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Author
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Topic: X-15 rocket plane and Mercury astronauts (1959)
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LM-12
Member Posts: 3986
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 09-13-2018 12:48 PM
  
The Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington shared this photo on Twitter of the Mercury astronauts (minus Deke Slayton) with Joe Walker and the X-15 aircraft.The astronauts were visiting the Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in 1959. I am not sure if the photo was taken before or after the first X-15 flight on June 8, 1959.  |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3986
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 09-14-2018 07:54 AM
Joe Walker flew his first astronaut qualification flight in the X-15 about four months before the MA-9 mission with Gordon Cooper. |
Jonnyed
Member Posts: 620
From: Dumfries, VA, USA
Registered: Aug 2014
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posted 09-14-2018 08:27 PM
Fantastic photo. Thanks for sharing. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3986
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 09-14-2018 08:40 PM
Walker seems to have their full attention. |
Philip
Member Posts: 6273
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 09-15-2018 03:55 AM
Two years later most test pilots and astronauts were issued an Accutron wristwatch. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3986
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 09-17-2018 07:01 AM
Seven of the eight astronauts who had flown in space by the end of the Mercury program are seen in the photo.Robert White (not shown) flew the first astronaut qualification flight in an X-15 on July 17, 1962. That occurred between the MA-7 and MA-8 missions.
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heng44
Member Posts: 3763
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 09-17-2018 08:45 AM
quote:
Originally posted by LM-12:
I am not sure if the photo was taken before or after the first X-15 flight on June 8, 1959.
I have this photo dated September 14, 1959. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3986
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 09-17-2018 09:15 AM
Thanks, Ed. So that would be a few days before the second X-15 flight. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3986
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 09-18-2018 08:46 PM
Neil Armstrong was assigned to the X-15 program at the time. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3986
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 09-20-2018 09:04 AM
quote:
Originally posted by heng44:
I have this photo dated September 14, 1959.
Coincidentally, the Mercury 7 astronauts appeared on the cover of the September 14, 1959 issue of LIFE magazine. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3986
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 09-20-2024 05:28 PM
Astronaut Ed White can be seen sitting in X-15 #3 in the hangar starting at 2:35 into this film. Interesting. The man he is talking to looks like Bill Dana. |
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