NASA ASTRONAUT GROUP 1 April 1959 The Mercury Seven SELECTED CHRONOLOGY |
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DATE |
EVENT |
1957 |
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4 October |
The Soviet Union launches Sputnik, the world's first artificial satellite. |
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1958 |
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1 October |
The non-military National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is formally activated, replacing and ending the 43-year tenure of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). |
17 October |
A special committee is established at the Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, to determine the qualifications and attributes required from candidates for NASA's first astronaut team. |
5 November |
The Space Task Group (STG) is established at Langley, with Robert R. Gilruth as its director. |
26 November |
NASA's crewed satellite programme is officially designated Project Mercury. The primary objective of the project is to launch a man into Earth orbit, evaluate his capabilities in space and return him safely to the Earth. |
1 December |
A three-man panel, consisting of Charles J. Donlan, Warren J. North and Allen O. Gamble, brainstorms the process of choosing crewmembers to fly the Mercury missions. They draw up a civil service job specification for astronauts. The panel considers a range of experiences to evaluate who might possess the required skills. Aircraft pilots, submariners, deep sea divers and mountain climbers are among those considered to be likely prospects. |
9 December |
An aeromedical evaluation team drafts a tentative astronaut selection procedure. It is proposed that representatives from the US armed services and the aerospace industry nominate up to 150 candidates by 31 January 1959. From this group, up to 36 would be selected for more in-depth training that would see the group reduced to 12. They would then complete a nine-month training programme for a possible flight in Mercury. |
Late December |
In the final week of the year, this plan is rejected. NASA Administrator T. Keith Glennan, his deputy Hugh Dryden and Gilruth take the decision to restrict selection to serving military pilots. Their reasoning is that they would best fit the 'astronaut' role because they would simplify the selection process, already have experience in high-performance technical roles and would satisfy security requirements for handling possible classified information in the interests of national security. However, the irony of using military test pilots in a now clearly civilian space programme is not lost on the decision makers. In view of the preference expressed by the President for a space programme outside the military, which helped to create NASA in the first place, they decide to run the idea past President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Convinced by the arguments, the President authorises the suggestion. The selection for Mercury astronauts is now restricted to US citizens currently serving as military test pilots. This decision also precludes selecting any women, as female pilots were not allowed to undertake military test pilot training at this time. |
1959 |
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5 January |
NASA Headquarters establishes the qualifications required for consideration to be selected as a Project Mercury astronaut pilot. The selection criteria are:
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1 February - 14 March |
The records of 508 prospective military pilot candidates (225 Air Force, 225 Navy, 23 Marine Corps and 35 Army) are examined, from which 110 were qualified (58 USAF, 47 USN and 5 USMC). The list is reduced to three groups of 35 for further briefings (only two groups were actually processed) and exhaustive medical tests. This was subsequently reduced to 32 of the best-qualified candidates from the first two groups as finalists, from which the Mercury astronauts would be chosen for specialist training. Interest in the group was so high that the expected drop out would be less than predicted, so the decision was made to reduce the original 12 finalists to six, in part to avoid training more than would fly. After all the tests and investigations were completed there were 18 candidates remaining. Gilruth found it difficult to select just six of them, so ultimately seven were chosen. |
9 April |
At a press conference in Washington, D.C., Dr. T. Keith Glennan announces that seven pilots have been selected for the Mercury programme. They are:
|
27 April |
The seven Project Mercury astronauts (The 'Mercury Seven') report for duty at NASA Langley to start their training programme, which began the following day. Over the next three months the astronauts would become acquainted with the broader aspects of the Mercury programme. |
May |
