Deke Slayton | |
|---|---|
 Slayton in 1973 | |
| Born | Donald Kent Slayton (1924-03-01)March 1, 1924 Sparta, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | June 13, 1993(1993-06-13) (aged 69) League City, Texas, U.S. |
| Education | University of Minnesota (BS) |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | |
| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
| Rank | Major,USAF |
Time in space | 9d 1h 28m |
| Selection | NASA Group 1 (1959) |
| Missions | Apollo–Soyuz Test Project |
Mission insignia |  |
| Retirement | February 27, 1982 |
| Signature | |
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Donald Kent "Deke"Slayton (March 1, 1924 – June 13, 1993) was an AmericanAir Forcepilot,aeronautical engineer,test pilot, and one of the originalNASAMercury Sevenastronauts. He went on to become NASA's firstChief of the Astronaut Office and Director of Flight Crew Operations, responsible for NASA crew assignments.
Slayton joined theU.S. Army Air Forces duringWorld War II, and flew inEurope and thePacific. He left the Army after World War II, went on to receive aBachelor of Science degree inaeronautical engineering fromUniversity of Minnesota in 1949, and later joined theMinnesota Air National Guard after working forBoeing as anaeronautical engineer. He joined theUnited States Air Force, and attended theU.S. Air Force Test Pilot School in 1955. In 1959, he applied to, and was selected as one of theMercury Seven, NASA's first class of astronauts. Slayton was scheduled to pilot the second U.S. crewedorbital spaceflight, but was grounded in 1962 byatrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm. In March 1972, he was medically cleared to fly and was the docking module pilot of the 1975Apollo–Soyuz Test Project (ASTP). Slayton continued to work at NASA until 1982. He also helped develop theSpace Shuttle.
Slayton died frombrain cancer on June 13, 1993, aged 69.
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Donald Kent Slayton was born on March 1, 1924, on a farm nearLeon, Wisconsin, to Charles Sherman Slayton (1887–1972) and Victoria Adelia Slayton (née Larson; 1895–1970).[1][2]: 9 He was ofEnglish andNorwegian descent. From a young age, he worked on the farm to raise sheep and cows, and grow tobacco. Throughout Slayton's childhood, his family's home did not have electricity or indoor plumbing. At the age of five, Slayton was clearing a horse-drawn hay mower when his left ring finger was severed.[2]: 10–15 He attended a two-room elementary school in Leon, and graduated fromSparta High School in 1942, where heboxed, playedtrombone, and was active in theFuture Farmers of America (FFA).[2]: 15–17
The 1941attack on Pearl Harbor by theEmpire of Japan occurred during Slayton's senior year of high school. He initially wished to join theU.S. Navy, but joined theU.S. Army Air Forces when it began accepting high school graduates to fly.[2]: 17 [note 1] After graduation, Slayton moved toSan Antonio, Texas, and entered theAviation Cadet Training Program. He was initially medically delayed because of his severed ring finger, but was deemed able to fly. Slayton began flight training inVernon, Texas, where he trained on theFairchild PT-19, thePT-17 Stearman, and theAT-6 Texan. After three months of primary training, Slayton moved toWaco, Texas, for basic flight training, where he flew theBT-13 Valiant. Despite Slayton's wishes to fly single-engine fighter aircraft, he was selected to fly multi-engine aircraft. Slayton began multi-engine training on theBeechcraft AT-10, Cessna AT-17, and the Curtiss AT-9. Slayton graduated from flight training on April 22, 1943, and was assigned to fly on theNorth American B-25 Mitchell, his last choice for aircraft.[2]: 18–22
Slayton moved toColumbia Army Air Base inSouth Carolina for the three-month-long B-25 Mitchell training. After completing training, he was assigned to the340th Bombardment Group, and departed for theEuropean theater of operations on ship fromNewport News, Virginia. After a stop in Zerni, North Africa, his convoy traveled toNaples, Italy. While traveling near theStrait of Gibraltar, their ships came under attack from German bombers andsubmarines.[2]: 23–24 After he arrived in Naples, the 340th Bombardment Group moved to San Petrazio, where Slayton flew combat missions into theBalkan Peninsula. After six weeks, he moved toFoggia, where 48 aircraft were destroyed after an eruption ofMount Vesuvius. Afterwards, Slayton flew out ofSalerno andCorsica, where he upgraded from copilot to pilot. After 56 combat sorties, Slayton completed his combat tour and returned to the U.S. in May 1944.[2]: 26–32
