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NASA’s Project Mercury ran from 1958 to 1963 Different Testing

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1. Identify the names of the individual Mercury 7 astronauts. (7

pts.)

The project Mercury was an initiation of NASA program which brought the first

Astronauts from America in space. They were able to make 6 space flights during the

program of Mercury and they were totaling 7 of them. The two of the delights got to the

space and the managed to get back to the ground that were named as the suborbital flights

the rest went to orbit and circled the earth. The individuals who were involved in the

program included;

Wally Schirra – he come from the aviation family where his father was

hence he inherited a flying skills form the family. He had degree in aeronautical

engineering in 1944 and made it to Korea war and become a navy test pilot. He

joined the project as the specialist in the life support systems

Alan Sheppard - The first American to the space Alan Shepard was a navy

test pilot who had also made different service in the WW2. He had made more

than 8000 hours flying in his career hence he made a good candidate for the

astronauts in the NASA project. He was much celebrated for the approach and

making it as the first American to the space

Deke Slayton – he was born in 1924 and joined the program after he had

joined the bomber pilot then he became instructor in WW2 where the heat

condition restrained him from Aurora 7 Pilot chance but instead he served the

mercury 7 project he later dropped because of health conditions

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Gus Grissom – He was born in US and joined forces in 1926 and made it

to the space as the second American to make it space. After attaining a course in

mechanical engineering and achieving degree he was favorite candidate for the

project mercury 7, he also had served in Korea hence being cited as the

Superlative Airmanship with good leadership skills having served as the caption

in 1959 where in the same year he was assigned to the project and in 1961 he

piloted the Liberty Bell 7 called the mercury-Redstone 4.

John Glen- he was born in 1921 and made it as the 5th man in space and

made it the first American to orbit the earth. He left collage in 1941 after the

Pearl Harbor attack and he went on to making 59 flying combats in Specific South

part marine pilot. He also made tour to the Korea war hence having strong navy

tests. In 1957 he made complete supersonic Trans continuity flight in Los

Alamitos to New York through California. He made it to the project mercury 7

regardless of having the degree because of his achievement in the pilot. He was

forced to adapt to the manual control after his autopilot failed in two different

times in three orbits and he was worried about his life when the heat shield

appeared.

Gordon Cooper – he was the first man to make the two earth orbit and he

was much interested in the aspects of treasure hunting and archeology. He had

also served in the army after graduation in aeronautical engineering to test pilot.
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Scott Carpe – He was the first American to have had experience in eating

the solid food in space which was more obscure accomplishment than just the

mercury project. He had trained in the navy pilot in WW2 and served in Korea

and become navy pilot in 1954. Then five years after he was called in the mercury

project as the deputy of Glenn when Deke withdraws from the astronauts for

medical reasons. There was tense when Scott made a manual correction of the

entry angle after shoot for 400 km but finally landed safely.

2. Identify at least two of the very “unique”

biological/physiological tests that the Mercury 7 astronauts endured (be

specific with your answers). (4 pts.)

The astronauts had to show the capability on different aspects like the

pressure endurance. The unique test that they underwent was the heart beat test

and loud noise test which was being conducted through the to prove the physical

endurance an exercise that was being conducted through the treadmill ad till tales

with the feet exposed to the ice water ad through balloon blowing till it get bust.

Heart beat was for the purpose of withstanding pressure and adjusting to the

emergencies. The Noise test was ability to work under unfavorable and noisy

environment. Heartbeat show unique characteristics of human persistently dealing

with aspects like the heights, as it mentioned the high one goes the cooler and

the more pressure build so with panic behaviors can lead the operator or the

person flying to undergo aspects like shock which can cost them. The aspect of

the height and pressure adds more noise which should contributes to more
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disturbance hence the test for the loud noise was also a biological aspect which

was important to be tested so that the people astronauts could have problem with

the amounting pressure and noises coming and they could able to make

continuous communications with the other individuals on the grounds. Aspect of

good hearing is very important because it make the coordination easier without

losing the rights contact and remaining calm on the high altitude.

Identify at least two specific psychological tests or qualifications that

the Mercury 7 astronauts were required to pass

For the psychological tests there was intellectual attitude and motivation

which was carried by staying with psychiatrist for the reason of seeking the level

of saying truth and remaining motivated even during the stressing period. The

intellectual aptitude was conducted to see whether the people could able to have a

strong work ethics and making decisions under different environments. The

intellectual aptitude is a special skills that and capacity to make a good

recognition through the process of cognition. The testing was being on different

aspects like the memory and sensory so that the astronauts could be observed for

quick recognition and interpretation of the right information and make quick

decision while on the space. The aptitude also involves the reasoning ability and

ability to learn. The testing for the intellectual aptitude was being conducted to

see whether the individual will be able to manipulate the ideas and make abstract

as well as connecting the dots and making the right decisions.

The other test which was done was the motivation which involves the

psychological capabilities. Motivation is very important aspect especially the

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inner motivation which does not involve aspect like the materials and other aspect

like money. Staying motivated was very important because it showed that the

astronauts had the will to perform more and endure all the space challenges to

achieve their goes and objectives in the long run. The astronaut are supposed to

be more investigative and have the ability to venture more so that they can get,

more motivated for the discoveries which was making the bases for their life.

Motivation was critical for the Mercury 7 project individual because they were

also supposed to not only go to the space but also make some discoveries which

could be used in the future. To achieve such essence they had to be more

motivated and willing to learn more aspects of life especially in space as they

make discoveries that no one else had done before.

3. Identify and explain two specific sociological issues that were

considered in selecting the Mercury 7 astronauts. When answering this item,

consider the cultural and sociological ideology of the early 1960s, and why

these particular men (not women) were chosen as the first U.S. astronauts. (5

pts.)

The two sociological factors that were carried out were the perception and

Cognition. The perception was important because it carries the beliefs and what

the community thought so a community which has negative perception about

space had no chances. The cognition was being tested because of the ability to

deal with situational awareness and making the important usability of the human

interfaces. Women were left out for the test because historically women have
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received large criticism and stereotyped on different aspects. Men were also

believed to have strong endurance on different activities. Perception during the

time in 1960 was major problem in the cultural aspects because some gender or

people from given background their efforts were not being recognized. There are

some communities that had perceptions that going to the space was the kind of

showing off and trying to challenge the God had made. These beliefs and cultural

attachment could have had effects on different people especially when the

community has such beliefs; it was easier that the person being tested to have the

same perception which could impact their performance on the trip on space.

It is easier for the person if they have some beliefs they uphold when

something wrong happen when they are at space they will start thinking about the

beliefs and the attachments of such issues which could impact their performance

on the space. So that was important test regarding the astronauts so that they

could not affected by aspects like myths, beliefs and other aspects like the

religions which would haunt them back and reduce their performance while on the

missions. The mission and the project was aiming to take the best out the

candidates and many of them did not make it with the number reducing from 508

individuals to 7 due to different test failures. These human factors are important in

the performance and carrying out activities that needed guts like that.