NASA’s ‘MOL(mag)nificent’ seven

Abstract

The arrival of seven new faces in the Astronaut Office in the fall of 1969 differed from previous selections in many ways. For ten years and six selection programs, NASA had followed a clear process, with listed criteria, several rejection points, extensive interviews, and an intensive program of medical examinations. But for the Class of ‘69 there were none of these, as each man had already undergone that process under the USAF Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) program. Only two basic selection criteria applied this time; successful applicants had to be under the age of 36, and the pool of potential candidates was strictly limited to just the 14 serving MOL astronauts. This was not a selection as such, merely a transfer of management from the USAF to NASA, the first and, to date, only time this has occurred in nearly 60 years and more than 20 classes of NASA astronaut selections.

“Well, at least around me, we were all enthusiastic about the Air Force beginning to be interested in space with the Manned Orbiting Laboratory. If that had flown I’m sure we would have had a much more vigorous space program.”

George Mueller, Associate Administrator of NASA’s Office of Manned Space Flight (1963-1969)