During this period, the astronauts, together with other NASA personnel, devote a significant amount of study to the cockpit design of the Mercury spacecraft. In particular: the routine and emergency flight procedures; the anthropometric dimensions of the seven astronauts (which had revealed flight safety inadequacies in the early layout of the cockpit); and a review of cockpit layout requirements. These studies were conducted using the dimensions of each astronaut wearing a full pressure garment, in both routine unpressurised and pressurised states and according to each astronaut's ability to reach any control under both routine and emergency conditions. |
July |
Each of the seven astronauts is assigned a specialty area, to become participating members of Project Mercury co-ordination meetings around the country. Their technical assignments are:
|
July |
The seven astronauts conduct disorientation flights on the three-axis space simulator at the Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio. |
6 August |
Four F-102 aircraft are made available for the Mercury astronauts to use to maintain their proficiency in high-performance vehicles. |
15 August |
The seven astronauts begin their initial centrifuge training at the Aviation Medical Acceleration Laboratory (AMAL), Johnsville, Pennsylvania, using equipment that simulates the Mercury spacecraft. |
5 November |
The seven astronauts are fitted with pressure suits and instructed in their use at the B.F. Goodrich Company, Akron, Ohio. |
16-20 November |
Wearing their Mercury pressure suits, each astronaut is familiarised with the expected re-entry heat pulse, at the Navy Aircrew Equipment Laboratory, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. |
31 December |
The Mercury Seven complete their basic and theoretical studies of Project Mercury and move on to practical engineering studies. This phase of the programme is designed to provide a background in basic astronautical sciences and includes such subjects as 'Space Climate' and 'Astronomy of the Universe'. Shortly afterwards, the astronauts would begin a practical training programme that would include egress training, methods of arresting rapid spacecraft motion and familiarisation with the weightless conditions of space flight. |
Also in December |
During the month, the Mercury astronauts began a weightless flying training programme. This was accomplished by them flying F-100 aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Eating, drinking and psychomotor tests were conducted while they were in a weightless state. |
1960 |
|
February |
The astronauts receive two days of instruction in star recognition and celestial navigation, presented by Dr. James Balten at the Morehead Planetarium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The objective was to assist the astronauts in correcting spacecraft yaw drifts and included practical experience on a motorised trainer that simulated the view of the celestial sphere through the spacecraft observation window. |
7-10 March |
Using the rear part of a C-131B aircraft that had been cleared of seating and had padding installed, the astronauts follow a training programme in free-floating during parabolic flights at the Wright Air Development Center, Ohio. About 90 parabolas of 12-15 seconds of weightlessness each were flown. The objective was to present the astronauts with orientation problems while floating in weightlessness, with their eyes open or closed during the exercise. The astronauts also attempted to use some tools and move weights while they were floating around in the aircraft. |
28 March - 1 April |
The astronauts receive their first open-water egress training in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, in co-operation with the Navy's School of Aviation Medicine. The average egress time is about four minutes, from a completely harnessed position in the spacecraft to being in the life raft. This training is conducted in conditions of 10-foot (3 m) swells and passes without problems. |
12 July |
Beginning on this date, the astronauts undergo a five-and-a-half-day course in 'desert survival' training at the Air Training Command Survival School, Stead Air Force Base, Nevada. While landing in such a location was unlikely, the possibility existed and this training would provide experience of surviving in desert conditions until recovery. The course included a day and a half of academics, one day of field demonstrations and three days of isolated remote-site training. Survival equipment of the type installed in the Mercury spacecraft would be used, to provide the most realistic simulation. |
August |
During this month, the astronauts complete side-hatch egress training, with no difficulties encountered. The astronauts are also briefed on the Tiros weather satellite project as a means of providing them with information that could be used to recognise and report on weather phenomena during orbital flight. |
21 September |
A third programme of weightless training is provided, using a modified C-135 jet aircraft. On previous courses, the F-100 had provided 40 to 50 seconds of weightlessness, while the C-131 provided about 15 seconds. In the C-135, the astronauts experienced about 30 seconds per parabola. During the flights, the astronauts were also checked for changes in their normal speech and their ability to control a tracking problem while undergoing moderate G-loads prior to the weightless part of the trajectory. |
