SPACE FLIGHT PREPARATIONS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29506, 6 May 1961, Page 11

SPACE FLIGHT PREPARATIONS

Astronaut Enters Capsule

(NZ. Press Asm.—Copyright) CAPE CANAVERAL, May 5. The American astronaut, Commander Alan Shepard, has entered his Mercury capsule on top of a Redstone missile for a planned space flight at 8 a.m. (noon G.M.T.) today, the Associated Press reported. The 37-year-old Navy pilot, dressed in his silver space suit, left his special quarters at the Cape Canaveral base at 3.58 a.m. for the drive to the launching pad. Shepard entered the capsule as the first pale pink flush of dawn streaked the eastern sky. A dozen or more helicopters arose and began patrolling this area as Shepard arrived at the launching pad.

The countdown appeared to be proceedng normally with only an hour remaining before launching. The weather was balmy. The sky was cloudless and visibility was good out in the Atlantic. Loading of the liquid oxygen was commenced at 1 a.m.

and marked the beginning of the final countdown phase as the weather remained favourable. , As the Project Mercury technicians began fueling the massive Redstone rocket. Commander Shepard was ready for the 4500 miles per hour thrust which will send him to a height of 115 miles and land him 15 minutes later 290 miles down-range in the Atlantic Ocean. Shortly after midnight (0400 G.M.T.) meteorologists at Cape Canaveral said that only partial cloudiness was expected on the Florida coast for the next 12 to 24 hours, and winds were expected to be within the minimum conditions required for the shot. Floodlights were switched on 15 minutes after midnight illuminating the 66-foot-high Redstone missile and the small Mercury capsule in which Commander Shepard will '•ide. Launching crews Lien began to prepare for the final countdown. Early today, as fueling went on and final checks were made to the highly complex missile and capsule. Commander Shepard and the "back-up" astronaut. Marine Lieutenant - Colonel John Glenn, slept in a hanger ready room at the huge rocket base. They underwent physical examinations yesterday and ate special lowresidue. high-energy food. They retired at about 10 p.m for about four hours’ sleep. Commander Shepard was reported to be “as cool as a cucumber” and anxious to embark on the most thrilling 15 minutes of his life—a ride to the unknown when his body will be subjected to stresses 11 times the force of gravity and a five-minute period of weightlessness—a sensation experienced only by one other human being. Major Yuri Gagarin in his historic orbital flight just over three weeks ago. In the hours before dawn, leading scientists, engineers and Congressional observers moved out to the vast control centre where the flight was to t>e controlled, monitored and observed. Technicians in the nearby blockhouse where the final firing procedures are operated were being joined by Dr. Wernher von Braun and Dr Kurt Debus, two of Germany's war-time missile experts. A task force of ships and planes strung out over 300 miles of ocean between Cape Canaveral and the Grand Bahama area were standing to shortly before dawn ready to recover Commander Shepard in his space capsule The control centre for recovery is aboard the 40.000ton aircraft carrier Lake Champlain, where a dozen radar sets will pinpoint the capsule’s landing. As soon as the capsule has been located a helicopter aboard one of the six destroyers in the task force will whirl to the landing point to lift it out of the ocean. Attached to the top of Commander Shepard’s cabin on the launching site is a rocket escape tower designed to jerk the capsule free of the booster and parachute it to earth in case of trouble on launching or during the 141 seconds of powered flight.

As the 66.0001 b rocket rises, forces six times the pull of gravity will push the pilot against his form-fitting couch for a brief period. At an altitude of 35 miles, the Redstone will burn out and small rockets attached to the base of the capsule will push it ahead and away from the rocket. Five seconds later hydrogen peroxide jets will flip the capsule over 180 degrees so the pilot is rising upright, but backwards. Four minutes after the launching the astronaut will enter a five-minute period of weightlessness. Then the capsule will plunge into the earth’s atmosphere and forces of llgs will press on Commander Shepard. The thickening atmosphere will slow the vehicle and at 42.000 feet a small parachute will come out to stabilise it. At 10,000 ft, a 36-foot main parachute will ease the capsule into the water about 75 miles north-east of Grand Bahama Island. After recovery, the pilot will be flown to Grand Bahama for at least 48 hours

of extensive medical and psychological examination before flying on Sunday to Washington to receive a hero's welcome from President Kennedy and the nation. National Aeronautics and Space Administration officials reported a few hours before the scheduled launching: "Conditions look good both here and in the recovery area and barring last-minute technical difficulties it looks all set for Shepard to go." During the slow-speed ride in the van to the launching pad. Commander Shepard's heart was checked with an electro-cardiograph. Also on the ride his temperature and perspiration were checked with the van’s instrument consoles and his suit was purged with oxygen. Lieutenant-Colonel J. Glenn left the hangar in street clothes before Shepard departed for the launching pad. He was assigned the job of preceding Commander Shepard up the tall steel tower holding the rocket in place, and helping in the final check of the capsule.