Summary of Ryan S. Walters' Apollo 1

Everest Media

Description

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book.
Sample Book Insights:
#1 The first astronauts were chosen in 1959. They were military test pilots who were eager to fly in space. They were terrified of public exposure, but they were willing to accept it to fly in space.
#2 When World War II ended, Gus was discharged from the Air Force. He married Betty in 1945, and the couple began their life together in Mitchell. But jobs were scarce, and good jobs rarer still.
#3 Gus knew that his career would not have been possible without a supportive wife at home. Betty was as much a part of his success as he was. She liked to joke that she had earned a P. H. T. , Putting Hubby Through.
#4 In the late 1950s, America was engaged in a new conflict: spaceflight. The initial battle over satellites was winding down, and now the goal was manned spaceflight under the federal government’s new agency, NASA.

Sujets

• Astronomie
• Astrophysique
• Science
• General
• General officer
• Sciences et techniques
• Space Science

Informations

• Publié par: Everest Media LLC
• Date de parution: 18 juillet 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9798822544673
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Insights on Ryan S. Walters's Apollo 1
Contents Insights from Chapter 1 Insights from Chapter 2 Insights from Chapter 3 Insights from Chapter 4 Insights from Chapter 5 Insights from Chapter 6
Insights from Chapter 1

#1

The first astronauts were chosen in 1959. They were military test pilots who were eager to fly in space. They were terrified of public exposure, but they were willing to accept it to fly in space.

#2

When World War II ended, Gus was discharged from the Air Force. He married Betty in 1945, and the couple began their life together in Mitchell. But jobs were scarce, and good jobs rarer still.

#3

Gus knew that his career would not have been possible without a supportive wife at home. Betty was as much a part of his success as he was. She liked to joke that she had earned a P. H. T. , Putting Hubby Through.

#4

In the late 1950s, America was engaged in a new conflict: spaceflight. The initial battle over satellites was winding down, and now the goal was manned spaceflight under the federal government’s new agency, NASA.

#5

NASA wanted military test pilots to serve as America’s original astronauts, even though they were not sure if the pilots would be able to join a civilian agency. The 110 pilots who were chosen had to meet several basic qualifications: they had to be younger than 40, in good physical condition, under 5'11 tall and not over 180 pounds, and have a bachelor’s degree.

#6

Gus was test flying for the Air Force when he was invited to join Project Mercury, the effort to put a man in space. He knew instantly that this was where the future of test piloting lay, but he was still undecided. He wanted to go for it, but he needed to consider his family.

#7

The final seven astronauts were sent to the Lovelace Clinic in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for extensive physical and psychological testing to determine the best group to conduct space flights. The media knew as much.

#8

The seven astronauts were introduced to the public, and within three weeks, they began training at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia for the first American spaceflight. They all wanted to be first, but it would not be up to them to decide when the nation would launch a man into space.

#9

The group of astronauts was a good cross-section of military test pilots: three from the Air Force, three from the Navy, and one Marine; ages 32 to 37; IQs ranging from 135 to 147; all married with children; and all eager to be first.

#10

Gus was a quiet, low-key man, but he was also a focused worker who demanded the best from himself and others. He was a team leader and an independent thinker, but he encouraged input from the rest of the crew.

#11

John F. Kennedy was elected president in 1960, and he was determined to catch up with the Soviets in the space race. He believed that space was the symbol of the twentieth century, and he thought it was good for the country. Eisenhower, in his opinion, had underestimated the propaganda windfall space provided to the Soviets.

#12

The American press had similar feelings towards Ike and his policies. They felt that America was behind in the race to space, and that the nation was standing still while the Soviets were moving forward.

#13

President Kennedy named James E. Webb, a pilot in the Marines in the 1930s, as head of NASA. He was a skilled administrator with guts, vision, motivation, and dedication.

#14

The decision of which American astronaut would be first in space came down to the NASA brass, specifically Robert Gilruth, who was the head of the Space Task Group. He made it clear that the first man in space would be Alan Shepard, followed by Gus Grissom.

#15

The first American in space was Alan Shepard, who was launched into space on May 5, 1961. His suborbital flight was far less impressive than the Soviets’ cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin’s orbital flight, which happened on April 12, 1961.

#16

The Soviets were more than willing to use tricks and gimmicks to show off their space feats, which they knew full-well they did not have the technological capabilities to back up. America, by contrast, was more than willing to use patience and methodical approach to achieve the same goals.

#17

The American space program was much more active under President Kennedy than it had been under Eisenhower, but he still wanted to make sure the country did not fall further behind the Soviets.