Overview
- Provides readers with a unique opportunity to read the story of how scientists were accepted into the American Space Programme and how their fortunes and careers were shaped by budgets, politics and flight opportunities
- For the first time provided are inside views of the workings of the Astronaut Office and American Space Programme
- Reveals how, after four difficult decades, the role of the heroic test pilot astronaut has been replaced by men and women who are science orientated space explorers
- Tells how the first scientists and physicians became assigned to command positions on the ISS
- Supplements for the reader the whole range of Springer-Praxis space science books
Part of the book series: Springer Praxis Books (PRAXIS)
Part of the book sub series: Space Exploration (SPACEE)
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Table of contents (12 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Back Matter
Keywords
About this book
Mounting pressure in the early 1960s from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to study ways of expanding the role of astronauts to conduct science on future space missions led to NASA’s conclusion that flying scientifically trained crewmembers would generate greater returns from each mission. NASA and industry studies continued investigating possibilities that could lead to the eventual creation of the first space stations using surplus Apollo hardware, through the Apollo Applications Programme (AAP). There was also a growing interest within the military to create their own manned space station programme, conducting on-orbit experiments and research with strategic advantages for national security. In October 1964 the Soviets launched Voskhod 1 whose 3-man crew were identified as the first ‘scientific passengers’ in space. A few days later NASA and the NAS had completed joint studies into the possibility of using scientists in the manned space programme, and invited scientists to apply for astronaut training. In selecting the first group of scientist-astronauts, NASA had one firm requirement; any person accepted into the programme would have to qualify as a military jet pilot. While the second group of scientists were completing their academic, survival and flight training programme, the remaining members of the first scientist-astronaut group were involved in supporting the developing Apollo Applications programme and the Apollo lunar programme.
Authors and Affiliations
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: NASA's Scientist-Astronauts
Authors: David J. Shayler, Colin Burgess
Series Title: Springer Praxis Books
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-49387-9
Publisher: Praxis New York, NY
eBook Packages: Physics and Astronomy, Physics and Astronomy (R0)
Copyright Information: Praxis 2007
Softcover ISBN: 978-0-387-21897-7Published: 18 September 2006
eBook ISBN: 978-0-387-49387-9Published: 19 September 2007
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XLV, 543
Additional Information: Jointly published with Praxis Publishing
Topics: Popular Science in Astronomy, Aerospace Technology and Astronautics, Astronomy, Observations and Techniques, Space Sciences (including Extraterrestrial Physics, Space Exploration and Astronautics)