Man in Space Soonest

<h2 id="astronaut-candidates">Astronaut candidates</h2>

<p>MISS would have used a <a href="/facts/Thor_(rocket)/mbFIsEct">Thor</a> booster, then later an <a href="/facts/Atlas_rocket/G4rKFbb7">Atlas</a>, to launch a single-man spacecraft into orbit. On June 25, 1958, the Air Force announced the following nine men selected to be astronauts for the program:<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a>
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<ul><li><a href="/facts/Neil_A._Armstrong/3aoQV60l">Neil A. Armstrong</a> (1930–2012), 27, <a href="/facts/NACA/xI8P4jTr">NACA</a>. The only member of the group to join the <a href="/facts/NASA_Astronaut_Corps/KIrAUWHN">NASA Astronaut Corps</a>. Flew on <a href="/facts/Gemini_8/QpFvQkHJ">Gemini 8</a> and <a href="/facts/Apollo_11/BdUKVnQP">Apollo 11</a> missions; performed the first docking of two spacecraft, was the first—along with <a href="/facts/Buzz_Aldrin/meuu82u7">Buzz Aldrin</a>—to land on the <a href="/facts/Moon/zKHqEMPb">Moon</a>, and was the first person to set foot on the Moon.</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Bill_Bridgeman/so17FXAB">William B. Bridgeman</a> (1916–1968), 42, <a href="/facts/Douglas_Aircraft_Company/vkkFDEhB">Douglas Aircraft Company</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Albert_Scott_Crossfield/fBy16bM2">A. Scott Crossfield</a> (1921–2006), 36, <a href="/facts/North_American_Aviation/zY6IG0pa">North American Aviation</a> (NAA)</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Iven_C._Kincheloe/2mrS6mdD">Iven C. Kincheloe</a> (1928–1958), 29, USAF</li>
<li><a href="/facts/John_B._McKay/CutGM5If">John B. McKay</a> (1922–1975), 35, NACA</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Robert_A._Rushworth/CbKkvcW2">Robert A. Rushworth</a> (1924–1993), 33, USAF</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Joseph_A._Walker/CW50hfMn">Joseph A. Walker</a> (1921–1966), 37, NACA. The first member of the group to achieve outer space according to the <a href="/facts/F%25C3%25A9d%25C3%25A9ration_A%25C3%25A9ronautique_Internationale/WoJkGK09">FAI</a>, and to enter space twice, on two <a href="/facts/X-15/btDgcYKz">X-15</a> test flights.</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Alvin_S._White/05S9kpsm">Alvin S. White</a> (1918–2006), 39, NAA</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Robert_Michael_White/8yatGLtA">Robert M. White</a> (1924–2010), 33, USAF. The first member of the group to achieve outer space according to the <a href="/facts/United_States_Air_Force/7MxWBYlc">USAF</a>.</li></ul>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/List_of_astronauts_by_selection/a0L3H7yG">List of astronauts by selection</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Project_Mercury/H8zqFzbC">Project Mercury</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Vostok_programme/8RL5f2GI">Vostok Program</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Man in Space Soonest.

<ul><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20060211165617/http://astronautix.com/flights/manonest.htm">Encyclopedia Astronautica entry</a>.</li>
<li>Reichhardt, Tony (September 2000). <a href="http://www.airspacemag.com/space-exploration/first_up.html">"First Up?"</a>. <i><a href="/facts/Air_%2526_Space%2fSmithsonian/3lhNPGAh">Air & Space/Smithsonian</a></i>. Retrieved May 23, 2021.</li>
<li><a href="https://history.nasa.gov/SP-4201/ch4-4.htm">Man In Space Soonest?</a> (NASA History)</li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>MISS' selection date Archived 2006-02-11 at the Wayback Machine <a href="http://www.astronautix.com/flights/manonest.htm" target="_blank">http://www.astronautix.com/flights/manonest.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
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Man in Space Soonest