Immediately upon his return to Columbia Army Air Base to serve as a B-25 instructor, Slayton applied and was accepted to fly the newDouglas A-26 Invader bomber aircraft. He moved toSelfridge Field inMichigan for training, and began preparing for a deployment to thePacific. In July 1945, he arrived onOkinawa Island and joined the319th Bombardment Group. He flew seven combat missions overJapan, and encountered little Japanese resistance. Slayton flew his final combat mission on August 12, three days after thebombing of Nagasaki and spent two months waiting for his return to the U.S. After the war, Slayton worked as B-25 instructor inAlbany, Georgia, andBoca Raton, Florida and separated from the Army in November 1946.[2]: 33–40 [3]
After he was discharged from the Army, Slayton enrolled at theUniversity of Minnesota, inMinneapolis, and studiedaeronautical engineering. As a student, he supported himself using theGI Bill and by working at aMontgomery Ward warehouse. He graduated with aBachelor of Science degree in 1949, and accepted a job as an engineer with theBoeing Aircraft Corporation atSeattle, Washington.[4] After moving to Seattle, Slayton lived in a rooming house and began working as a junior design engineer. While at Boeing, he worked on theB-52 Stratofortress and theKC-97 Stratofreighter.[2]: 40–47
While he was a college student, Slayton joined theAir Force Reserve, and was a T-6 Texan pilot flying out ofMinneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport. He transitioned to theMinnesota Air National Guard (ANG), after accepting a demotion from captain to second lieutenant, to allow him to fly the A-26 Invader andP-51 Mustang. He left the Minnesota ANG when he moved to Seattle. Slayton attempted to join an Air Force Reserve unit in Seattle at the start of theKorean War, but was rejected on the grounds that his inactive reserve status had expired. He contacted his previous squadron commander in Minnesota and accepted his offer to rejoin his former squadron in February 1951. Upon his return, Slayton was initially medically disqualified from flying for his eyesight. He served as a maintenance officer while waiting for his medical clearance and then became a maintenance flight test officer once he had returned to flying status.[2]: 40–49
In 1952, Slayton transferred to active duty Air Force from the Air National Guard. After completing his education atAir Command and Staff School, he was assigned as a maintenance inspector atTwelfth Air Force Headquarters inWiesbaden Army Airfield,West Germany. He additionally served as anF-86 Sabre pilot and maintenance officer with the36th Fighter Day Wing atBitburg Air Base,West Germany. While stationed in Germany, he met Marjorie Lunney and married her on May 18, 1955.[3][2]: 52–54
At the start of his assignment in West Germany, Slayton applied to theU.S. Air Force Test Pilot School (TPS), but was rejected on the basis that he had to complete his current three-year assignment. He reapplied and was accepted in 1955, and joined TPS Class 55C. After graduating in December 1955, he became atest pilot at theFlight Test Center atEdwards Air Force Base,California. He tested theF-101,F-102,F-104,F-105 andF-106.[5] He was first assigned to the F-102, and tested theMatador andGenie missiles, and later tested the stall-spin characteristics of the F-105.[6] In 1958, he helped test Britain's first supersonic fighter, theEnglish Electric P1B Lightning.[2]: 55–65
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In January 1959, Slayton was selected as one of the candidates forNASA'sProject Mercury, the first U.S. crewed space flight program. Despite his initial lack of interest in spaceflight, he agreed to pursue astronaut selection. After an initial interview at the temporary NASA headquarters in theDolley Madison House inWashington, D.C., Slayton was psychologically and physically tested at theLovelace Clinic inAlbuquerque, New Mexico, along with fellow future astronautsScott Carpenter andJim Lovell. On April 2, 1959, Slayton was notified of his selection as an astronaut. He moved his family from Edwards Air Force Base to a housing development nearFort Eustis, where he was neighbors with fellowMercury Seven astronautsGus Grissom andWally Schirra.[1][2]: 66, 69–75
