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This group was known as theNext Nine and featured a group of test pilots who became some of the most iconic and experienced astronauts ever selected by NASA. Sadly, See was killed before he could fly in space, but the others would go on to make 25 flights into space between 1965 and 1983 covering Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, ASTP and Space Shuttle era’s. All, except See, flew on Gemini missions. Ed White became the first American to walk in space, but was killed in 1967 during the Apollo 1 pad fire. The remaining members went on to fly Apollo missions. Frank Borman commanded the first manned lunar orbital mission, Neil Armstrong becoming the first man to walk on the moon. Pete Conrad and John Young also commanded later lunar landing missions. Conrad would also commandd the first Skylab space station mission whilstYoung went on to command the first and ninth space shuttle mission, finally retiring in 2004 after 42 years service as an active NASA astronaut, a record unlikely to be broken.
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