The Forgotten Astronauts

By Codex Regius

Our shelves contain countless books on the history of space travel, illustrated with colourful images of the moon and names we have frequently read: Alan Shepard, first American in space, John Glenn who orbited earth, Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon, Elliot See ...

Wait a minute. Who is Elliot See?

Then we discover that most books on the history of space travel do not mention his name at all. And closer examination reveals more unknown faces on NASA's group photos. Their accounts, told in this book, reveal the darker side of the American moon-landing myth. These men are the Forgotten Astronauts, those who failed and were erased from history - sometimes tragically, sometimes tragicomically - and who were for a long time hushed up about, not to cloud the worship of the heroes of the Space Age.

• Language: English
• Publisher: XinXii
• Release date: Dec 13, 2014
• ISBN: 9783957036469

Book preview

Preface

We children of the 1960s perceived the moonwalkers as really great heroes. At that time, many among us wanted to become astronauts, and we played ‘landing on the moon’ under tables covered with blankets that served as our imaginary space capsules. ‘Apollo’ kindled a lifelong enthusiasm for skylore in some of us so that we became amateur astronomers or even professionals. Our shelves contain countless books about the history of space travel, illustrated with colourful images of the moon and names we have frequently read: Alan Shepard, first American in space, John Glenn who orbited earth, Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon, Elliot See …

Wait a minute. Who is Elliot See?

Wondering, we discover that most books on the history of space travel do not mention his name at all. Only once in a blue moon his face shows up in a group photo of the astronaut corps (see image 1). But the accounts of the early American space programmes, Mercury, Gemini and Apollo, remain silent about him. How did his face get among the spacemen, and why has it gone again?

When we examine other photos closely, we find more unfamiliar faces showing up. Who now remembers Dr Graveline, the man with the shortest astronaut career ever? Charles Bassett who was assigned to write history but dropped the quill? Robert Lawrence who almost would have performed a pioneering achievement? Space-buff literature of the 20th century has passed over them. Only late did this men receive the recognition they had been deprived