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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What are Gordon Cooper's and Deke Slayton's roles during the launch?
(a) They are the technical trouble-shooters.
(b) They are the capsule communicators.
(c) They are NASA's press representatives.
(d) They are the look-outs for trouble on the launch pad.

2. Which astronaut is scheduled for the next space flight?
(a) John Glenn.
(b) Gus Grissom.
(c) Alan Shepard.
(d) Deke Slayton.

3. Which astronaut takes Slayton's place for the next flight?
(a) Alan Shepard.
(b) Scott Carpenter.
(c) Wally Schirra.
(d) Gordon Cooper.

4. On what day does Shepard's Mercury capsule launch?
(a) May 10.
(b) May 25.
(c) May 12.
(d) May 5.

5. When the astronauts arrive in Houston, they are told that there will be a "little" cocktail party for them. Where is the cocktail party held?
(a) The Exxon Oil Refinery.
(b) The Houston Coliseum.
(c) The Astrodome.
(d) The Houston Space Center.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the new moon program called?

2. Who is Bob Gilruth?

3. The first "manned" space flight by Russia does not have a man aboard. What living thing do the Russians send into space?

4. What is Gus afraid of as he tries to swim to the helicopter's horse collar?

5. How does the author both begin and end the Epilogue?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Shepard see as the main differences between the actual flight and the centrifuge's simulated flights?

2. The evening before the second Mercury flight, Joe Walker runs into Gus Grissom. Walker tries to get Grissom's goat by insisting that the X-15 program will soon pass the Mercury program and that he and the other Edwards pilots are the "real" pilots. Why do these remarks not bother Grissom at all?

3. Why is there a certain danger in scrapping the Redstone rocket in favor of the Atlas rockets?

4. When urination had been a problem in the procedures trainer, what had some of the astronauts done out of necessity and what are the dangers involved in a real-world situation?

5. What irks the Original Seven wives about the Next Nine wives?

6. The seven original Mercury astronauts receive the Iven C. Kincheloe Award for outstanding professional performance in the conduct of test flight from the Society for Experimental Test Pilots. What does receiving this award mean to the astronauts?

7. In Chapter 15, what does John Glenn argue with James Webb about?

8. What worries the astronauts the most about Project Mercury potentially losing funding?

9. What is the effect on Shepard of having so many pre-flight simulations?

10. During the delay before the launch, Shepard found his biggest issue to be his need to use the restroom. However, no device for urination was designed into the capsule. Why not?

(see the answer keys)

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