3-21 October |
A third centrifuge programme is conducted at the AMAL, with no difficulties encountered. This was the final major centrifuge training programme in preparation for the first crewed Mercury-Redstone flight. |
1961 |
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3 January |
The STG, charged by NASA to conduct Project Mercury and other crewed space flight programmes, officially becomes a separate NASA field element, directly under NASA Headquarters. Previously, the STG was organised under the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland and was administratively supported by the Langley Research Center. |
19 January |
Alan Shepard is identified to the group as the first American assigned to fly a Mercury spacecraft into space. |
January |
During this month, the astronaut training focuses on a close study of spacecraft systems, in final preparation for the first crewed space flight. The Operations Division of the STG presents a series of lectures in support of this training. |
14 February |
Following his nomination by the President as [the 2nd] Administrator of NASA on 30 January 1961, James E. Webb is sworn into office, replacing T. Keith Glennan. |
21 February |
John Glenn, Gus Grissom and Alan Shepard are officially named to special training for the first crewed Mercury flight. Shepard would fly the first mission and Grissom the second. Glenn would serve as Back-Up (BUp) for both and possibly fly a third sub-orbital mission. |
4 April |
Glenn, Grissom and Shepard begin a refresher course in the AMAL centrifuge in preparation for the first crewed Mercury-Redstone sub-orbital flight. |
12 April |
Soviet cosmonaut Yuri A. Gagarin becomes the first person in space, orbiting the Earth in a 108-minute, single-orbit flight aboard Vostok. |
5 May |
Alan Shepard becomes the first American in space as pilot of Mercury-Redstone 3 ("Freedom 7"), a 15-minute sub-orbital flight. Support roles: Glenn as BUp; Deke Slayton as Capcom, Mercury Control, Cape Canaveral; Gordon Cooper as Capcom Blockhouse, Cape Canaveral. |
8 May |
Shepard is awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal by President John F. Kennedy during a ceremony at the White House. |
25 May |
President Kennedy calls for a national goal by the end of the decade, to land a man on the Moon and bring him safely back to Earth. |
29 May |
Between this date and 30 June, a centrifuge training programme is conducted at AMAL, entirely directed towards training the astronauts for the Mercury-Atlas orbital missions. |
21 July |
Gus Grissom almost drowns during recovery operations after flying Mercury-Redstone 4 ("Liberty Bell 7") on the second and last 15-minute sub-orbital Mercury mission. Support roles: Glenn as BUp; Shepard as Capcom, Mercury Control Center; Slayton as Capcom Blockhouse, Cape. |
22 July |
Grissom is awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal by NASA Administrator James Webb following the MR-4 press conference at Cape Canaveral. |
31 July - 15 September |
With two crewed Mercury-Redstone sub-orbital missions successfully completed, the centrifuge training programme for the astronauts at AMAL focuses on the Mercury-Atlas orbital missions. |
6-7 August |
Cosmonaut Gherman Titov flies Vostok 2, the world's first 24-hour mission (1 day 1 hr, 17 orbits), one of the objectives of the Mercury programme. |
August |
A NASA site selection team, headed by John F. Parsons, Associate Director of the Ames Research Center, California, tours possible mainland US sites to find a permanent location for a crewed spacecraft center. |
19 September |
NASA Administrator James Webb announces that the new NASA centre for human space flight would be constructed on a 405 hectare (1,000 acre) site donated by Rice University, south-east of Houston in Harris County, Texas. The STG would move from Langley Field, Virginia to Houston, Texas. |
1 November |
The Space Task Group (STG), the organisation charged with directing Project Mercury and other crewed space flight programmes, is re-designated as the Manned Spacecraft Center, with Robert R. Gilruth as Director. |
13 November |
The uncrewed Mercury-Atlas 4 mission (1 orbit) is flown. Monitoring the flight from the Capcom consoles are: Al Shepard, Gus Grissom and John Glenn at Mercury Control and Deke Slayton in the Bahamas. |
29 November |
Mercury-Atlas 5 is flown with 'astro-chimp' Enos (3 hrs 20 min; 2 orbits). Monitoring the mission from Capcom consoles are: Grissom and Glenn at Mercury Control, Scott Carpenter in the Blockhouse and Shepard in Bermuda.
John Glenn is named as Pilot for MA-6, the first US crewed orbital flight, with Scott Carpenter as his back-up. The other five astronauts concentrate their efforts on various engineering and operational roles in the Manned Spacecraft Center in preparation for the mission.
