Astronaut Motivation: Coolest Ride vs Science/Exploration?

[mcs_seattle]

What would you guess (or know?) is the motivation for most astronauts?<br /><br />80% A really cool ride, thrill?<br />20% Science & exploration for humanity?<br /><br />

 

[summoner]

Nowadays I'd say it'd be more for the science. All of the original Astronauts were the creme of the crop as far as pilots go, so I'd guess that they were there because they were the best and wanted to be the first. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:271px;background-color:#FFF;border:1pxsolid#999"><tr><td colspan="2"><div style="height:35px"><img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/weathersticker/htmlSticker1/language/www/US/MT/Three_Forks.gif" alt="" height="35" width="271" style="border:0px" /></div>

 

[dobbins]

For Pilot astronauts the motivation would still be the same as the early astronauts. For Mission Specialists the motivation would be more towards science.<br /><br />

 

[rsp1202]

Just prior to the Mercury program, the "hottest" pilots such as Yeager, Crossfield, etc., were content to be flying the X-15 and other high-performance aircraft, and wanted nothing to do with Mercury's "spam in a can" approach to spaceflight. They held out even after the Original 7 were chosen, but it soon became apparent to all that getting to play Buck Rogers depended entirely on where the bucks were going, and that was to NASA and the moon. Since then, getting assigned to Houston has been the hottest ticket for any test pilot/fighter jock, because it's where the perceived action is, Wolfe's "top of the pyramid."<br /><br />Between now and the beginning of the CEV project, NASA will lose a lot of senior pilots and a ton of mission specialists, who will be too old for returning to the moon. The moon pilots and specialists are now coming up through the ranks of test pilot school and flight ops, as well as doctorate programs at science and tech universities. A NASA assignment will still be the hot ticket -- it's where the action is and the bucks stop.

 

[dobbins]

Neither Yeager nor Crossfield qualified for the 1st Astronaut selection. Yeager because he didn't have a degree, Crossfield because he wasn't military. Yeager wasn't part of the X-15 program. One of the X-15 pilots was selected in the second group of Astronauts, Neil Armstrong.<br /><br />

 

[shoogerbrugge]

what about competition???<br /><br />Its not about the view or the science. But about the fact that I can but my peers from the same group can't. I believe that is more important among pilots<br /><br />Other people who grew up with people in space will have a complete different POV, they will sooner do it because they want it to, and develop their carreer in such way that they make a bigger chance to meet the selection criteria.

 

[rsp1202]

"Neither Yeager nor Crossfield qualified for 1st Astronaut selection. Yeager because he didn't have degree, Crossfield because he wasn't military. Yeager wasn't part of X-15 program."<br /><br />I'm aware of their qualifications, or lack thereof. I was merely trying to be brief and generic as regards to "hot." But I wasn't aware that they applied to NASA. That's interesting.<br /><br />"One of the X-15 pilots was selected in the second group of astronauts, Neil Armstrong."<br /><br />Correct, and I believe he had already resigned his commission. His civilian status was once touted as a reason for his being chosen on first moon landing. Don't know if that's true or not, but I'd be surprised if Slayton would let that sway him one way or another. Maybe it did Gilruth or others who had say. Other X-15 pilots followed, like Engle. The selection criteria certainly changed from Mercury to Gemini to Apollo.<br /><br />The point being, flying X-15's might have once been the most coveted job for a test pilot, and may have even been more of a test of their piloting skills. But once the space program really took hold, the "bar" moved sideways if not "up," and NASA flight ops became their goal.

 

[dobbins]

Armstrong had left the military and become a NACA pilot before it became NASA. He was already a NASA employee when he was selected as an Astronaut. The Military only rule was Ike's idea and droped after the first selection.<br /><br />Slayton's crew rotation system, chance that Apollo 11 worked out to be the first landing, and the fact that he was next to the door were the primary reasons he was the first man on the Moon. <br />

 

[rsp1202]

If the LM hatch had only opened from right to left instead of left to right.... Since Conrad was the astro rep working with Grumman on LM systems and cabin layout, etc., Aldrin should have blamed him. Maybe he takes some solace that all the moonwalk photos are of him, not Armstrong. Armstrong gets the history books, Aldrin the photo spreads.<br /><br />Another result of pilot egos and competitiveness on the road to top of pyramid: NASA's trying to avoid controversy by naming Apollo crew members Commander, Command Module PILOT, Lunar Module PILOT. This was deliberate and not merely a nod to practicality. It persists today with shuttle crew: Commander and Pilot, not pilot and co-pilot, "co" being a no-no.

 

[rsp1202]

Above is not to denegrate use of term "commander," which signifies one who is leader of team. Apollo finally had enough crew to use such designation.<br /><br />BTW, if anyone has had a chance to peruse the new authorized bio of Armstrong, "First Man," I'd be interested in your take on such matters described above, which I assume it would cover to some degree.

 

[dobbins]

It predates Apollo. Gemini had a Command Pilot and a Pilot.<br />

 

[dobbins]

It's a space SHIP. Use naval terms, ships have Captains. Even if the person commanding the ship has a different rank, he's still refered to as the Captain.<br />

 

[dobbins]

Space Ships aren't multi-crewed and they aren't aircraft.<br />

 

[dobbins]

Boomer Subs are multi-crewed. They have two seperate crews, a Gold crew and a Blue crew. Expendable space ships have 1 crew. Reusables have a mission crew, not two crews for each mission.<br />

 

[alokmohan]

Space ventures are sanction by govt not for nothing.When USA wantedto counter USSR we had the beginnig of space race.After fall of of USSR there was lack of seriousnes.After rise of China USA plans to go to mars.