After he began at NASA, Slayton was assigned to the development of theConvairAtlas LV-3B.[7]: 98 In 1959, during acentrifuge training course, he underwent anelectrocardiogram that found that he had erratic heart activity. He received further medical evaluation atBrooks Air Force Base and was diagnosed withidiopathicatrial fibrillation, but he was considered healthy enough to continue flying.[2]: 78–79, 85–86 During the uncrewedMercury-Atlas 4 orbital spaceflight, he worked at the tracking station inBermuda. He was selected for the second American crewed orbital mission,Mercury-Atlas 7, which he intended to nameDelta 7.[2]: 104–105, 110 In early 1962, NASA AdministratorJames Webb opened an investigation into Slayton's atrial fibrillation. On March 15, 1962, two months prior to the launch ofDelta 7, Slayton was medically disqualified from the flight and replaced on the mission byScott Carpenter.[2]: 111–114 [8][9] Initially, Slayton's ineligibility was only for his assigned mission, and he attempted to improve his health by exercising more regularly and abstaining from alcohol. NASA leadership determined that Slayton was still at risk for atrial fibrillation and removed his eligibility to fly any of the remaining Mercury missions.[2]: 115–116 [3] Flight doctors recommended acardiac catheterization to determine if he had a congenital condition, but NASA management rejected the proposal because of the risks of the operation.[9]
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After being grounded by NASA, Slayton was selected in early 1962 to serve as the senior manager of the astronaut office. One of his first roles was to select theGroup 2 astronauts, and the new class was announced in September 1962. Additionally, he was tasked with making future crew assignments, and assignedGordon Cooper toMercury-Atlas 9.[2]: 115–122 In an administrative restructuring in October 1963, Slayton became assistant director of Flight Crew Operations, in addition to his job managing the astronaut office. In November 1963, he resigned from his commission in the Air Force after he was permanently disqualified from flying and became a civilian executive for NASA. AfterAlan Shepard was grounded due toMénière's disease, he replaced Slayton as the manager of the astronaut office, while Slayton continued to work for Flight Crew Operations and was promoted to its director in 1966.[10][2]: 133–140 [11] Slayton continued to be responsible for making crew assignments, and determined the astronauts that would fly on theGemini andApollo missions.[2]: 166–168, 184 Slayton created a crew rotation, where a crew would be selected as the backup crew for a mission and would later be the prime crew three missions later.[12]: 42
During theApollo 1 fire, Slayton was in theCape Canaveral LC-34 blockhouse. He was a close friend of fellow astronaut Gus Grissom and had considered working inside the capsule to determine communications problems and would have worked under the footrests, where the fire would later begin.[12]: 16–17 [2]: 185, 189 After the fire, Slayton called a meeting of the astronauts from the first groups to be chosen, in April 1967 and announced that they were the candidates for the first lunar landing.[12]: 27 Slayton oversaw the crew reassignments for the upcoming Apollo missions, as well as the selection forGroup 6 andGroup 7 astronauts. During this time, he continued to show symptoms of atrial fibrillation. After NASA Administrator James Webb decided thatApollo 8 would become a circumlunar mission, Slayton switched the previous crew toApollo 9 because of their experience with thelunar module and moved both the prime and backup crew from Apollo 9 to Apollo 8. Due to his crew rotation schedule, the backup crew ofNeil Armstrong,Buzz Aldrin andMichael Collins became the primary crew forApollo 11.[2]: 200–203, 223–224, 250 [12]: 58–62, 136–137 Slayton continued to assign the crew for the remaining lunar landings. Slayton chose to replaceKen Mattingly withJack Swigert onApollo 13, after concerns arose that Mattingly could developrubella during the mission.[12]: 288 In 1969, he made the controversial decision to assign Alan Shepard as theApollo 13 commander, which was viewed by some astronauts as a conflict of interest, due to Shepard's previous position as head of the astronaut office. Shepard would be later reassigned to commandApollo 14, against Slayton's wishes, by the Office of Manned Spaceflight directorGeorge Mueller, who felt that Shepard needed additional training time.[12]: 346–348 After thepostal covers scandal during theApollo 15 mission, Slayton reassigned the crew to non-flying jobs, effectively ending their astronaut careers.[12]: 496–497 Slayton supported keepingJoe Engle as the lunar module pilot onApollo 17, but was pressured by NASA management to replace him withJack Schmitt, a scientist-astronaut.[2]: 271 [12]: 450–451