Deke Slayton is assigned as Pilot for MA-7 (Delta 7) with Wally Schirra as his back-up. |
6 December |
Shepard and Grissom are awarded the first Astronaut Wings by their respective services, in a joint ceremony. |
12-13 December |
Spacecraft egress exercies are conducted for the Mercury astronauts at Back River near Langley Field. This training was especially undertaken for the pilots assigned to the crewed orbital missions and for the helicopter recovery teams. During the exercise, the astronauts made both top and side hatch egresses from the spacecraft and no problems were encountered. |
1962 |
|
At Some Point |
Gus Grissom is assigned as the Astronaut Office representative for developpment issues relating to controls & displays and crew compartment layout on Mercury Mark II (which is renamed as Gemini in January 1962). |
20 February |
John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit the Earth as pilot of the Mercury-Atlas 6 (Friendship 7) mission (4 hrs 55 min, 3 orbits). Assignments for the other astronauts were: Scott Carpenter - BUp and Blockhouse Capcom; Al Shepard and Deke Slayton - Mercury Mission Control Capcoms; Gus Grissom - Bermuda Capcom; Wally Schirra - California Capcom; Gordon Cooper - Muchea Capcom. |
23 February |
In a ceremony at Cape Canaveral, President John F. Kennedy awards the NASA Distinguished Service Medal to John Glenn. |
9 March |
Glenn receives his Astronaut Wings in a ceremony at The Pentagon, Washington, D.C. |
15 March |
Scott Carpenter is announced as Pilot for MA-7, replacing Deke Slayton who had been medically grounded. Wally Schirra would remain as BUp Pilot for the mission. |
24 May |
Scott Carpenter flies the Mercury-Atlas 7 (Aurora 7) mission (4 hrs 56 min, 3 orbits). Assignments for the other astronauts were: Schirra - BUp Pilot; Grissom - Mercury Mission Control Capcom; Shepard - California Capcom; Cooper - Guaymas Capcom; Slayton - Muchea Capcom. |
27 May |
Carpenter is awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal by NASA Administrator James Webb during a ceremony at Cape Canaveral. |
25 June |
Carpenter becomes the fourth individual to receive his Astronaut Wings from his military service. |
27 June |
Wally Schirra is named as Pilot for Mercury-Atlas 8, with Gordon Cooper as his BUp. |
1 July |
The relocation of the Space Task Group (STG) from Langley to the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC) in Houston is completed. |
11 July |
Deke Slayton becomes Senior Manager of the Astronaut Office, responsible for operational, engineering and planning issues within NASA's Manned Space Flight Research Programs (Mercury-Gemini-Apollo). |
11-15 August |
Soviet cosmonauts fly the joint missions Vostok 3 (Andrian Nikolayev - a record 3 days 22 hrs 28 min, 64 orbits) and Vostok 4 (Pavel Popovich - 2 days 22 hrs 56 min, 48 orbits). |
17 September |
NASA names 9 new astronauts for Group 2. |
18 September |
The medically grounded Deke Slayton is designated Coordinator for Astronaut Activities at MSC, Houston, with responsibility for directing the newly created Astronaut Office. |
3 October |
Wally Schirra flies the Mercury-Atlas-8 (Sigma 7) mission (9 hrs 13 min, 6 orbits). Assignments for the other astronauts were: Cooper - BUp Pilot; Slayton - Mercury Mission Control Capcom; Grissom - Hawaii Capcom; Glenn - California Capcom; Shepard Tracking ship Coastal Sentry Quebec Capcom; Carpenter - Guaymas Capcom. |
15 October |
Schirra receives the NASA Distinguished Service Medal from NASA Administrator James Webb during his hometown ceremony in New Jersey. |
16 October |
Schirra receives his Astronaut Wings. |
13 November |
Gordon Cooper is named as Pilot for the 1-day Mercury-Atlas 9 orbital mission, with Al Shepard named as his BUp. |
1963 |
|
26 January |
MSC announces specialty technical assignments for the 16 Group 1 and 2 astronauts. For Group 1, these are:
|
15-16 May |
Gordon Cooper becomes the first American astronaut to remain in orbit for more than 24 hours, as Pilot of the Mercury-Atlas 9 (Faith 7) mission (1 day 10 hrs 19 min, 22 orbits). Assignments for the other astronauts were: Shepard - BUp Pilot and Mercury Control Center Capcom; Schirra - Mercury Control Center Capcom; Grissom - Guaymas Capcom; Carpenter - Hawaii Capcom; Glenn - Coastal Sentry Quebec Capcom. |
21 May |
Cooper receives his NASA Distinguished Service medal from President John F. Kennedy during a ceremony at the White House. |
29 May |
As with his predecessors, Cooper receives his Astronaut Wings from his military service. |
June |
Work on the proposed 3-day Mercury 10 (Freedom 7-II) mission is terminated and unconfirmed Pilot Al Shepard and his BUp Gordon Cooper are reassigned. |
12 June |
Testifying before the Senate Space Committee, NASA Administrator James E. Webb stated: "There will be no further Mercury shots." He felt that the energy an personnel that would be required to fly MA-10 and any other mission would be better applied to the Gemini and Apollo programmes. Therefore, after a period of 4 years 8 months and 7 days, America's first human space flight programme, Project Mercury, came to a close. |
