Astronaut Group 2

NASA's Astronaut Group 2, also known as The Next Nine or The New Nine, was the second group of Astronauts selected by NASA in September 1962. The group was required to augment the original Mercury 7 with the announcement of the Gemini Program and leading to the Apollo Program. The selection requirements were as demanding as for the first group with a greater emphasis on candidates with engineering experience as well as test pilot experience. The achievements of the Group 2 Astronauts eclipsed those of any group before or since.

Related Topics:
NASA - Astronaut - 1962 - Mercury 7 - Gemini Program - Apollo Program - Test pilot

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• Neil Armstrong

:Commander, first docking in space and first mission abort from earth orbit; Commander, first manned lunar landing; first person to walk on the Moon. Flew on Gemini 8 and Apollo 11.

Related Topics:
The Moon - Gemini 8 - Apollo 11

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• Frank Borman

:Commander, first 14 day manned mission; Commander, first mission to orbit the moon. Flew on Gemini 7 and Apollo 8.

Related Topics:
Gemini 7 - Apollo 8

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• Pete Conrad

:Pilot, first 8 day manned mission and first re-boost to set record for human earth orbit altitude record; Commander, second manned lunar landing; third man to walk on the moon. Commander, first successful space station mission and space endurance record of 28 days. Flew on Gemini 5, Gemini 11, Apollo 12 and Skylab 2.

Related Topics:
Gemini 5 - Gemini 11 - Apollo 12 - Skylab 2

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• James Lovell

:First man to travel to vicinity of the moon twice. Commander, first mission abort beyond earth orbit. Absolute human altitude record. Flew on Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8 and Apollo 13.

Related Topics:
Gemini 7 - Gemini 12 - Apollo 8 - Apollo 13

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• James McDivitt

:Commander, first mission to dock two manned spacecraft in Earth Orbit and exchange crews. Flew on Gemini 4 and Apollo 9.

Related Topics:
Gemini 4 - Apollo 9

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• Elliott See

:Slated to command Gemini 9, but died in a plane crash before the mission.

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• Thomas Stafford

:Pilot, first United States orbital rendezvous; Commander, lunar landing test mission; Commander, first joint US-USSR space mission. Flew on Gemini 6A, Gemini 9, Apollo 10 and ASTP.

Related Topics:
USSR - Gemini 6A - Gemini 9 - Apollo 10 - ASTP

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• Edward White

:First US space walk. Prime Crew Pilot for first Apollo mission Apollo 1. Flew on Gemini 4.

Related Topics:
Space walk - Apollo 1 - Gemini 4

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• John W. Young

:Pilot, first mission to change orbit plane; Commander, first mission to dock with two different craft. Command Module Pilot, lunar landing test mission; first person to orbit the moon solo and orbit the moon twice; Commander, fifth lunar landing; ninth person to walk on the Moon; Commander, first Space Shuttle mission; first person to travel into space 6 times. Flew on Gemini 3, Gemini 10, Apollo 10, Apollo 16, STS-1 and STS-9.

Related Topics:
Space Shuttle - Gemini 3 - Gemini 10 - Apollo 10 - Apollo 16 - STS-1 - STS-9

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Astronaut Group 2: See also ►