating from Purdue University in 1950 with a degree in mathematical engineering. Grissom, finally received his pilot wings in 1951. Grissom, served as an F 86 fighter pilot in the Korean War. He flew a hundred combat missions in the 334th fighter interceptor Squadron. After the Korean War Armes, he became a jet pilot instructor. Grissom attended the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio to study aeronautical engineering. In 1955, he went on to the test pilot school at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Next we have Alan B. Shepherd Jr. Born on November 18th, 1923 in East Durry, New Hampshire Shepherd. Graduated from the US Naval Academy with a Bachelor's of Science degree in 1944. That same year Shepherd began his military career serving on the destroyer USS Cowell in the Pacific. After World War ii, he attended flight training at the Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi, Texas, and the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida. Shepherd received his naval aviation wings in 1947 assigned to the fighter squadron. He flew the F4U Corsair and served on the aircraft carrier. The US Franklin d Roosevelt in 1950 Shepherd attended the US Naval Test Pilot School at Naval Air Station, Patuxent River, Maryland. After graduating the following year, he was assigned to the fighter Squadron 193rd, and the carrier USS Oriskany in the Pacific. He returned after two tours. He resumed test flying and attended the Naval Air College Newport, Rhode Island. Next we have Walter m Schirra, Jr. Born in Hackensack, New Jersey on March 12th, 1923. You could say Walter or Wally Schirra was born to fly. His father was a fighter pilot in World War I. And both of his parents performed in air shifts in the 1920s. After graduating from Dwight Moore High School in 1940, he enrolled in the New Jersey Institute of Technology. However, he decided to attend the US Naval Academy after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1945 and served on the cruiser. US. S Alaska in the Pacific as aviation was in his blood. Schirra earned his wings in 1948 after flight training at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida. Schirra, served in the Korean War as an F 84 Thunder Jett pilot in the 154th fighter bomber Squadron, and flew 90 combat missions. After the Korean War, Schirra became a test pilot for the Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, California. He went on to attend the Naval Test Pilot school at Patt Tuck River, Maryland, and became a test pilot for the Navy, Are you beginning to see a pattern here. Next is a name most Americans are familiar with. John Glenn. Born John Herschel. Glenn Jr. On July 18th, 1921 in Cambridge, Ohio. He joined the Naval Aviation Cadet Program after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Graduated in 1943. Glen was commissioned in the Marine Corps in the 155th Fighter Squadron, he piloted the VF four U Corsair in 59 combat missions against the Japanese Empire. Glen remained in the Pacific after World War II with the 218th Fighter Squadron in the North China patrol in the years leading up to the Korean War. Glen was an advanced fight instructor and enrolled in the amphibious warfare school at Quantico, Virginia during the Korean conflict. He piloted the F 86 Saber. In 63 combat missions with the Marine fighter Squadron 111th, he also flew 27 more missions with the Air Force. In the years after the Korean conflict, he attended the test pilot school at the Naval Air Test Center at Patuxent River, Maryland Before being assigned to the fighter design branch of the Navy Bureau of Aeronautics in Washington from November, 1956 to April, 1959. Glen somehow also found time to attend classes at the University of Maryland. Next up we have Malcolm Scott Carpenter, born on May 1st, 1925 in Boulder, Colorado. Like the others on this list, he wanted to become a naval aviator to fight against the Japanese empire, so he became a training cadet. World War II would end before Carpenter was needed. So he enrolled at the University of Colorado to study aeronautical engineering in 1949. He joined the US Navy and received flight training in Corpus Christi, Texas and in Pensacola, Florida. He served in the Korean War, however, unlike the others mentioned, carpenter flew reconnaissance and anti-submarine patrol missions. He piloted the consolidated PB four Y two privateer and the consolidated B 24 liberator. He did not have a fighter pilot background like the others. After Korea. Carpenter went on to attend the Navy test pilot school at Patuxent River, Maryland in 1954 before being assigned to the electronics test division of the Naval Air Test Center. He did