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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How many test pilots are in the original group in Jacksonville?

2. Who is known as the "king of the test fighter pilots"?

3. What is the name Yeager gives to his plane?

4. Why is Gus Grissom uncomfortable during the press conference?

5. What is the top speed attained during the October 14th flight?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the begrudging consensus finally reached from the Konakai Séance regarding their "off hours" behavior?

2. What are John Glenn and Alan Shepard in serious disagreement about?

3. Jane Conrad sees a real man going to her front door and realizes it wasn't one of her hallucinations. Who is the man and why is he there?

4. Describe what the chapter's title of "On the Balcony" refers to.

5. In detailing the experiences of the astronauts, the author states that "everywhere they went in their travels people stopped what they were doing and gave them a certain look of awe and sympathy." Awe is easily understood. Why do they look at them with sympathy?

6. Why do Chuck Yeager's comments in Phoenix almost set off a national scandal? What happens to avoid the scandal?

7. The morning after the press conference, the newspapers are full of stories about the astronauts. What do the stories highlight?

8. Why do the astronauts not refer to themselves or the other astronauts as "astronauts"?

9. Describe Jane Conrad's nightmares and hallucinations?

10. Name three tests conducted at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base on the pilots.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Identify and discuss the main political events that hastened the creation of Project Mercury.

a. What specifically occurred to speed up NASA's time frame for space travel?

b. What perceived threats resulted from these events?

c. How did the creation of Project Mercury address these perceived threats?

Essay Topic 2

During the period in which Project Mercury was being launched, the Cold War was in full swing.

a. How did the Cold War affect Project Mercury and its projected time frame?

b. How did the Soviet's successes in space affect and/or change NASA's projects?

c. What fears did the Soviet successes raise?

Essay Topic 3

When Project Mercury first began, the pilots were flying to Cape Canaveral for their training sessions. Later, as Project Mercury outgrew Cape Canaveral, the program was moved to Houston. Compare and contrast the astronauts' lifestyles in Cape Canaveral and Houston.

(see the answer keys)

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