How did Alan Shepard have to train to become an astronaut?

Answer 1

Shepard's training began 18 years before his first flight when he graduated from the Naval Academy. He received his avaitor wings in 1947. By 1950 he had become a good enough pilot to enter the Naval Test Pilot School where he tested much faster jets at much higher altitudes than he'd ever flown before. This experience, along his general good health, led him to be selected as one of the Original 7 astronauts. By the time he was selected in 1959, he was already prepared to fly in space. He spent the next 2 years getting familiar with the Redstone booster that would launch him into space and the Mercury spacecraft he would be riding in once he got there.

His training included riding the centrifuge to familiarize him with the G-forces he would experience during his flight. G-forces are nothing new to astronauts. They experience them all the time while flying high performance jets. The only difference is an astronaut is subjected to them for much longer. He also spent a lot of time in the simulator where he learned to respond to all the failures that might occur during his flight. He also had to study manuals and blueprints on both his booster and spacecraft. In addition to studying his spacecraft, all the Mercury astronauts helped design the cockpit. The Mercury and Gemini astronauts were all engineers in addition to pilots.