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Author
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Topic: Walking with the crew on walkout for launch
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chappy
Member Posts: 231
From: Cardiff, S. Wales, UK
Registered: Apr 2006
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posted 08-17-2013 07:21 PM
   
I've always wondered, who and why are these people who always walk with the crews when they leave the crew quarters for the launch pad? |
Skylon
Member Posts: 274
From:
Registered: Sep 2010
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posted 08-17-2013 11:18 PM
Depends when you are talking about. Mercury and Gemini didn't have much of a walk-out, but on Mercury they were accompanied by another astronaut and Bill Douglas (the astronaut's physician). Gemini the party around the astronauts looks pretty sparse. I'm going to guess the other Astronaut throughout Gemini was Deke Slayton as Director of Flight Crew Operations (since I'm pretty sure he escorted every flight crew, from Gordo Cooper on Faith 7 to Skylab 4).I think the current entourage took shape during Apollo. Off hand, typically, the Chief Astronaut, the Director of Flight Crew Ops and the KSC Chief of Security. |
Delta7
Member Posts: 1505
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 08-18-2013 04:02 PM
In the later Shuttle era Jerry Ross was usually part of the group as head of the VIT (Vehicle Integration and Testing office). Along with the Chief of the Astronaut Office and/or Director of Flight Crew Operations. |
onesmallstep
Member Posts: 1310
From: Staten Island, New York USA
Registered: Nov 2007
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posted 08-19-2013 10:23 AM
Also during the Shuttle era, the Astronaut Office chief would be dropped off after a short ride inside the astrovan at the landing strip at KSC to fly RLS (Return to Launch Site) abort approaches in the STA (Shuttle Training Aircraft) and check on the weather before launch. |
Go4Launch
Member Posts: 542
From: Seminole, Fla.
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 08-19-2013 08:37 PM
Ahem. Let's please not forget the suit technicians, shall we? MGA = Joe Schmitt, Alan Rochford, et al. Kind of important. Thank you. Also of course KSC security chief Charles Buckley. |
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