NASA's First Space Shuttle Astronaut Selection: Redefining the Right Stuff

Contents
Authors’ Preface
Colin Burgess
David J. Shayler
Acknowledgements
Foreword
Abbreviations and Acronyms
Prologue
1: Expanding on ‘The Right Stuff’
	PIONEERING THE SELECTION OF SHUTTLE ASTRONAUTS
		The call goes out
	MEETING THE ASTRONAUT CRITERIA
		Pathway to a whole new career
		A question of astronaut pay
	PREPARING TO TEST THE APPLICANTS
		Testing the candidates and a delay
	AN APPLICANT REFLECTS
	OTHER CANDIDATE VOICES
		Candidates as ‘Guinea Pigs’
	THE THIRTY-FIVE NEW GUYS (TFNG)
		The Stats
		A new era dawns in the Astronaut Office
	References
2: Who should fly?
	The Evolution of a Shuttle Crew
		NASA’s Astronauts of the First Generation
		Early developments
		Schedule Analytics Chart circa early 1970s
		An early status report
		Getting rid of irrelevant pilot training?
		Early ideas for crewing
		Defining the roles
		Creating the criteria
		A status report update
		The view from JSC
		Scientist-Astronaut’s role
		The future crewing plan
		The original selection plan
		Reality hits home
		But how many?
		Following a paper trail
	Pioneering Space Shuttle Astronaut Assignments (1969−1980s)
		To remain or to depart?
		Senior astronauts who also flew the Shuttle
		Passing the baton
	References
3: The new Pilot astronauts
	Daniel C. Brandenstein
	Michael L. Coats
	Richard O. Covey
	John O. Creighton
	Robert L. Gibson
	Frederick D. Gregory
	S. David Griggs
	Frederick H. Hauck
	Jon A. McBride
	Steven R. Nagel
	Francis R. Scobee
	Brewster H. Shaw
	Loren J. Shriver
	David M. Walker
	Donald E. Williams
	Some Notable But Unsuccessful Pilot Applicants
		Capt. Jane Leslie Holley, USAF
		Capt. Claude Milburn Bolton Jr., USAF
		Capt. Richard S. (Rick) Couch, USAF
		LCdr William V. (Bill) Cross II, USN
	References
4: The first Mission Specialists
	GUION S. BLUFORD, JR.
	JAMES F. BUCHLI
	JOHN M. FABIAN
	ANNA L. FISHER
	DALE A. GARDNER
	TERRY J. HART
	STEVEN A. HAWLEY
	JEFFREY A. HOFFMAN
	SHANNON M. W. LUCID
	RONALD E. McNAIR
	RICHARD M. MULLANE
	GEORGE D. NELSON
	ELLISON S. ONIZUKA
	JUDITH A. RESNIK
	SALLY K. RIDE
	M. RHEA SEDDON
	ROBERT L. STEWART
	KATHRYN D. SULLIVAN
	NORMAN E. THAGARD
	JAMES D. A. VAN HOFTEN
	SOME WHO NARROWLY MISSED SELECTION
		Millie Elizabeth Hughes-Wiley, BSc, PhD
		Byron Kurt Lichtenberg, Sc.B, Sc.D, S.M
		Richard John Terrile, PhD
		Carolyn Spencer Griner, BSc
		Mary Helen Johnston, BSc, PhD
	References
5: All change in the Astronaut Office
	INTRODUCING THE THIRTY-FIVE NEW GUYS
		Doubling the size of the Astronaut Office
		Standing out from the crowd
		In which we serve
		A bright bunch.
		Changing Times
	WALKING IN HALLOWED HALLS
	THE ASTRONAUT OFFICE EVOLVES
		Creation of an astronaut hierarchy
		Changing the ‘old school’
	BROADENING THE OPPORTUNITIES
	THE OTHER ‘ODD CRITTERS’
		Good but not exceptional
		A man for MOL
		The next generation
	SPACE SHUTTLE TAXI DRIVERS
	OFFICE REGENERATION - AGAIN
	References
6: Ascan Pioneers
	WHY AN ASCAN?