While grounded, Slayton took several measures to attempt to be restored to flight status, including regularly exercising, taking vitamins, quitting cigarette smoking and coffee and reducing his consumption of alcoholic beverages. In 1970 his palpitations became more frequent and he started taking experimental daily doses ofquinidine, a crystalline alkaloid. This treatment was successful, but concerned that taking medication would still disqualify him from solo flying, Slayton stopped taking it against doctors orders.[9] After a decade of seeing doctors around the world,[13] in 1971 Slayton was examined at theMayo Clinic after a long period without heart fibrillation, and was determined to not have a coronary condition. On March 13, 1972, NASA announced that Slayton had returned to flight status.[2]: 264, 274, 275
In February 1973, Slayton was assigned to theApollo–Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) as a docking module pilot, along with commanderThomas Stafford and command module pilotVance Brand. The American crew began a two-year training program, which included learning the Russian language and making trips to theYuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in theUSSR. He remained in a managerial role throughout theSkylab program, and resigned as Director of Flight Crew Operations in February 1974 in preparation for his upcoming flight.[2]: 280–281, 290 [1][14]: 160–166
The Apollo andSoyuz spacecraft both launched on July 15, 1975. On July 17, the two craft rendezvoused in orbit and the American astronauts conducted crew transfers with cosmonautsAlexei Leonov andValeri Kubasov. At the end of the flight, an erroneous switch setting led to noxiousnitrogen tetroxide fumes from the command module's RCS thrusters being sucked into the cabin during landing and the crew was hospitalized as a precaution inHonolulu,Hawaii, for two weeks. During hospitalization, alesion was discovered on Slayton's lung and removed. It was determined to be benign, but he would have likely been grounded from ASTP if it had been discovered before the flight.[2]: 300–305 [14]: 188–195 He was 51 years old, making him the oldest astronaut to fly in space at the time.[10]
Prior to the ASTP flight, Slayton was assigned byChris Kraft to manage theApproach and Landing Tests (ALT) of the Space Shuttle program. The ALT program developed the tests for theSpace Shuttle orbiterEnterprise, and modified severalF-104 Starfighters andT-38 Talons to train the astronauts. While working on the Space Shuttle, he also assisted in developing theShuttle Carrier Aircraft.[1][2]: 306–312
The ALT program ended in late 1977 and Slayton agreed to manage the Space Shuttle's Orbital Flight Tests (OFT). During the selection of theGroup 8 astronauts, Slayton advocated for fewer selections, with the expectation that two-man crews would fly the regular satellite deployment missions. He officially retired in 1980, but continued to serve in an advisory role forSTS-1, and flew a T-38 chase plane during the landing ofSTS-2. He formally left NASA on February 27, 1982, and had flown 7,164 hours.[1][2]: 310–323
After his retirement from NASA, Slayton served as president ofSpace Services Inc., a Houston-based company earlier founded to develop rockets for small commercial payloads. He served as mission director for a rocket called theConestoga, which was successfully launched on September 9, 1982, and was the world's first privately funded rocket to reach space.[15][2]: 329–342 Slayton also became interested inaviation racing, and was President of International Formula One Pylon Air Racing andDirector of Columbia Astronautics. He also served on theDepartment of Transportation's Commercial Space Advisory Committee.[1][2]: 323–328
In 1991, Slayton began working with space historianMichael Cassutt to write his autobiography, titledDeke!: U.S. Manned Space from Mercury to the Shuttle, which was published in 1994, a year after his death.[2]: 343 Slayton also co-wrote the 1994 bookMoon Shot: The Inside Story of America's Race to the Moon with fellow astronautAlan Shepard.[16]
Slayton married Marjorie "Marge" Lunney (1921–1989) on May 18, 1955, and they had one son, Kent Sherman.[17]: 345 [18] They divorced in April 1978, and Slayton moved to a condominium near theJohnson Space Center.[2]: 308, 312 He married Bobbie Belle Jones (1945–2010), who also worked at NASA, in October 1983, and they remained married until his death.[17]: 350 [2]: 318
