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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. Which astronaut is named to fly in the second Mercury capsule?

2. Who is in charge of crew selection?

3. Why is Chris Kraft furious with the astronaut?

4. What is the name of the first Russian cosmonaut?

5. Why do the astronauts move to Houston?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Bob Gilruth calls the astronauts together for an emergency meeting just before Christmas, what is the purpose of the meeting?

2. Why do neither John Glenn nor his wife, Annie, foresee the excitement that John's flight will cause?

3. When NASA grounds Deke Slayton, the press refers to him as being "keenly disappointed." How is Slayton actually feeling?

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. Why does NASA select the primary pilot and two backups with a few weeks to go before the launch instead of selecting the primary pilot the day before the launch as is originally planned?

6. 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?

7. The Air Force has grand plans of their own for a space program. What do their plans include?

8. What is the general assumption regarding why the capsule's hatch blew before the helicopter hooks on?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The two most prominent of the seven astronauts are arguably Alan Shepard and John Glenn. The book pits the two against each other in several ways.

a. Identify and explain the points-of-view of both Shepard and Glenn regarding the off-duty behaviors of the astronauts while at the Cape. Why did their views cause dissension among the remaining astronauts? What was the role of the Konakai Séance in the resolution of their dispute? How was their dispute resolved?

b. Shepard and Glenn are both competing to be selected as the first man into space. Compare how each man prepares for selection. Contrast their reactions when the selected individual is finally named. Compare their behaviors after the selection is made.

Essay Topic 2

At the beginning of our book, and throughout the selection process, we see these brave men having the support (or the perception of support) from their wives and families.

a. While stationed at Muroc, what is the wives' biggest fear? How do they support each other and what unwritten rules govern their roles as pilot wives?

b. Once their husbands are selected for the astronaut program, how do the women's lives change? Give at least three examples.

Essay Topic 3

In the early days of the space program, while the Americans were blowing up more rockets than they were successfully launching, an international conference was held that was attended by both the Soviets and the Americans.

a. What did the United States learn as a result of attending the conference?

b. What fears were assuaged for the United States by the international conference?

c. Had the Cold War not been ongoing, could the United States and Russian programs worked together to enhance both programs? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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