		Arriving at JSC
	SCHOOLING THE ASCANS
		The Red and the Blue
		Becoming a T-38 crewmember
		Homestead AFB
		Vance AFB
		Back in class
		The ‘real’ veteran astronauts
		High-flying extra-curricular studies
		Touring NASA field sites and contractors
		KC-135 Vomit Comet
		Spacesuits and EVA
		Dealing with the media
	NOW FOR THE REAL WORK
	THE LONG WAIT
		Social bonding
		End of the Ascan probation
		Reflecting on the first Ascan course
	References
7: Silver Pin Astronauts
	What Do Astronauts Do?
	TECHNICAL AND SUPPORT ASSIGNMENTS
		Astronaut Silver Pin
		The Pilot Pool
	ASTRONAUT SUPPORT ROLES EXPLAINED
	LAUNCH SUPPORT ROLES (KSC FLORIDA)
		Cape Crusaders
		Being an Astronaut Support Person
		Ascent Abort Support Roles
		Launch and Landing Helicopter Physician
		Weather Support
		Family Escort
		Brief HQ Guests
		Crew Transport Vehicle
	MISSION SUPPORT ROLES (JSC HOUSTON)
		Capcom
		Flight Data File
		Flight Simulation Laboratory
		Launch Systems Evaluation Advisory Team
		PAO Support
		Spacecraft Analysis
		Shuttle Mission Simulator
		Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory
		Weightless Environment Training Facility
		Chase Plane Team
		Tower
		Center Operations Directorate [COD]
		EOM Exchange Crew
		Crew Recovery Team
	MANAGEMENT SUPPORT ROLES
		FCOD Management Support
		Contingency Action Center
		Mishap Representative
	READY TO EARN THEIR ASTRONAUT WINGS
	References
8: Preparing to fly
	A NEW TRAINING PROTOCOL
		A change in direction
		Reviewing Shuttle crew training 1986
	SPACE SHUTTLE CREWING NOMENCLATURE
	THE ASTRONAUT ROLES ON A SHUTTLE CREW
		Which Mission Specialist does what?
		Crew responsibilities
		Key crew roles
	TRAINING THE SHUTTLE ASTRONAUTS
	NOVEMBER 1980 TRAINING STATUS
		Projection (1980)
		A different approach
	FLIGHT CREW TASKS CIRCA 1980
		Monitor/mode vehicle
		Malfunction safing/reconfiguration
		Crew system operations
		EVA operations
	FLIGHT DATA FILE
	CREW RESPONSIBILITIES
	THE TRAINING DIVISION (1986)
		The “just to be sure” syndrome
		Shuttle Training Division
		Training Hierarchy
	PLANNING A TRAINING CYCLE (Circa 1986)
		Cataloguing the training
		Standalone training flows
		Integrated Training
		Towards the 1990s
	SHUTTLE CREW TRAINING CYCLE
	SPACE SHUTTLE FLIGHT CREW TRAINING FACILITIES
		Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
	OTHER NASA LOCATIONS
		Ellington Field, Houston
		NASA Forward Operating Location, El Paso, Texas
		Sonny Carter Training Facility (SCTF)
		Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, Maryland
		Kennedy Space Flight Center (KSC), Florida
		Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), Huntsville, Alabama
		Additional locations
	DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD)
	FOREIGN LANDS
		Canada
		Europe
		Japan
		Russia
		Contractors
	PUTTING THEORY INTO PRACTICE
	T- MINUS AND COUNTING
	References
9: NASA’s All-Electric Flying Machine
	Nineteen More “New Guys”
		The real role of an astronaut
	Supporting the Flight Tests
		“We Want to Dust it Off First”
		“First the Good News…”
		Columbia soaks in space
	The First Flight-Suitable TFNG Candidates
	MCNAIR Injured
		The First Assignments
		America’s 206th Birthday Present
	An Operational Shuttle
		“We Deliver”
		Adapting to space flight… or not
	Space Adaptation Syndrome
		Events gather pace
		Moving Office
		Challenger takes up the challenge
	References
10: The TFNG take wings
	ASTRONAUTS AT LAST
		Ride Sally Ride
		STS-7 (June 18 – 24, 1983)
		Taking your turn in the barrel
		Becoming America’s First Woman in Space
		STS-8 (August 30 – September 5, 1983)
		The ‘Eyes’ patch
		A new and confusing numbering system
		Delivering Discovery
		Even more assignments
		STS-9 [STS-41A] (November 28 – December 8, 1983)
	SATELLITES, SPACEWALKS AND SCHEDULES
		STS-41B (February 3−11, 1984)
		STS-41C (April 6 – 13, 1984)
		Flight Control Operations Directorate (FCOD) Manpower Requirements
		First to depart
		The busy but frustrating summer of 1984
		STS-41D (August 30 – September 5, 1984)
		Refueling and retrieval
		STS-41G (October 4 – 13, 1984)
		STS-51A (November 8 – 16, 1984)
	A BUSY YEAR: 1985
		STS-51C (January 24 – 27, 1985)
		End of year flight assignments
		The Saga of 51E/51D
		Another new Orbiter is delivered
		Mission after mission
		STS-51D (April 12 – 19, 1985)
		STS-51B (April 29 – May 6, 1985)
		A “Death Star” in the payload bay
		STS-51G (June 17 – 24, 1985)
		Abort-to-Orbit
		STS-51I (August 27 – September 3, 1985)
		More assignments, changes and departures.