14-19 June |
Soviet cosmonauts fly the missions of Vostok 5 (Valery Bykovsky - a new record 4 days 23 hrs 7 min, 82 orbits) and Vostok 6 (Valentina Tereshkova - 1st female in space - 2 days 22 hrs 50 min, 48 orbits). |
July |
During an Astronaut Office meeting, Deke Slayton reveals his plans to assign fellow Group 1 astronauts as Command Pilots for the initial two-man Gemini missions:
Mission Objective Prime Back-Up Gemini 3 1st crewed flight Al Shepard Gus Grissom Gemini 5 1st rendezvous & docking Wally Schirra Gemini 6 14-day marathon Gus Grissom Al Shepard |
July |
During a regular Monday morning pilots' meeting in the Astronaut Office, Slayton informs the group that the first crewed Gemini will be flown by Shepard (Command Pilot) and Tom Stafford (Pilot, Group 2), with Grissom and Frank Borman (Group 2) as their respective BUps. |
18 October |
NASA names 14 new astronauts for Group 3. |
October |
Al Shepard is grounded due to Meniere's disease, an inner ear ailment. |
20 November |
Having been permanently disqualified from flying, Deke Slayton resigns his commission as an Air Force Major to remain at NASA. |
21 November |
Deke Slayton becomes Assistant Director, Flight Crew Operations Directorate (FCOD), NASA MSC, Houston. |
November |
Al Shepard becomes the Chief of the Astronaut Office and is designated Chief Astronaut. |
22 November |
[35th] President John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas. Lyndon B. Johnson becomes the new [36th] US President. |
1964 |
|
16 January |
John Glenn becomes the first Group 1 astronaut to leave NASA, to enter business and politics. |
13 April |
Gus Grissom is named Command Pilot for the first crewed Gemini, with John Young (Group 2) as his Pilot. Wally Schirra is named as BUp Command Pilot and Tom Stafford (Group 2) as BUp Pilot. |
8 July |
Deke Slayton, Assistant Director FCOD, announces new technical assignments for the astronaut group, now totalling 26 flight-active members from Groups 1, 2 and 3. Assignments for the remaining members of Group 1 are:
|
16 July |
Carpenter breaks his lower left arm in a motorcycle accident and is grounded from participation in Sealab I. |
9-17 October |
Cooper serves as Capcom, Gemini Control, Cape Kennedy (as Cape Canaveral was renamed on 29 November 1963), during ground test simulations of Gemini 2/Titan. |
12-13 October |
Soviet cosmonauts fly the Voskhod mission, the first to carry a crew of three (1 day 17 mins, 16 orbits). The crew is commanded by Vladimir Komarov (Soviet Air Force). Konstantin Feoktistov (Engineer) and Boris Yegorov (Doctor) become the first civilians in orbit. |
31 October |
Group 3 astronaut Ted Freeman is killed in the crash of his T-38 following a bird strike. He is the first astronaut to lose his life while on active duty with NASA. |
1965 |
|
8 January |
Gordon Cooper is named as Command Pilot for the eight-day Gemini 5 mission, with Pete Conrad (Group 3) as his Pilot. At the time, Deke Slayton was considering Cooper as BUp Command Pilot for Gemini 9 and then utilising his experience to assign him as Prime on Gemini 12, the last mission of the programme. |
19 January |
Cooper, together with Wally Schirra, Gus Grissom and Slayton, monitors the flight of the uncrewed Gemini 2 from the Gemini Control Center, Cape Kennedy. |
18-19 March |
Soviet cosmonauts fly the Voskhod 2 mission (Pavel Belyayev and Alexei Leonov - 1 day 2 hrs 2 min, 17 orbits). Leonov performs the first Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA or spacewalk) of 12 mins. |
23 March |
Gus Grissom becomes the first person to complete a second mission in space, as Command Pilot of Gemini 3 (Molly Brown), the first crewed flight of the programme (4 hrs 52 min, 3 orbits). John Young (Group 2) is the Pilot. Gordon Cooper serves as Capcom at Gemini Control Center, Cape Kennedy. |
5 April |
Wally Schirra is named as Command Pilot for Gemini 6, with Tom Stafford (Group 2) as his Pilot. The recently returned Gemini 3 crew of Grissom and Young are named as their respective BUps. |
3-7 June |
Group 2 astronauts Jim McDivitt and Ed White fly the Gemini 4 mission (4 days 1 hr 56 min, 66 orbits), during which White performs the first US EVA (36 min). Group 1 assignments: Shepard - Capcom Gemini MCC, Cape Kennedy; Grissom - Capcom Red Flight, MCC Houston. |
27 June |
NASA names 6 scientist-astronauts for Group 4. |
21-29 August |
Gordon Cooper becomes the first person to complete two orbital space missions as Command Pilot of Gemini 5 (with Group 2 astronaut Pete Conrad as Pilot). The mission set a new space endurance record of 7 days 22 hrs 55 min and 120 orbits. Group 1 assignments: Grissom - Capcom Gemini Control Center, Cape Kennedy. |
28 August - 25 September |
Scott Carpenter spends 28 days living on the ocean floor off the Californian coast, commanding two teams of divers aboard Sealab II. He becomes the first person to live in both inner and outer space. |
29 August |
Gordon Cooper, in orbit aboard Gemini 5, holds a brief conversation with Scott Carpenter who is on the ocean floor in Sealab II. It is the first conversation between inner and outer space. |
