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Biography
NASA Career
MSC Names Nine New Pilot Trainees
Reprinted from the JSC Space Roundup - September 19, 1962
Nine new Manned Spacecraft Center flight test pilots were presented to the
public Monday afternoon in a Houston press conference before being assigned to
a comprehensive training program designed to prepare them for possible space
flight.
The nine were Neil A. Armstrong; Air Force Major Frank Borman; Navy Lieutenant
Charles Conrad, Jr; Navy Lieutenant Commander James A. Lovell, Jr.; Air Force
Captain James A. McDivitt; Elliott M. See, Jr.; Air Force Captain Thomas P.
Stafford; Air Force Captain Edward H. White, II; and Navy Lieutenant Commander
John W. Young.
From these nine and the present seven astronauts will come the flight crews
for future space missions.
Their selection culminated more than six months of extensive evaluation of 200
volunteers.
The new test pilots will not all necessarily participate in actual space
flights, MSC Director Robert R. Gilruth stressed at the press conference.
"Assignment to flight crews," he said, "will depend upon the continuing
physical and technical status of the individuals concerned, and upon the
future flight schedule requirements.
"Important Role"
"The new flight test personnel will, however, have an important role in the
Manned Spacecraft Center space program, in addition to any flight participation.
This role will include contributions to engineering design, to the
development of future spacecraft, the monitoring of flights, and to the
development of advanced flight simulators."
The original invitation for volunteers for the flight test program was
announced last April. Criteria for selection included experience as a jet
test pilot, preferably still going on; status as an experimental flight test
pilot acquired either through military service, through aircraft industries,
or through NASA, or else a certificate of graduation from a military test
pilot school; a degree in physical or biological sciences, or in engineering;
U. S. citizenship; age less than 35 at the time of selection; a height of
six feet or less; and recommendation from the applicant's organization.
The qualifications were similar to those for the original seven astronauts,
but unlike earlier criteria opened the way for civilian volunteers. The new
standards also allowed candidates to be somewhat taller and reduced the age
limit required, the latter because of the long-range nature of the program.
From Seven States
The new pilots were born in seven of the United States, two each from Ohio
and Texas and one each from California, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Illinois and
Oklahoma. (The Project Mercury astronauts were born in Colorado, Oklahoma,
Ohio, New Jersey, New Hampshire and Wisconsin.)
Four Air Force, three Navy and two civilian pilots form the new group. The
Project Mercury team is composed of three Navy, three Air Force and one Marine
pilot.
The pilots selected in 1959 had an average of more than 3,500 hours flying
time, including 1,700 hours in jet aircraft. The new group has an
average of about 2,800 hours flying time, 1,900 of it in jets.
Average age of the new group is 32.5, compared to 34.5 year age average of
the seven Mercury astronauts. Average weight of the new pilots is slightly
over that of the first group-161.5 pounds as compared to 159 pounds. The new
pilots average only two-tenths of an inch taller than those already in the
program, however.
Applications were received until June 1 and each application was carefully
reviewed in terms of these basic qualification requirements. Each candidate
who met the five basic standards was required to take and complete a variety
of forms describing his academic background, flight and work experience in
detail. Each was required to take a medical examination and to forward the
results to MSC.
Selection Committee
A preliminary selection committee met in June to consider 63 of the most
highly-qualified applicants. The committee was composed of MSC management,
and representatives from the present group of astronauts.
Criteria such as flight test experience, academic achievement and present
supervisor's evaluation were studied.
Thirty-two of the most outstanding applicants were selected for further study.
This group included volunteers from all four military services and civilian
applicants.
During July and August, the group of 32 were given medical
examinations, and one was eliminated as being too tall. During the week of
August 12, the remaining 31 applicants reported to Houston for four days of
examinations and interviews. For the next few weeks, the selection committee
carefully reviewed and evaluated tests and interviews. Eventually, nine were
selected from which to draw flight crews for future missions.
"It is planned that in late stages of Apollo spacecraft development a third
group of flight test personnel will be selected to join those then available
as the pool from which Apollo flight crews will be chosen," personnel Director
Stuart Clarke said Monday.
Training Program
MSC Associate Director Walter C. Williams said that an intensive training
program will be implemented in miD-October for the new pilots.
"The early phases of this training program will
familiarize them with the Mercury spacecraft, launch vehicle and operational
techniques. They will then receive spacecraft and launch vehicle briefings on
Gemini and Apollo. As they become more familiar with Gemini and Apollo, they
will be assigned, together with the current Mercury pilots, to help establish
design and operational concepts," Williams said.
"Concurrent with the project-oriented aspects of the program, the men will
attend basic science lectures one or two days per week. Because of their
previous academic and occupational experience, most of the courses will be of
the refresher type. The basic program will place special emphasis on space
navigation, computer theory, flight mechanics, astronomy, physics of the upper
atmosphere and space, bioastronautics, advanced propulsion systems,
aerodynamics, guidance and control, space communications, global meteorology,
and selenology.
"During later phases of the training program, the pilots will work with static
and dynamic simulators to establish detailed flight operational procedures.
"NASA has established a special aircraft operations group in Houston to
provide proficiency flying for the pilots. T-33 and F-102 type aircraft are
being assigned.
"Although the early phases of this training program were tailored primarily
for the new pilots, the Mercury pilots will be integrated with the new group
immediately, and all will train together insofar as is practical," Williams
said.
John W. Young
John W. Young was born in San Francisco, Calif. Sept. 24, 1930.
He graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1952 with a bachelor of
science degree in aeronautical engineering.
Young joined the Navy in June of 19S2. His last assignment was as maintenance
officer for Fighter Squadron 53 at the Naval Air Station, Miramar, Calif.
Earlier this year he set world time-to-climb records for the 3,000 meter and
25,000 meter events in Project High Jump. He has logged 2,300 hours flying
time, including 1,600 hours in jet aircraft.
From 1959 until 1962 he was program manager and test pilot for the Navy's
F4H project, flying and writing technical reports and test results for
preliminary evaluation by the Navy.
His father, William Young, lives in Orlando, Fla. Young is five feet, nine
inches tall, weighs 173 pounds, has brown hair and green eyes.
He is married to the former Barbara Vincent White of Savannah, Ga. and they
have two children, Sandra, 5 and John, 3.
His hobbies include swimming, water skiing and physical fitness exercises. He
is also a member of Toastmasters International.
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