		STS-51J (October 3 – 7, 1985)
		STS-61A (October 30 – November 6, 1985)
		STS-61B (November 27 – December 3, 1985)
	MISSION IMPOSSIBLE
		STS-61C (January 12 – 18, 1986)
	SUMMARY
	References
11: “Go at throttle up”
	CHALLENGER
		STS-51L (January 28, 1986)
		The Rogers Commission
		A major malfunction
		Mir means Peace
	THE SPACE SHUTTLE RETURNS TO FLIGHT
		The mission that never was
	ASTRONAUT DEPARTURES
		Praising the workers
		Ground simulation ‘crews’
	ANNOUNCING A RETURN-TO-FLIGHT CREW
		A new Chief Astronaut and Deputy
	A DECADE ON
		Astronaut Science Support Group
		The last before the first
		“Gooooooood Morning Discovery!”
		STS-26 (September 29 – October 3, 1988)
		STS-27 (December 2 – 6, 1988)
	A FRIGHTENING CLOSE CALL
		Playing catch-up
		STS-29 (March 13 – 18, 1989)
		STS-30 (May 4 – 8, 1989)
		Assignments, retirements and another tragedy
		In a packed program
		STS-28 (August 8 – 13, 1989)
		STS-34 (October 18 – 23, 1989)
		STS-33 (November 22 – 27, 1989)
	SCHEDULES, SCIENCE COMMANDERS AND THE SOVIETS
		STS-32 (January 9 – 20, 1990)
		A visit to the Soviet Union
		STS-36 (February 28 – March 4, 1990)
		STS-31 (April 24 – 29, 1990)
		A fifth Orbiter at last
		A mouthwatering mission
		New crew assignments
	LEAKING ORBITERS
		Grounded
		Vandenberg makeover
		Supporting but not flying
		STS-38 (November 15 – 20, 1990)
		STS-35 (December 2 – 10, 1990)
	A NEW DECADE DAWNS
	References
12: The Final Countdowns
	Into the Twilight of an Era
		Into the second decade
		STS-37 (April 5 – 11, 1991)
		STS-39 (April 28 – May 6, 1990)
		STS-40 (June 5 – 14, 1991)
	Co-Operating with the Soviets
		STS-43 (August 2 – 11, 1991)
		Restored to flight status
		Senior roles in the office
		STS-48 (September 12 – 18, 1991)
		STS-44 (November 24 – December 1, 1991)
	International Spacelabs
		STS-42 (January 22 – 30, 1992)
		STS-45 (March 24 – April 2, 1992)
		STS-49 (May 7 – 16, 1992)
		A summer of departures
		STS-46 (July 31 – August 8, 1992)
		A Plus One
		STS-47 (September 12 – 20, 1992)
		Missiya Spetsialist Kosmonavt
		STS-53 (December 2 – 9, 1992)
		The Dogs of War
	Freedom to Become International
		STS-55 (April 26 – May 6, 1993)
		Taking a break from training
		STS-58 (October 18 – November 1, 1993)
		STS-61 (December 2 – 12, 1993)
		1994: A Barren Year
	A Three-Phase Program
		Do You speak Russian?