When Slayton was a test pilot, one of his pilot colleagues was also named Don. In order to avoid confusion in radio communications, Slayton was referred to by his initials, D.K., which were eventually shortened to "Deke."[2]: 58
In 1992, Slayton was diagnosed with a malignantbrain tumor. On June 13, 1993, he died in his home inLeague City, Texas, from the illness, at the age of 69.[19] Following his death, PresidentBill Clinton issued a statement of condolences stating Slayton "met adversity with determination, and discouragement with a dedication to never yield his dreams" and "his commitment to space exploration helped pull the world into an era of new possibilities that grows and expands to this day."[20] He was cremated and his ashes scattered over his family farm in Sparta, Wisconsin.[21]
Slayton's military and NASA decorations:[4]
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During and after his career, Slayton received numerous awards from different organizations. He received theSociety of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP)James H. Doolittle Award in 1972 and the SETP Iven C. Kincheloe Award. In 1975, he received the National Institute of Social Sciences Gold Medal, theZeta Beta Tau'sRichard Gottheil Medal, and the Wright Brothers International Manned Space Flight Award. In 1976, he received the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Space Award, the American Heart Association's Heart of the Year Award, the District 35-R Lions International American of the Year Award, and theAAS Flight Achievement Award. In 1977, he received theAIAA Special Presidential Citation, theUniversity of Minnesota's Outstanding Achievement Award, and the Houston Area Federal Business Association's Civil Servant of the Year Award. Slayton, along with Brand and Kubasov, won theFAI Yuri Gagarin Gold Medal in 1976.[22] Additionally, he received theCollier Trophy, the Gen. Billy Mitchell Award, and the AIAAHaley Astronautics Award for 1978. Slayton received anHonoraryD.Sc. fromCarthage College in 1961, and anHonorary Doctorate inEngineering fromMichigan Technological University in 1965.[4]
He was afellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP) and theAmerican Astronautical Society, as well as an associate fellow of theAmerican Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He was a member of theExperimental Aircraft Association, the Space Pioneers, theConfederate Air Force, theOrder of Daedalians, theNational Rifle Association of America, theVeterans of Foreign Wars, and theFraternal Order of Eagles. Additionally, he was an honorary member of the American Fighter Aces Association, the National WWII Glider Pilots Association and theAssociation of Space Explorers.[23][4]
Deke Slayton was inducted into theU.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame on May 11, 1990,[24][25] theInternational Space Hall of Fame in 1990,[3][26] theNational Aviation Hall of Fame in 1996,[27] and theInternational Air & Space Hall of Fame in 2001.[28] The Texas Oncology-Deke Slayton Cancer Center inWebster, Texas, is named in his honor.[29] The main stretch of road in League City, Texas,FM 518, was renamed Deke Slayton Highway.[30] The Deke Slayton Memorial Space & Bicycle Museum in Sparta, Wisconsin was named in his honor.[31] The Slayton biographical exhibit includes his Mercury space suit, his Ambassador of Exploration Award, which showcases a lunar sample, and more. In nearbyLa Crosse, Wisconsin, an annual summer aircraftair show, the Deke Slayton Airfest, has been held in his honor, featuring modern and vintage military and civilian aircraft, along with NASA speakers.
Although the October 2014,Cygnus CRS Orb-3 mission named the S.S.Deke Slayton was lost when itsAntares rocket exploded during launch,[32][33] theCygnus CRS Orb-4 Orbital ATK space vehicle S.S.Deke Slayton II was successfully launched to theInternational Space Station on anAtlas V rocket on December 6, 2015.[34] In 2017,Solstar and NASA developed a preliminary design for Slayton Space Communicator (SC-Slayton), a commercial router on theInternational Space Station named in his honor.[35] The device is intended forlow Earth orbit service (LEO).[36]
This article incorporatespublic domain material from websites or documents of theNational Aeronautics and Space Administration.While at Edwards, Deke Slayton flew test flight missions on the F-101, F-102, F-105 and the F-106.
...[H]e was one of the hot test pilots at Edwards Air Force Base, pushing the F-105 to its limits.
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