Knowra Deke Slayton Deke Slayton Deke Slayton was an American astronaut and NASA manager who helped select the Mercury Seven and later directed astronaut crew assignments for the Apollo and early Space Shuttle programs.
Mercury Seven : The first seven astronauts selected by NASA, announced in 1959 for Project Mercury. Slayton was one of the seven, selected as a pilot for America’s first human spaceflight program.
NASA Astronaut Group 1 : NASA’s first astronaut class, the seven military test pilots selected in 1959 for Project Mercury. Slayton’s selection as a Mercury astronaut placed him inside the group whose careers he later helped manage.
Apollo 1 : The planned first crewed Apollo mission, whose three astronauts died in a spacecraft cabin fire during a 1967 test. Slayton had assigned the crew, and the disaster profoundly affected subsequent crew and safety decisions.
United States Army Air Forces : The U.S. military aviation service that operated from 1941 until the Air Force became a separate service in 1947. Slayton served as a bomber pilot in this service during World War II.
Apollo 1 fire : The 1967 launch-pad cabin fire that killed Apollo astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger B. Chaffee. Slayton helped reorganize crew assignments and astronaut procedures after the fatal fire.
Alan Shepard : American astronaut who became the first American in space in 1961 and later walked on the Moon. Slayton selected his fellow Mercury astronaut for the first crewed Mercury flight.
NASA astronaut selection : NASA’s process for recruiting and choosing candidates for astronaut training and spaceflight. Slayton helped shape astronaut selection beyond his own Mercury Seven appointment.
Apollo 7 : The first crewed Apollo mission, an 11-day Earth-orbit test flight launched in October 1968. Slayton assigned its crew for the first human flight after the Apollo 1 fire.
United States Air Force : The U.S. military service responsible for air and space operations, established as a separate branch in 1947. Slayton became an Air Force test pilot before NASA selected him as an astronaut.
Spaceflight disqualification : The removal of a person from spaceflight eligibility because of medical, operational, or other constraints. Slayton’s grounding illustrates how disqualification can alter an astronaut’s career without ending it.
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