23 September |
Gordon Cooper replaces Gus Grissom as the Chief of the Astronaut Office Gemini Branch. |
25 October |
The launch of Gemini 6 (with Wally Schirra and Tom Stafford) is cancelled after the Agena target is lost during its own launch on an Atlas rocket. |
4-18 December |
Group 2 astronauts Frank Borman and Jim Lovell fly the Gemini 7 endurance mission (13 days 18 hrs 35 min, 206 orbits), setting a new duration record. Group 1 assignments: Grissom - Capcom Blue Flight, MCC Houston. |
15-16 December |
Command Pilot Wally Schirra and Pilot Tom Stafford fly the Gemini 6 mission (1 day 1 hr 51 min, 16 orbits) to rendezvous with the previously launched Gemini 7. |
December |
Gus Grissom becomes Chief of the Astronaut Office Apollo Branch. He is joined there by fellow Group 1 astronauts Wally Schirra and Gordon Cooper. |
Late 1965 |
Gus Grissom is identified as Commander for Apollo 1, Block 1 Command and Service Module (CSM), the first crewed mission. He is joined by Group 3 astronauts Donn Eisele (Senior Pilot) and Roger Chaffee (Pilot). Additionally, Wally Schirra is identified as Commander for Apollo 2/Block 1 CSM, with Senior Pilot Ed White (Group 2) and Pilot Walt Cunningham (Group 3). The two Senior Pilots would later swap crews after Eisele dislocated his shoulder during training in January 1966. |
At Some Point |
Scott Carpenter returns to NASA as Executive Assistant to the Director, MSC, Houston, Texas. |
1966 |
|
At Some Point |
Deke Slayton is promoted to Director, Flight Crew Operations, NASA MSC. |
3 February |
Scott Carpenter is assigned as Chief of the new Advanced Program Office within the Astronaut Office (later renamed Apollo Applications, then Skylab Branch Office). He also becomes liaison with the USN for underwater zero-g training (neutral buoyancy). |
28 February |
The Gemini 9 crew of Elliott See (Group 2) and Charles Bassett (Group 3) are killed when their T-38 strikes the roof of the McDonnell building in St Louis, Missouri, during a landing approach in fog. Their loss would result in a number of crew changes in the Gemini programme. |
16-17 March |
Neil Armstrong (Group 2) and Dave Scott (Group 3) fly the Gemini 8 mission (10 hrs 41 min, 6 orbits), which performs the first successful docking of two spacecraft in orbit but has to be aborted following the first critical in-flight system failure on a US spacecraft. |
21 March |
Gus Grissom is named as Commander for Apollo 1, with Ed White as Senior Pilot and Roger Chaffee as Pilot. |
4 April |
NASA names 19 new astronauts for Group 5. |
3-6 June |
Tom Stafford (Group 2) and Gene Cernan (Group 3), the BUps to the original crew of See and Bassett, fly the Gemini 9 mission (3 days 20 min, 47 orbits). Cernan performs an EVA that is cut short after 2 hrs 7 min due to exhaustion. |
27 June |
Gordon Cooper is named to a dead-end assignment as BUp Command Pilot for Gemini 12. |
18-21 July |
John Young (Group 2) and Mike Collins (Group 3) fly the Gemini 10 mission (2 days 22 hrs 46 min, 43 orbits). Collins performs a Stand-Up EVA (SUEVA) but his full EVA is aborted after 39 minutes due to concerns over thruster fuel. Group 1 assignments: Cooper - Capcom at Cape Kennedy and later for Black Flight at MCC Houston. |
12-15 September |
Pete Conrad (Group 2) and Dick Gordon (Group 3) fly the Gemini 11 mission (2 days 23 hrs 17 min, 44 orbits), during which Gordon's EVA is aborted after 38 minutes due his exertions overloading his spacesuit's environmental system. |
29 September |
Wally Schirra is named as Commander Apollo 2, with Donn Eisele (Senior Pilot) and Walt Cunningham (Pilot). |
11-16 November |
Jim Lovell (Group 2) and Buzz Aldrin (Group 3) fly the Gemini 12 mission, the last of the programme (3 days 22 hrs 34 min, 59 orbits). Aldrin performs a SUEVA and a fully successful EVA lasting 2 hrs 8 min. Group 1 assignments: Cooper - BUp Command Pilot to Lovell. |
17 November |
Wally Schirra, Eisele and Cunningham are reassigned as BUp crew, Apollo 1. |
1967 |
|
27 January |
A fatal pad fire at Pad 34, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida, claims the lives of the Apollo 1 (AS-204) prime crew of Virgil 'Gus' Grissom (Commander), Ed White (Senior Pilot) and Roger Chaffee (Pilot). |
31 January |
Gus Grissom is buried with full military honours at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia. |
23-24 April |
Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov flies the first crewed Soyuz mission (1 day 2 hrs 47 min, 18 orbits) but is killed in a fatal crash landing (24th). |
9 May |
Wally Schirra is named as Commander Apollo 7, with Donn Eisele (Command Module Pilot - CMP) and Walt Cunningham (Lunar Module Pilot - LMP). [Confirmed 20 November]. |
6 June |
Group 5 astronaut Ed Givens is killed in an off-duty automobile accident. |
10 August |
Scott Carpenter resigns from NASA to join the USN Deep Submergence System Project, Bethesda, Maryland, as a Director of Aquanaut Operations, Sealab III. He remains in this post until retiring from the USN in 1969. |
