Preliminary procedures for pilot selection had been worked out by the
aeromedical consultants attached to the Space Task Group at Langley during
November. Their plan called for a meeting with representatives from industry
and the services to nominate a pool of 150 men from which 36 candidates would
be selected for physical and psychological testing. From this group 12 would be
chosen to go through a nine-month training and qualification program, after
which six finally would be expected to qualify? 1
On the basis of this plan, Donlan from Langley, and North in Washington,
together with Allen O. Gamble, a psychologist on leave from the National Science
Foundation, drafted civil service job specifications for individuals who wished to
apply for the position of "Research Astronaut-Candidate." One of the early
plans outlined very well the original expectations of NASA and STG on the type
of man thought necessary. NASA Project A, announcement No. 1, dated De-
cember 22, 1958, was a draft invitation to apply for the civil service position of
research astronaut-candidate "with minimum starting salary range of $8,330 to
$12,770 (GS-12 to GS-15) depending upon qualifications." This document
called the manned ballistic satellite program "Project Astronaut," and the first
section described the duties of the astronaut:
THIS NEW OCEAN
Although the entire satellite operation will be possible, in the early phases,
without the presence of man, tile ,astronaut will play an important role during
the flight, tie will contribute by monitoring the cabin environment and by
making necessary adjustments. IIe will have continuous displays of his position
and attitude and other instrument readings, and will have the capability of
operating the reaction controls, and of initiating the descent from orbit. IIe
will contribute to tile operation of the communications system. In addition,
the astronaut will make research observations that cannot be made by instru-
ments; these include physiological, astronomical and meteorological
observations.
Only males between 25 and 40 years of age, less than 5 feet 11 inches in
height, and with at least bachelor's degrees were to be considered. Stringent
professional experience or graduate study requirements specified five patterns of
career histories most desirable. Candidates who had either three years of work
in any of the physical, mathematical, biological, or psychological sciences, or
who had three years of technical or engineering work in a research and develop-
ment program or organization might apply. Or anyone with three years of
operation of aircraft, balloons, or submarines, as commander, pilot, navigator,
communications officer, engineer, or comparable technical position, would be
eligible, as would persons who had completed all requirements for the Ph.D.
degree in any appropriate field of science or engineering plus six months of
professional work. In the case of medical doctors, six months of clinical or
research work beyond the license and internship or residency would be required.
Furthermore, the job qualifications required proof that applicants had demon-
strated recently their "(a) willingness to accept hazards comparable to those
encountered in modern research airplane flight; (b) capacity to tolerate rigorous
and severe environmental conditions; and (c) ability to react adequately under
conditions of stress or emergency."
The announcement added :
These three characteristics may have been demonstrated in connection with
certain professional occupations such as test pilot, crew member of experi-
mental submarine or arctic or antarctic explorer. Or they may have been
demonstrated during wartime combat or military training. Parachute jumping
or mountain climbing or deep sea diving (including SCUBA) whether as occu-
pation or sport, may have provided opportunities for demonstrating these
characteristics, depending upon heights or depths obtained, frequency and
duration, temperature and other environment conditions, and emergency epi-
sodes encountered. Or they may have been demonstrated by experience as an
observer-under-test for extremes of environmental conditions such as accelera-
tion, high or low atmospheric pressure, variation in carbon dioxide and oxygen
concentration, high and low ambient temperatures, etc. Many other examples
could be given. It is possible that the different characteristics may have been
demonstrated by separate types of experience.
Finally, as a last check on ruling out the "lunatics" who might send in crank
applications, this proposed plan for astronaut .selection required that each appli-
cant have the sponsorship of a responsible organization. A nomination form
appended to this announcement would have required multi-point evaluations
of the nominee by some official of the sponsoring institution.
Clearly this astronaut selection plan was sober enough and stringent enough
to ensure an exceptionally high quality applicant, but the plan itself was not
approved and had to be abandoned. President Eisenhower during the 1958
Christmas holidays decided that the pool of military test pilots already in existence
was quite sufficient a source from which to draw. Since certain clarified aspects
would inevitably be involved, military test pilots could most conveniently satisfy
security considerations.
Although some in NASA regretted the incongruity of allowing volunteers for
the civilian manned space program to be drawn only from the military, the decision
that the services would provide the candidates greatly simplified pilot selection
procedures. A meeting held at NASA Headquarters during the first week of
January brought together W. Randolph Lovelace II, Brigadier General Don D.
Flickinger, Low, North, Gilruth, and several other members of the Space Task
Group. There the elaborate civil service criteria for selection were boiled down
to a seven-item formula:
1. Age--less than 40.
2. Height--less than 5 feet, 11 inches.
3. Excellent physical condition.
4. Bachelor's degree or equivalent.
5. Graduate of test pilot school.
6. 1500 hours total flying time.
7. Qualified jet pilot.
When these criteria were given to the Pentagon, service record checks revealed
more than 100 men on active duty who appeared to be qualified. The military
services were pleased to cooperate in further screening. NASA was relieved not
to have to issue an open invitation, and STG was pleased to have Headquarters'
aid in the selection.
Contrary to the feeling expressed in some quarters, even among experimental
test pilots, that the ballistic capsule pilot would be little more than "spam in a
can," most members of STG believed from the beginning that their pilots would
have to do some piloting. As George Low explained their views to Administrator
Glennan, "These criteria were established because of the strong feeling that the
success of the mission may well depend upon the actions of the pilot; either in his
performance of primary functions or backup functions. A qualified jet test pilot
appeared to be best suited for this task." _ - Exactly how much "piloting," in the
traditional sense, man could do in orbit was precisely the point in issue.
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