- Astronaut Group 3
Astronaut Group 3, was the third group of
Astronaut s selected byNASA in October1963 . This was the first time that NASA included candidates who had no test pilot background (as would be the case for all future groups, except for the Group 7 MOL transfer). All of the third group (except those who died) flew on the Apollo program - Aldrin, Bean, Cernan and Scott walked on the Moon. Five of them (Aldrin, Cernan, Collins, Gordon and Scott) also flew missions during the Gemini program. Bassett, Chaffee, Freeman and Williams all died before they could fly in space - Chaffee in theApollo 1 fire, the rest in plane crashes.*Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr:
Gemini 12 ,Apollo 11 :Lunar Module Pilot, first manned lunar landing. Second man to walk on the moon.
*William A. Anders:Apollo 8 :Lunar Module Pilot, first manned flight to orbit the moon. Since no LM on mission, handled the spacecraft's electrical systems and was responsible for significant photography.
*Charles A. Bassett, II:Selected as a pilot for Gemini 9, but died in a plane crash before the mission.
*Alan L. Bean:Apollo 12 ,Skylab 3 :Lunar Module Pilot, second manned lunar landing. Fourth man to walk on the moon. Commander, second American space station mission.
*Eugene A. Cernan:Gemini 9A ,Apollo 10 ,Apollo 17 :Lunar Module Pilot, lunar module test in lunar orbit, highest velocity attained by manned vehicle. Commander, (as of 2008) final manned mission to the moon. As of 2008, last man to walk on the moon.
*Roger B. Chaffee :Trained as a Junior Pilot, died in theApollo 1 fire.
* Michael Collins:Gemini 10 ,Apollo 11 :Command Module Pilot, first manned lunar landing.
*R. Walter Cunningham:Apollo 7 :Junior Pilot, first Apollo manned mission in earth orbit. The LM was not flown for this mission.
*Donn F. Eisele:Apollo 7 :Command Module Pilot, first Apollo manned mission in earth orbit. Back Up Pilot forApollo 10 .
*Theodore C. Freeman:Killed in jet trainer crash in 1964 before being selected for any flight assignment.
*Richard F. Gordon, Jr:Gemini 11 ,Apollo 12 :Command Module Pilot, second manned lunar landing.
*Russell L. Schweickart:Apollo 9 :Lunar Module Pilot, first flight of LM in earth orbit.
*David R. Scott:Gemini 8 ,Apollo 9 ,Apollo 15 :Command Module Pilot, first all-up test flight of Apollo spacecraft Apollo 9, Commanded the fourth manned lunar landing. Seventh man to walk on the moon.
*Clifton C. Williams:Trained as Lunar Module Pilot. Served on the backup crew forGemini 10 . Selected as a member of the backup crew forApollo 9 , but died in a plane crash before the mission.ee also
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List of lunar astronauts External links
* [http://grin.hq.nasa.gov/ABSTRACTS/GPN-2000-001476.html Astronaut Group Three from Great Images in NASA]
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