Exploring the Unknown: Selected Documents in ... - The Black Vault

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First Steps into Space: Projects Mercury and Gemini
4. The simulated tests must be combined in the same relationship and
intensity as they would occur during the project. The physical separation of test
facilities rendered it highly impractical to improvise superimposed stress. While
a multi-stress facility was desirable, it was not mandatory for study of the candidates.
In any interpretation, partial data when expertly gathered is much more
desirable than no data at all. This reasoning serves to defend the approach that
was finally taken.
5. A battery of nonsimulating but relevant tests must be included in the
testing program. These tests must be easy to administer and safe. A battery of easily
administered and safe nonsimulating tests was incorporated into the program.
They were (physical fitness tests): Harvard step, Flack, cold pressor, and tilt table.
A battery of more complex nonsimulating tests was also devised. The investigators
believed these might correlate significantly with simulating tests. The complex
tests cannot be easily and/or safely administered. These tests are: positive g to
blackout (acceleration); extensive anthropometric and photogrammetric measurements,
somatotyping (anthropological); urinary catacholamines, plasma corticosteroids,
urinary 3-methoxy-4-hydroxymandelic acid (biochemical); speech
intelligibility (biological acoustical); 2 hours of heat stress (thermal); treadmill,
MC-1 partial pressure suit (physical fitness); all tests administered (psychological);
and maximum breathing capacity, bicycle ergometer, electrical stimulation
of muscles (Lovelace Foundation).
6. In the final recommendation of candidates the investigators must only
interpret subject performance on the simulating tests. Nonsimulating test performance
will not affect recommendation of this first group of candidates. Some of
these nonsimulating tests were interpreted and did affect the recommendation of
candidates. This was intentional. The sum total of data gathered from all of the
simulating tests, although valuable, was insufficient to render candidate recommendations
with confidence. However, the investigators agreed that, if they were
also allowed to interpret some of the nonsimulating tests with which they were
intimately familiar, they could then attach great con fidence to the final recommendations.
It was unanimously agreed that each investigator-group would be
allowed to interpret the nonsimulating tests which they chose. The main goal of
this particular crew selection development program was to recommend outstanding
candidates. An important but secondary goal was to discover the existence
of significant correlations. It was unsound practice to omit data or impressions
which might possibly affect the success of Project Mercury. Those nonsimulating
tests which were interpreted and which did affect the final candidate recommendations
were: positive g (acceleration); index of strain (thermal); Harvard
step, Flack, cold pressor (only if feet were prematurely withdrawn), treadmill,
MC-1 partial pressure suit (if subject terminated test for psychological reasons),
tilt table (physical fitness tests); and all tests administered (psychological).
Those nonsimulating tests which were not used in the final candidate
recommendations were: all measurements (anthropological); all measurements
(biochemical); speech intelligibility (biological acoustical); and cold pressor test
development of hypertension and/or tachycardia, MC-1 test development of presyncope
or tachycardia >160, Valsalva overshoot., and tilt table (physical fitness tests).