posted 03-07-2012 01:11 AM               

Often lost in the shadow of the first group of astronauts for the Mercury missions, the second and third groups included the leading figures for NASA's activities for the following two decades. “Destination Moon” complements the author’s recently published work, “Selecting the Mercury Seven” (2011), extending the story of the men who helped to launch human spaceflight and broaden the American space program.

Although the initial 1959 group became known as the legendary pioneering Mercury astronauts, the astronauts of Groups 2 and 3 gave us many household names. Sixteen astronauts from both groups traveled to the Moon in Project Apollo, with several actually walking on the Moon, one of them being Neil Armstrong.

This book draws on interviews to tell the astronauts' personal stories and recreate the drama of that time. It describes the process by which they were selected as astronauts and explains how the criteria had changed since the first group. “Destination Moon” is divided into two parts, recounting the biographies relating to the nine astronauts from NASA’s Group 2 in the first part, and the fourteen finalists in Group 3 in the second part.

The stories of both selection groups are narrated through the experiences of four finalists with interesting backgrounds. One of these men is Al Rupp of the USAF who, as a West Point cadet, cheekily helped to steal the Navy mascot goat prior to the annual Army versus Navy game in 1953, thus achieving legendary status in the game’s history. Rupp was killed in a plane crash just two years after being named as a finalist for Group 3. The service career of naval aviator John Yamnicky was also very much the equal of other finalists, but he was killed on September 11, 2001, as a he was a passenger on hijacked Flight 77, which was flown into the Pentagon.

At the end of the work there are several chapters on how these candidates were prepped for their missions.

• Softcover
  
• Springer Praxis Books, October 29, 2013
  
• Approx. 300 p. 140 illus.
  
• ISBN 978-1-4614-3854-0

posted 03-08-2012 05:34 AM               

I'm delighted to report that several months after beginning this new book project, I have now made contact with all the non-selected candidates from both groups, or their surviving family members, and I am down to writing the last few short biographies in cooperation with them. As with the first book, all the finalists will have their stories told and photographs featured in the book. And there are some pretty amazing stories among them.

I believe I might be able to bring that release date forward, as that is based on a manuscript submission of March 2013, and with the current rate of progress I should have the manuscript ready for sumission by around September this year. We shall see.

posted 03-08-2012 10:40 PM            

Firstly, for both the group two and group three selections, from the point of view of the successful candidates, did either or both selections have an applicant that all the others were 'sure' would be selected and somehow 'inexplicably' wasn't?

Secondly, in view of the tragic circumstances of his demise, and many subsequent on the record comments, a more detailed look at Mr. See's flying record would be interesting. Oh, and why was Mr. Gordon not selected in Group 2?

posted 03-09-2012 12:42 AM               

The reason for putting together all the biographies and gathering photographs of them from the outset is simply because they are no longer the proverbial spring chickens, and I feel it's important to get this done first, then ask questions about their astronaut candidacy and their fellow finalists once that has been completed.

One of the Group 3 finalists passed away last November before I was able to contact him (his son is now helping) which explains why I like to get the basic information down first.

There have been a few interesting asides about some of their fellow candidates, but these will be disclosed in the book. So far no one has hinted at anyone being a shoo-in for either group, or expressed surprised at anyone being excluded.

Insofar as Elliot See is concerned, don't expect to see too much about him in this book. With 64 finalists in total I am restricted in how much information I can insert. However I can direct you to an earlier book of mine, "Fallen Astronauts," in which a full chapter discusses the lives, service and flying careers, achievements and deaths of Elliot See and Charlie Bassett. With that information available in a book by the same publisher, there is little point in repeating See's story at length.

I haven't yet spoken to Dick Gordon about why he didn't make it the first time 'round, and had to wait for Group 3 selection. I know that several finalists bombed out because they simply hadn't achieved the high educational, flight and technical training required by NASA to that point in their careers. I will be asking several of the Group 2 and 3 astronauts at Spacefest IV in May/June for a few insights I can use in the book.

posted 07-04-2012 05:58 PM               

I'm delighted to say that I not only conducted interviews with several Group 2 and 3 astronauts (mostly at Spacefest IV - thank you Kim and Sally), but the non-selected finalists from both groups or their family members all gave me enthusiastic support and assistance, allowing me to complete their short biographies as well as supplying me with wonderful information about the selection process in which they were involved.

posted 11-18-2012 06:39 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by dog320:
Oh, and why was Mr. Gordon not selected in Group 2?

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posted 11-23-2012 02:10 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by ColinBurgess:
... the fabulous David Harland

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posted 05-18-2013 10:29 AM            

Personally I'd have preferred more of a one person to each chapter approach to avoid having to jump around. It is, however, very well indexed.

Some parts surprised me a lot. I was amazed to find not one word about Bob Smith's outstanding work on the Lockheed NF-104A AST. Surely that can't be. I must have somehow missed it?

I was surprised to find no mention of Jim McDivitt turning down both the X-15 and the X-20.

But I was no less that stunned to read paragraph 10 of chapter 7 (page 202, discussing Ed Dwight). If that quote attributed to Chuck Yeager can be proved and is not just hearsay, it is apalling and would bring the USAF itself into disrepute. It has other implications that almost don't bear thinking about. Unfortunately the evidence for this quote is not clearly cited.

posted 05-19-2013 06:58 AM               

This material came from a report filed by (black) investigative reporter Charles L. Sanders, who related a hostile confrontation between Ed Dwight and Chuck Yeager as recalled for him by Dwight.