		An astronaut on Mir
		An astronaut’s training for Mir
		To go or not to go? That is the question
	THE First TFNG Visit A (Russian) Space Station
		Soyuz TM-21 (March 14 – July 7, 1995, Landing on Atlantis/STS-71)
		Lucid cosmonaut training
		STS-71 (June 27–July 7, 1995)
		STS-69 (September 7 – 18, 1995)
		“Dogs of Summer”
	The Longest Mission
		More Missions to Mir
		STS-75 (February 22 – March 9, 1996)
		STS-76 (March 22 – 31, 1996)
		STS-79 (September 16 – 26, 1996)
		The penultimate flight
		STS-82 (February 11 – 21, 1997)
	Dawn of a New Era
		History is made
	The Last Flight
		STS-93 (July 22 – 27, 1999)
	The Final Years in the Office
		The last of the TFNG leaves NASA
	Summary
	References
13: Flying a desk
	HANGING UP THE SPACE SUIT
		New opportunities
		Reaching out to the public
	WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
		Guion (Guy) Bluford, Jr.
		Daniel Brandenstein
		James Buchli
		Michael Coats
		Richard (Dick) Covey
		John Creighton
		John Fabian
		Anna Fisher
		Dale Gardner (1948−2014)
		Robert (Hoot) Gibson
		Frederick (Fred) Gregory
		S. David (Dave) Griggs (1939–1989)
		Terry (T.J.) Hart
		Frederick (Rick) Hauck
		Steven Hawley
		Jeffrey Hoffman
		Shannon Lucid
		Jon McBride
		Ronald McNair (1950–1986)
		Richard (Mike) Mullane
		Steven Nagel (1946–2014)
		George (Pinky) Nelson
		Ellison (El) Onizuka (1946–1986)
		Judith (Judy) Resnik (1949–1986)
		Sally Ride (1951–2012)
		Francis (Dick) Scobee (1939–1986)
		Margaret (Rhea) Seddon
		Brewster Shaw, Jr.
		Loren Shriver
		Robert (Bob) Stewart
		Kathryn (Kathy) Sullivan
		Norman (Norm) Thagard
		James (“Ox”) van Hoften
		David Walker (1944–2001)
		Donald Williams (1942–2016)
	MOVING ON
	References
14: Reflections
	A Matter of Time
	2018: A Ruby Year
	A ‘throwback mission’
	Reflections from the Class of ’78
	JSC Oral History Project
	Summary
	References
15: The legacy
	A Close-Knit Group
	For the record
	The Legacy of the TFNG
	NASA After the TFNG
	New Roles in the Astronaut Office
	The first of a new generation
	References
Afterword
APPENDIX 1
	NASA CLASS OF 1978 ASTRONAUT APPLICANTS
	FIRST GROUP OF (20) ASTRONAUT APPLICANTS (AUGUST 2, 1977)
	SECOND GROUP OF (20) ASTRONAUT APPLICANTS (AUGUST 16, 1977)
	THIRD GROUP OF (20) ASTRONAUT APPLICANTS (AUGUST 29, 1977)
	FOURTH GROUP OF (20) ASTRONAUT CANDIDATES (SEPTEMBER 19, 1977)
	FIFTH GROUP OF (20) ASTRONAUT CANDIDATES (SEPTEMBER 26, 1977)
	SIXTH GROUP OF (20) ASTRONAUT APPLICANTS (OCTOBER 3, 1977)
	SEVENTH GROUP OF (20) ASTRONAUT APPLICANTS (OCTOBER 17, 1977)
	EIGHTH GROUP OF (20) ASTRONAUT APPLICANTS (OCTOBER 25, 1977)
	NINTH GROUP OF (23) ASTRONAUT APPLICANTS (NOVEMBER 7, 1977)
	TENTH GROUP OF (25) ASTRONAUT APPLICANTS (NOVEMBER 14, 1977)
APPENDIX 2
	THE CLASS OF 1978
APPENDIX 3
	GROUP 8 SPACE SHUTTLE EXPERIENCE
Appendix 4
	GROUP 8 EVA EXPERIENCE
Appendix 5
Bibliography
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	NASA JOHNSON SPACE CENTER ORAL HISTORY PROJECT
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Index