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

Exploring the Unknown 229
In 1962 the Space Task Group moved from the Langley Research Center in Hampton,
Virginia, to found the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC) in Houston, Texas. This change
placed the human spaceflight program of NASA on a more formal and permanent footing.
Also in 1962, NASA selected its second class of astronauts who would be involved in the
Gemini and Apollo programs. With these changes came the institutionalization of a structure
for managing the astronauts, the creation of policies regarding what they could and could
not do as a part of their outside activities, and a formalization of crew assignments and
other duties. This memorandum discusses the management structure for the astronauts. In
September1962, MSC Director Robert Gilruth selected Deke Slayton, one of the Mercury Seven,
to coordinate astronaut activities. The effort became even more structured in November 1963
when Slayton assumed the position of Director of Flight Crew Operations. In that capacity,
he became responsible for directing the activities of the astronaut office, the aircraft operations
office, the flight crew integration division, the crew training and simulation division, and
the crew procedures division. Working directly with Gilruth, Slayton closely managed the
astronauts and oversaw their activities.
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
MEMORANDUM
WASHINGTON 25, DC
May 31, 1962
To:
From:
Subject:
Robert R. Gilruth, Director, MSC
Associate Administrator
Astronaut Activities
With our recent announcement concerning additional astronaut
selection, it seems timely to restate my understanding of your responsibilities for
astronaut activities and to suggest some guidelines for your consideration.
1. Current and future NASA astronauts are employees of the Manned
Spacecraft Center and, therefore, are under your direction. In executing
this responsibility, it is a sound procedure to have a key member of your
operations group as astronaut supervisor. This individual should be held
responsible for day-to-day direction of astronaut activities in the same
fashion as any other NASA line supervisor accounts for the activities of
personnel reporting to him. This responsibility includes supervision of
non-project activities covered in the paragraphs following.
2. In connection with astronaut personal appearances, I know you understand
that Mr. Webb, Dr. Dryden, and I are under constant demands to make
these individuals available. As in the past, we will continue to restrict such
appearances to occasions that have a minimum effect on the program
assignments of the astronauts and which, in addition, advance the overall