11 August |
NASA names 11 scientist-astronauts for Group 6. |
5 October |
Group 3 astronaut CC Williams is killed in the crash of his T-38. |
November |
Gordon Cooper is named as Chief of the Apollo Applications Program (AAP) Branch Office in the Astronaut Office. |
1968 |
|
14 May |
Al Shepard undergoes corrective ear surgery in Los Angeles. |
11-22 October |
Wally Schirra (commander), Donn Eisele (CMP) and Walt Cunningham (LMP) fly the Apollo 7 mission in Earth orbit (10 days 20 hrs 9 min, 163 orbits). The CSM-only mission is the first crewed flight of the Apollo programme. |
26-30 October |
Soviet cosmonauts also return to flight after tragedy, as Georgy Beregovoy flies Soyuz 3 (3 days 22 hrs 50 min, 81 orbits). |
13 November |
Gordon Cooper is named as BUp Commander (to Tom Stafford) for Apollo 10. |
21-28 December |
Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders fly the Apollo 8 mission (6 days 3 hrs, 10 lunar orbits), the first crewed mission to fly to and orbit the Moon. |
1969 |
|
3-13 March |
Mission Flown: Apollo 9 - Jim McDivitt, Dave Scott, Rusty Schweickart (10 days 1 hr, 151 Earth orbits). |
7 May |
Al Shepard is restored to full flight status. |
18-26 May |
Mission Flown: Apollo 10 - Tom Stafford, John Young, Gene Cernan (8 days 0 hrs 3 min, 31 lunar orbits). Group 1 assignments: Cooper - BUp Commander. |
1 July |
Wally Schirra retires from NASA and from the USN with the rank of Captain. |
16-24 July |
Neil Armstrong, Mike Collins and Buzz Aldrin fly the Apollo 11 mission (8 days 3 hrs 18 min, 30 lunar orbits). The mission is the first to land on the Moon (20 July), thus fulfilling President John F. Kennedy's commitment before the end of the decade. Armstrong and Aldrin perform the first EVA on the lunar surface (2 hrs 31 min). |
August |
Al Shepard is restored to flight status and relinquishes his role as Chief Astronaut (to Tom Stafford) to become eligible for flight assignment. Originally assigned to Apollo 13, his inexperienced crew is reassigned to Apollo 14 to allow more time for training. Gordon Cooper does not get the expected role of Commander of Apollo 13 that he was in line for after his BUp Apollo 10 assignment, nor does he receive another flight assignment. |
13 August |
NASA announces the transfer of 7 former USAF Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) astronauts to the NASA astronaut programme as Group 7. |
3 October |
Gordon Cooper is named as Assistant for the Space Shuttle Program, FCOD, NASA MSC, Houston. |
14-24 November |
Mission Flown: Apollo 12 - Pete Conrad, Dick Gordon, Al Bean (10 days 4 hrs 36 min, 45 lunar orbits). Second lunar landing mission. |
1970 |
|
11-17 April |
Mission Flown: Apollo 13 - Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, Fred Haise (5 days 22 hrs 54 min) Aborted lunar landing mission due to in-flight explosion. |
1-19 June |
Soviet cosmonauts Andrian Nikolayev and Vitaly Sevastyanov fly the Soyuz 9 mission, extending the space flight endurance record to 17 days 16 hrs 58 min and 288 Earth orbits. |
31 July |
Gordon Cooper retires from NASA and from the USAF with the rank of Colonel. |
1971 |
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31 January - 9 February |
Alan Shepard becomes the 5th man (and, at 47, the oldest to date) to walk on the Moon (5 February) as Commander of Apollo 14 (9 days 0 hrs 1 min, 34 lunar orbits). The only Mercury Seven astronaut to make it to the Moon, he flew this third lunar landing mission with Stu Roosa (CMP) and Ed Mitchell (LMP). |
5 February |
Al Shepard and Ed Mitchell complete a 4 hr 39 min lunar surface EVA at Fra Mauro, collecting samples and setting up Apollo Lunar Surface Experiment Package (ALSEP) instruments. |
6 February |
Al Shepard and Ed Mitchell complete a second lunar surface EVA (4 hrs 35 min) at Fra Mauro, aiming to reach the rim of Cone Crater. |
June |
Al Shepard resumes his role as Chief Astronaut. |
6-30 June |
Soviet cosmonauts Georgy Dobrovolsky, Vladislav Volkov and Viktor Patsayev fly the Soyuz 11 mission to the Salyut space station (23 days 18 hrs 21 min, 383 orbits), but are killed after cabin depressurisation during the recovery phase. |
26 July - 7 August |
Mission Flown: Apollo 15 - Dave Scott, Al Worden and Jim Irwin (12 days 7 hrs 11 min, 74 lunar orbits). Fourth lunar landing mission and the first to use the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV). |
1972 |
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13 March |
NASA announces that Deke Slayton is returned to full flight status. |
16-27 April |
Mission Flown: Apollo 16 - John Young, Ken Mattingly and Charlie Duke (11 days 1 hr 51 min, 64 lunar orbits). Fifth lunar landing mission. |
7-19 December |
Mission Flown: Apollo 17 - Gene Cernan, Ron Evans and Jack Schmitt (12 days 13 hrs 51 min, 75 lunar orbits). Sixth and final lunar landing mission of the Apollo programme. |
1973 |
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9 February |
Deke Slayton is named as Docking Module Pilot for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) Apollo 18 mission, with Tom Stafford (Commander) and Vance Brand (Group 5, CMP). |