this from 1957 to 1958. Carpenter attended the Navy General Line School and the Navy Air Intelligence School. He was the air intelligence officer to the aircraft carrier, the USS Hornet. Last but not least, we have Gordon Cooper born, Leroy Gordon Cooper, Jr. On March 6th, 1927 in Shawnee, Oklahoma. You could also say Cooper was born to fly as well. His father served in the US Army Air Corps. And the US Air Force before retiring as a Colonel Cooper Sr. Took him up on his first plane ride at age five. Cooper was already flying solo in his early teens. Cooper's family moved to Murray, Kentucky as military families often moved around and graduated from the Murray High School in 1945. After high school. He served in the Marine Corps until 1946 Cooper then moved to Hawaii because that's where his parents moved and there he enrolled in the University of Hawaii. Cooper joined the US Air Force in 1949 after he completed flight training in the Perrin Air Force Base and in Williams Air Force Base in Arizona. He was assigned to the 86 Fighter Bomber Group in West Germany. He flew the F 84 Thunder Jett and F 86 Sabre from 1950 to 1954. In 1954, he returned back to the States to attend the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. His next move. Was to enroll in the Air Force Experimental Test Flight School at Edwards Air Force Base, California Cooper graduated in 1957. He serves as an aeronautical engineer and test pilot in the performance engineering branch of the test flight division at Edwards Air Force Base. I recommend the New Mexico Museum of Space History website, nm space museum.org. For a more detailed profile on the Mercury seven. Now you may be wondering, what does New Mexico have to do with the Mercury seven and space history? For one astronaut candidates went through a gauntlet of medical testing at the Loveless Clinic in Albuquerque, New Mexico, under the direction of Dr. William Randolph Loveless ii. Extensive medical testing were crucial in determining the candidates because keep in mind that in the 1950s, no one really knew if a human being could physically be launched into orbit, survive weightlessness, and then make it through Reentry Alive. Those in exceptional and optimal health were selected based on the test results from Dr. Loveless. He helped select the first astronauts. Now looking at their resumes from air combat missions, education from top universities, and their dedication to testing and flying experimental aircraft. They represented the Army, Navy, air Force, and Marines. And spent thousands of hours in the air piloting various jet aircraft that would later be chosen to be used for the US military. They were all former fighter pilots and some of them saw action with the exception of Scott Carpenter, and they all had engineering degrees with the exception of John Glenn. It is evident that they were all prime candidates. They went through places like Patuxant, Wright, Patterson, and Edwards. That's where you find the best jet pilots. Some say they had the right stuff, And this is the place they look to put a team together. Now, were there arguments for other sorts of pilots or those in the academic world? And also what about people of other races or genders? There were those arguments, but that's a story for another time. All of these men would eventually fly in space and become national icons, but not all would remain household names to this day. One of the Mercury. Seven astronauts would not fly on a Mercury spacecraft. He would actually have to wait more than a decade later after the program ended. Do you know which one? The point I wanna make here with this episode is that I believe it is important to look at the Mercury Seven's career and education here on Earth before reporting on what their accomplishments were in space. The Mercury seven, as they were known, were formerly introduced by NASA to the public and the world on April 9th, 1959 to great fanfare. How many current military test pilots can you name today? Deke Slayton, Gus Grissom, Alan Shepherd, Wally Schirra. John Glenn, Scott Carpenter and Gordon Cooper were thrust into the public's eyes and on the world stage that day during the press conference, it was stated. That one of the Mercury seven will be the first man in space. A reporter asks the seven, which one of you will be the first one in space? They all confidently raised their hands John Glenn actually raised both of his hands. Little did they know that on the other side of the earth, a man from Klushino Russia raised his hand first. Thank you so much for listening, and remember there is always a light at the end of the runway.

Paula: 26:53

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