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Astronomy in Credo: Space Program

Space Exploration

Astronauts

Buzz Aldrin (1930 - )

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
(Edwin Eugene Aldrin, Jr.), American astronaut, b. Montclair, N.J. After graduating from West Point (1951), Aldrin joined the U.S. air force and flew 66 combat missions during the Korean War.

Neil Armstrong (1930 - 2012)

American astronaut, born in Wapakoneta, Ohio. A U.S. Navy fighter pilot during the Korean War, Armstrong became a test pilot for what was then the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics in 1955.

Yuri Gagarin (1934 - 1968)

Soviet cosmonaut who on 12 April 1961 became the first human in space, aboard the spacecraft Vostok 1.

John Herschel Glenn, Jr. (1921 - 2016)

From Gale Biographies: Popular People
He became a World War II and Korean War hero before joining the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as the oldest of the original Mercury Seven astronauts. At age 40, he became the first American to orbit the earth and was showered with praise upon returning from his scenic but almost-fatal trip into space.

James Arthur Lovell, Jr (1928-)

From The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia
US astronaut. He piloted Gemini 7 in 1965, commanded Gemini 12 in 1966, and orbited the Moon on Apollo 8 (the first crewed lunar flight) in 1968.

Ellen Ochoa (1958 - )

Ellen Ochoa is an electrical engineer and astronaut specializing in optics and optical recognition in robotics.

Sally Ride (1951 - 2012)

US astronaut and astrophysicist. In 1983 she became the first US woman in space, working aboard the space shuttle Challenger as a mission specialist. She was also mission specialist on two further shuttle flights in 1984 and 1985. She served on a presidential commission investigating the Challenger accident in 1986.

Alan Shepard (1923 - 1998)

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
American astronaut. He served on a destroyer during World War II and later had extensive experience as a test pilot. On May 5, 1961, under the U.S. space program Project Mercury, he became the first American to be launched into space.

Valentina Tereshkova (1937 - )

From Britannica Concise Encyclopedia
Russian cosmonaut. An accomplished parachutist, she was accepted for the cosmonaut program in 1961. In 1963 she became the first woman in space, making 48 orbits in 71 hours aboard Vostok 6. She left the program after her flight and served in various governmental positions until the early 1990s.

Wernher von Braun (1912 - 1977)

U.S. rocket engineer, born in Germany, where he designed the V-2 missile used in World War II. In the U.S. he worked on the Apollo project.

List

  • Buzz Aldrin (1930 - )

    From The Columbia Encyclopedia

    (Edwin Eugene Aldrin, Jr.), American astronaut, b. Montclair, N.J. After graduating from West Point (1951), Aldrin joined the U.S. air force and flew 66 combat missions during the Korean War.

  • Neil Armstrong (1930 - 2012)

    American astronaut, born in Wapakoneta, Ohio. A U.S. Navy fighter pilot during the Korean War, Armstrong became a test pilot for what was then the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics in 1955.

  • Yuri Gagarin (1934 - 1968)

    Soviet cosmonaut who on 12 April 1961 became the first human in space, aboard the spacecraft Vostok 1.

  • John Herschel Glenn, Jr. (1921 - 2016)

    From Gale Biographies: Popular People

    He became a World War II and Korean War hero before joining the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as the oldest of the original Mercury Seven astronauts. At age 40, he became the first American to orbit the earth and was showered with praise upon returning from his scenic but almost-fatal trip into space.

  • James Arthur Lovell, Jr (1928-)

    From he Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia

    US astronaut. He piloted Gemini 7 in 1965, commanded Gemini 12 in 1966, and orbited the Moon on Apollo 8 (the first crewed lunar flight) in 1968.

  • Ellen Ochoa (1958 - )

    Ellen Ochoa is an electrical engineer and astronaut specializing in optics and optical recognition in robotics.

  • Sally Ride (1951 - 2012)

    US astronaut and astrophysicist. In 1983 she became the first US woman in space, working aboard the space shuttle Challenger as a mission specialist. She was also mission specialist on two further shuttle flights in 1984 and 1985. She served on a presidential commission investigating the Challenger accident in 1986.

  • Alan Shepard (1923 - 1998)

    From The Columbia Encyclopedia

    American astronaut. He served on a destroyer during World War II and later had extensive experience as a test pilot. On May 5, 1961, under the U.S. space program Project Mercury, he became the first American to be launched into space.

  • Valentina Tereshkova (1937 - )

    From Britannica Concise Encyclopedia

    Russian cosmonaut. An accomplished parachutist, she was accepted for the cosmonaut program in 1961. In 1963 she became the first woman in space, making 48 orbits in 71 hours aboard Vostok 6. She left the program after her flight and served in various governmental positions until the early 1990s.

  • Wernher von Braun (1912 - 1977)

    U.S. rocket engineer, born in Germany, where he designed the V-2 missile used in World War II. In the U.S. he worked on the Apollo project.