25 May - 22 June |
Mission Flown: Skylab 2 - Pete Conrad, Joe Kerwin and Paul Weitz. This first US space station mission extends the space flight duration record to 28 days 0 hrs 49 min and 404 orbits. |
28 July - 25 September |
Mission Flown: Skylab 3 - Al Bean, Owen Garriott and Jack Lousma. This second Skylab mission further extends the duration record to 59 days 11 hrs 9 min and 858 orbits, the first space flight to exceed 50 days. |
16 November - 8 February 1974 |
Mission Flown: Skylab 4 - Jerry Carr, Ed Gibson and Bill Pogue. The third and final mission to Skylab sees the duration record extended to 84 days 1 hr 15 min and 1,214 orbits. The record would remain until the Soyuz 26/27 crew to Salyut 6 surpassed it in 1977/78 and it remained as a US crew record until Norman Thagard's 115-day stay aboard Mir in 1995. |
1974 |
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February |
Deke Slayton resigns as Director, Flight Crew Operations, in preparation for his upcoming space flight on ASTP. |
1 August |
Alan Shepard retires from NASA and from the USN with the rank of Rear Admiral. |
24 December |
John Glenn becomes a US Senator (D) for Ohio. He would remain in office until 3 January 1999. |
1975 |
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15-24 July |
Deke Slayton becomes the seventh and final member of the original Mercury Seven astronauts to enter orbit, as Docking Module Pilot for Apollo 18, the US half of ASTP (with Tom Stafford as Commander and Vance Brand as CMP). The mission lasted 9 days 1 hr 28 min and 148 orbits and was a joint docking flight with the Soviet Soyuz 19 mission (Alexei Leonov as Commander and Valeri Kubasov as Flight Engineer). Soyuz 19 flew for 5 days 22 hrs 30 min and 96 orbits. Slayton also became th first space traveller aged over 50 years (he was 51). |
December |
Deke Slayton is named as Manager for the Space Shuttle Approach and Landing Test (ALT) programme. |
1977 |
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November |
Deke Slayton is named as Manager for the Space Shuttle Orbital Flight Test (OFT) programme. |
1978 |
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16 January |
NASA selects 35 astronauts for Space Shuttle assignments as Group 8. The 15 Pilots and 20 Mission Specialists include the first female and ethnic minority selections. |
1981 |
|
February |
Deke Slayton is the last of the Mercury Seven to retire from NASA, but stays on in a temporary assignment as Manager of OFT. |
12-14 April |
Mission Flown: STS-1 the first crewed orbital flight test (OFT-1) of the Space Shuttle system (John Young and Bob Crippen - 2 days 6 hrs 20 min, 36 orbits). |
1982 |
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27 February |
Deke Slayton formally leaves NASA. |
1984 |
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The six surviving Mercury Seven astronauts - Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, Walter Schirra, Alan Shepard and Deke Slayton - unite with the goal of using their joint credibility to encourage students to pursue scientific endeavours, with the aim of keeping America at the leading edge of technology. Together with Betty Grissom (widow of the seventh astronaut Virgil 'Gus' Grissom), William Douglas, M.D. (the Project Mercury filght surgeon) and Henri Landwirth (the Orlando businessman and friend of the astronauts), this initial idea would lead to the formation of the Mercury Seven Foundation, which in turn would become the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF). The Foundation would provide scholarships for students that excel in the sciences. |
1993 |
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13 June |
Deke Slayton dies at the age of 69. |
1998 |
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16 January |
NASA Administrator Dan Goldin announces that John Glenn will be assigned as a Payload Specialist (PS) on the crew of Shuttle mission STS-95, to research aging. |
21 July |
Alan Shepard dies at the age of 74. |
29 October - 7 November |
John Glenn returns to space after 36 years as PS aboard STS-95 (Space Shuttle Discovery) The mission lasts for 8 days 21 hrs 43 min and 134 orbits. At the age of 77, Glenn becomes the oldest person to fly in space up to that time. |
1999 |
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3 January |
John Glenn retires from the US Senate after 24 years in office. |
2004 |
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4 October |
Gordon Cooper dies at the age of 77. |
2007 |
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3 May |
Walter Schirra dies at the age of 84. |
2013 |
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10 October |
Scott Carpenter dies at the age of 88. |
2016 |
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8 December |
John Glenn, last survivor of the Mercury Seven, dies at the age of 95, bringing to a close the 57+ year era of America's pioneering first group of astronauts. |
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