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  Journalist Craig Covault on STS-7?

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Author Topic:   Journalist Craig Covault on STS-7?
dom
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posted 03-31-2018 05:36 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for dom   Click Here to Email dom     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The recent NASA Chroniclers citation for journalist Craig Covault says he "was to be the first journalist in space (on STS-7 with Sally Ride), but was replaced by physician astronaut Dr. Norm Thagard to study space motion sickness after its effect on the STS-5 crew."

What! I've never heard this before, is it true?

Grounded!
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From: Bennington, Vermont, USA
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posted 03-31-2018 10:16 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Grounded!   Click Here to Email Grounded!     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
He was one of 1700 who applied, but was not a finalist. This subject was discussed in this 2014 thread.

Robert Pearlman
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posted 03-31-2018 10:53 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
If STS-7 is not a mistake, then this seems to be something different.

NASA's Journalist in Space Program did not begin accepting applications until 1985, two years after STS-7 flew.

328KF
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posted 03-31-2018 05:11 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for 328KF   Click Here to Email 328KF     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I think STS-7 was way too early in the program for NASA to even begin considering sending civilians to space. That was the first 5 person flight for the shuttle and the only reason for that was the late addition of Thagard to study space adaptation syndrome.

In fact, this was during the time that Bob Stevenson and Paul Scully-Power were under consideration to fly on either STS-7 and/or STS-8. They both had a long history with the Astronaut Office (particularly Stevenson) and were fairly well accepted by the folks there. But even after George Abbey floated the idea to the assigned crews, they were nixed in favor of Thagard and Thornton, both MDs.

In researching our book on the Payload Specialist program, Mel C and I found nothing to suggest that journalists were being considered this early on.

MCroft04
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posted 03-31-2018 06:36 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for MCroft04   Click Here to Email MCroft04     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I agree with John; I did not find anything serious about flying civilians that early (with the exception of the Spacelab payload specialists that goes back to the early 1970s). Although Chris Kraft alluded to flying civilians (journalists, politicians, etc) way back in an October 1976 memo.

Henry Heatherbank
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From: Adelaide, South Australia
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posted 03-31-2018 07:03 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Henry Heatherbank     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The earliest I had heard of plans for a non-NASA crew member was a Manned Spaceflight Engineer on 41-C, whose presence would not be announced (and no photos of them taken onboard during the flight). I may be recalling this incorrectly but I thought this was meant to be Gary Payton? So that time frame is late 1983 leading up to an April 1984 flight.

328KF
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posted 03-31-2018 07:38 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for 328KF   Click Here to Email 328KF     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
That was David Vidrine, the lone U.S. Navy representative from the first MSE group. For reasons we didn't have the opportunity to explore, the military leadership was not in favor of this prospect.

However, given the fact that there was no DoD payload aboard, and this mission was completely dedicated to the Solar Max repair after the Long Duration Exposure Facility deployment, it didn't appear to be an ideal first flight for an MSE.

Not to get too far off the original topic, but I should add that there were never any plans to "secretly" fly a crewmember. MSEs were held back from public announcement until close to launch, but no one ever suggested hiding one from the public during flight.

OV-105
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From: Ridgecrest, CA
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posted 03-31-2018 09:05 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for OV-105   Click Here to Email OV-105     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Wasn't Ride assigned to the flight that was going to have the journalist, STS 61-M I believe? Was there ever any group photos of the MSEs?

Henry Heatherbank
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From: Adelaide, South Australia
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posted 03-31-2018 09:27 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Henry Heatherbank     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by 328KF:
...no one ever suggested hiding one from the public during flight.
If I am recalling correctly, it was EXACTLY the point to keep the MSE's presence secret. I believe there was a thread on this topic a while back.

328KF
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posted 03-31-2018 09:44 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for 328KF   Click Here to Email 328KF     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
While there were efforts to limit press access to an MSE assigned to a flight, none were ever held back from the public prior to or during a classified mission. The logistics of successfully carrying that out are nearly impossible.

Mel and I detail the MSE program over several chapters of Come Fly With Us: NASA's Payload Specialist Program, and were fortunate enough to discuss all of these issues with several of the participants.

dom
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posted 04-01-2018 01:24 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for dom   Click Here to Email dom     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks for the clarification John and Mel (proving your book is going to be THE definitive story of the payload specialists), but I still find it bizarre that an official NASA citation could get the facts so wrong?

328KF
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posted 04-01-2018 04:10 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for 328KF   Click Here to Email 328KF     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by OV-105:
Was there ever any group photos of the MSEs?
There are photos of the first group selected, as well as a photo with some from each of the first and second group, but I don't have any with the entire team or from the third group.

Rest assured though that you will find a few MSE photos in our book most interesting...

Robert Pearlman
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posted 04-01-2018 04:33 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by dom:
I still find it bizarre that an official NASA citation could get the facts so wrong?
I spoke with NASA public affairs officers from Kennedy and NASA HQ today while at the Kennedy press site. Now they are aware of the issue, they are going to look into it.

Robert Pearlman
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posted 04-02-2018 12:10 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
NASA has now revised Covault's entry in the release, removing mention of STS-7.
He was considered for NASA's journalist in space initiative during the Space Shuttle Program.

328KF
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posted 04-02-2018 04:12 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for 328KF   Click Here to Email 328KF     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It's proper that they fixed it, and the correction in no way diminishes Covault's work. He is a fine journalist and a real fixture in the press briefings over so many years. I remember watching him growing up and he always asked very insightful questions.

A well-deserved honor.

Hart Sastrowardoyo
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From: Toms River, NJ
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posted 04-09-2018 09:40 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Hart Sastrowardoyo   Click Here to Email Hart Sastrowardoyo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by OV-105:
Wasn't Ride assigned to the flight that was going to have the journalist, STS 61-M I believe?
Ride was assigned to 61M, but that was a TDRS deployment. 61I (as in India) was a September 1986 launch with the Journalist-in-Space as well as the Indian (subcontinent) payload specialist, and the LDEF retrieval. Mike Smith would have been the pilot.

Jim Bagian was one of the mission specialists scheduled for 61I, and when flights resumed after Challenger, he said he wanted to do the LDEF retrieval, but he moved to the TDRS deployment on 29R because they needed someone to jump in after Anna Fisher took leave.

Sonny Carter and Bonnie Dunbar would have been the other mission specialists. Don Williams would have been commander.

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