What are the selection methods and characteristics of American astronauts?

The main feature of the selection of US astronauts is that it is carried out according to the type of manned spacecraft, and soon after the establishment of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), it was formally decided to launch the manned satellite Mercury spacecraft.

The selection process, which began in January 1959 and ended in April 1959, took only three months, with members of the selection committee reviewing the files of all active American test pilots and pilots, and selecting 508 individuals for further consideration over a period of several weeks, in collaboration with the relevant military authorities. In addition, 110 people were selected by NASA according to the conditions as the official selection and inspection objects. The essence of this stage is the selection of political and general social factors.

These people were then divided into two groups and went to Washington to listen to a briefing on the development and launch plan of the "Mercury" spacecraft, including the risks and difficult conditions, so as to assess the candidates' intentions and willingness. Asking these people to participate in the Mercury program was actually part of the psychovolatile selection, with 53 people expressing their willingness to join the Mercury program. The 53 volunteers were then subjected to further general psychological and neurological examinations and interviews.

First, the oral examination introduces the participants in more detail about the ongoing "Mercury" program, and encourages the participants to give their opinions on the issues they care about, from which they can see their psychological motivations and technical knowledge. The neurological and psychiatric evaluations are then conducted by neurologists, which are recorded separately by the two people, compared and evaluated, and reported to the selection committee. There is also a set of written tests, which include an analogy test and a mathematical reasoning test.

Through the inspection and screening of these items, the alliance pilots are finally selected for various selection and test inspections.

The next stage of the selection work is to send these 32 candidates to the hospital, and gather them for medical and special factor endurance test examinations, these 32 people are divided into groups of 6 people, and the remaining 2 people are divided into another group, respectively.

NASA uses the principles and techniques of preventive medicine to screen space candidates to identify those with the greatest career potential. Thanks to the use of modern diagnostic and assessment procedures, this method makes it possible to select prospective astronauts from among applicants who are expected to be in very good health for a long time to come. Because NASA and the State invest heavily in the training of astronauts, this selection method is thought to ensure that the selected person does not lose his or her investment by dropping out of the course of his or her normal career due to medical problems that have already been investigated.

The United States was the second country to go into space after the former Soviet Union went into space, and astronaut selection began in the late 50s. Although the country's research in aerospace biology and aerospace medicine was also carried out on a large scale in the 50s, at that time, under the pressure of the former Soviet Union's leading manned space technology, the selection of the first batch of cosmonauts was hectic and nervous.

In order to compete with the former Soviet Union for space superiority, the United States established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in October 1958. This organization oversees unmanned and manned space activities. The selection and training of astronauts is also the responsibility of this organization.

From 1959 to 1985, 11 batches of astronauts were selected. By 1988, there had been 213 people (including non-professional astronauts) in various types of manned spacecraft, including three in the former West Germany and one each in France, Canada, the Netherlands, Mexico and Saudi Arabia. The United States has gradually formed some standards for the physical fitness of astronauts, called NASA standards, grades, and levels.

From the 4th batch, in addition to the selection from the Air Force personnel, the selection of scientist-cosmonauts was increased. According to the purpose and mission of entering space, the selection criteria are also different. Physical fitness is carried out in accordance with the conditions set out in this table.

Since the beginning of the fourth batch of selection, considering that the third model of the United States' manned spacecraft, the Apollo Naiche spacecraft, will have scientific exploration missions, the selection targets have been expanded to include scientists, medical doctors, and engineers. Except for flight technology, which is not the main selection condition, the other conditions are basically the same as the previous three batches, and the academic level requires at least a doctorate degree in natural sciences, medicine or engineering, and is full of creativity and is still engaged in scientific research.

The systematic training of American astronauts began in 1959 and was tailored to the specifics of launching manned spacecraft. So far, the United States has developed five types of manned spacecraft, including the Mercury spacecraft, the Gemini spacecraft, the Apollo spacecraft and its lunar module, Skylab, and the Space Shuttle.

Astronaut training is carried out according to the needs of these specific models. Its ground simulation experiments and training equipment have increased and decreased with the needs of various types of manned spacecraft. For the first two years, the astronauts of the Mercury spacecraft were based at the Langley Space Research Center and launch site, and after the Johnson Training Center was built in Houston in 19q, the astronaut training of various types of vehicles was mainly carried out at this base.

By 1988, there had been 213 people (including non-Americans) launched into space by American manned spacecraft, including 6 Mercury spacecraft (including 2 suborbital flights); 20 Gemini spacecraft; 33 Apollo people, including 12 people on the moon; 3 joint flights between the United States and the Soviet Union; 9 in Skylab; 142 space shuttle passengers. They were all trained at the Johnson Center in Houston.

Also trained at the base are non-professional astronauts, payload specialists and "civilian space tourists."