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Author
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Topic: Why did Gordon Cooper leave NASA?
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SBIV-B
Member Posts: 47
From: Dacula, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2008
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posted 09-23-2008 10:22 AM
  
I am curious about the "disagreement" between Cooper and NASA that caused him to leave the space program. I know he was on the backup crew of Apollo 10 I believe, and as I understand it, shortly thereafter had a falling out with NASA. I have read several astronaut biographies but these have not gone into any depth as to what happened. I have assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that after the 10 backup he was not slated for a prime crew and that had something to do with it. Any light that could be shed on this would be appreciated. Thanks... |
mark plas
Member Posts: 385
From: the Netherlands
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 09-23-2008 10:30 AM
Well I think the main reason was Shepard getting the command of Apollo 13 which he being backup commander of Apollo 10 was hoping and I think expecting to get.Mark |
jasonelam
Member Posts: 691
From: Monticello, KY USA
Registered: Mar 2007
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posted 09-23-2008 10:31 AM
It seems to me that most of the books that I have read that have discussed the issue have included that he participated in a 24 hour road race during training for Apollo 10, that he had to be goaded into the simulator during training, and when Shepard was put back into flight status and was put back into the rotation, he replaced Cooper as commander of Apollo 13 (later moved to 14 due to training concerns). Many books stated that he was to blame, but I think it should be looked into more. |
Delta7
Member Posts: 1505
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 09-23-2008 10:46 AM
I think the "disagreement" was basically over Cooper NOT getting assigned as CDR of Apollo 13, as he expected after serving as Apollo 10 backup CDR. For a number of reasons, Slayton decided early on to give the assignment to somebody else. He had discussions with Jim McDivitt about flying 13 until Al Shepard became available. He submitted Shepard as Apollo 13 CDR, which was rejected by the higher-ups due to Al's relative lack of training experience. Then Slayton switched the Apollo 14 and 13 crews, with Shepard as CDR of Apollo 14. That allowed him more time to train, and was accepted.I think Slayton's main issues with Cooper were his training ethic and attitude. He was a super pilot, but kind of a "kick the tires and go" kind of guy. The straw that apparently broke the camel's back was Slayton forbidding Cooper to race in the Daytona 500 only weeks before Apollo 10, and Cooper making some snarky public comment about allowing astronauts to only play "tiddly winks." IMO Slayton only used Gordo as backup CDR of Apollo 10 simply because there wasn't anyone else available. Schirra was retiring after Apollo 7, Eisele wasn't considered command material (he normally would have rotated into that slot after flying as Apollo 7 CMP, according to Deke's system), and the entire Apollo 7 crew was black-balled by Chris Kraft anyway. Everyone else was involved with training for Apollos 8 & 9, in addition to the Apollo 10 prime crew. Thus Cooper was really the only choice available, but I'd be willing to bet Slayton was inclined to replace him with someone else after Apollo 10 from the get-go. |
SBIV-B
Member Posts: 47
From: Dacula, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2008
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posted 09-23-2008 07:48 PM
Thanks for the input, it all makes sense now. I seem to remember Chris Kraft and some others perhaps questioning Gordo's dedication.I can definately see where Big Al would have gotten the nod for a flight once his status was restored, thus snubbing Cooper, who thought he should be prime on 13. From the books I have read, Cooper just sort of disappears off the training radar screen from his Gemini flight until popping up on Apollo 10 back-up. Thus my curiousity about his resignation and what "behind the scenes" factors were involved. |
webhamster
Member Posts: 106
From: Ottawa, Canada
Registered: Jul 2008
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posted 09-23-2008 08:50 PM
quote:
Originally posted by SBIV-B:
From the books I have read, Cooper just sort of disappears off the training radar screen from his Gemini flight until popping up on Apollo 10 back-up. Thus my curiousity about his resignation and what "behind the scenes" factors were involved.
Well he did also get a dead-end assignment as backup CDR of Gemini 12. Two backup assignments in a row and then losing a flight assignment he probably thought should have been his may have also played a role in souring him just a little. But I think I remember reading that the GT-12 assignment was his chance to really prove himself and his attitude towards training then pretty much did him in with the people that mattered. Like was said earlier, he got Apollo 10 because there really was nobody else available but, while he may not have been told, he was not going to get a prime assignment out of it unless he really hit it out of the park...and he didn't.
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ColinBurgess
Member Posts: 2031
From: Sydney, Australia
Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 09-24-2008 05:25 PM
Gordo spoke about this to Francis French in our research for the book "In The Shadow of the Moon." The full account of his dumping is on pages 51-54, but here is part of what he said regarding a meeting held between Slayton, Shepard and himself, during which he was told he would be training for Apollo 13, but as backup commander:"I had been planning on commanding a flight to the moon. But Al and Deke were trying hard to get back into space. Al looked ater Al, and could be cutthroat when it came to what he wanted. He wasn't to be trusted when it came to his best interests. I was the youngest of the original seven, and the only one on active flight status at that time. I had been completely trusting, thinking they'd choose people on their strengths. But they wanted missions for themselves, and all bets were off. "I guess maybe I was a little naïve. It was kind of unexpected that they did that, and very disillusioning. I was very disappointed that I did not get to fly Apollo. It was a terrible blow. It took me years to forgive them for that unfairness. In the end, however, we made up; we forgave each other and became good friends again." Colin | |
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