What were the names of the first astronauts to go outer space?

Answer 1

The original astronauts on the first mission using space shuttle Discovery were.

PositionAstronaut

Commander

Henry Hartsfield, Jr.

Pilot

Michael Coats

Mission Specialist 1

Richard M. Mullane

Mission Specialist 2

Steven Hawley

Mission Specialist 3

Judith Resnik

Payload Specialist

Charles Walker

Answer 2

There were 7 astronauts chosen for Project Mercury. Of those, 6 flew into space. The are:

Alan Shepard, Freedom 7, May 5, 1961

Gus Grissom, Liberty Bell 7, July 21, 1961

John Glenn, Friendship 7, February 20, 1962

Scott Carpenter, Aurora 7, May 24, 1962

Walter Schirra, Sigma 7, October 3, 1962

Gordon Cooper, Faith 7, May 15, 1963

Deke Slayton, the last of NASA's Original 7 astronauts, was scheduled to fly after John Glenn, however doctors discovered an irregular heartbeat which grounded him before the flight. He was replaced by Carpenter. A few months later, he was grounded by NASA and the Air Force. Slayton was going to quit NASA, but was selected by the other astronauts to become head of the astronaut office. As Chief Astronaut, Slayton was instrumental in selecting the Gemini and Apollo astronauts. He was also the one who chose which astronaut would fly on which mission, including the men who would land on the moon. During the Apollo 13 flight, Slayton became ill with a severe cold. A doctor friend of his recommended he take Vitamin C to combat the cold. After taking the vitamin, Slayton noticed his heartbeat had become regluar again. After a year of careful observation by doctors, Slayton was cleared to fly again. By the time Slayton was cleared to fly, all the Apollo flights had already been assigned crewmembers. It was at that time that the US and the Soviets began talking about a joint flight. After the agreements were signed, Slayton was assigned to the first joint mission with the Soviet Union. The ASTP flight, which launched on July 15, 1975, was Slayton's only spaceflight. At the end of the 9-day flight, an erroneous switch setting led to the introduction of noxious fumes into the Apollo cabin during landing, and the crew was hospitalized as a precaution in Honolulu, Hawaii, for two weeks. During hospitalization, a lesion was discovered on Slayton's lung and removed. It was determined to be benign. Had the lesion been discovered before the flight, Slayton would not have made the flight. Slayton left NASA in 1982 and entered into private business.

John Glenn is the only one of the Original 7 astonauts still alive.