Chaptl'r ()
\'isual OhSl'rvations ~Ialk bv lJ. S. Astronauts
]:ranklin E. Roach
Astronaut.s in orbit view the earth, its atmosphere and the astro-
nomical sky from altitudes ranging from 100 to BOO + nautical miles
060 to 1300 k111.) above mean sea level, well above many of the restric-
tions of the ground-based observer. They are skilled in accurate ob-
servations, their eyc~ight is excellent, they have an intimate frunil-
iar1ty with naviga,tional astronomy and a broad understanding of the
bus ic ph~'s i cal sci CIH'es. Thei r reports from orbit of visual sight ings
therefore deserve careful consideration.
Between 12 April 19()J and IS November 196(), :10 astronauts spent
a total of 2503 hours in orbi t. (sec Tables 1 antI 2 During the
fli.i..:hts the astronauts carried out assigned tasks of ~.;everal general
categor:cs, viz,: defense, engineering, medical, and scientific. II
list of the assiglled t;,lsks that \Vere part of tho Mercury pro,~ram is
providpd in Table 3 to give an idea of the kinds of visual obser-
vation~; tIle H:-itronauts ,,"erc ;uk~d to make.
As a part of the program, dcbriefings were held following l~ach U,S.
mission. At thc~~c sessions, the astronauts were questioned by scien-
tists involvl'd ill the dcsigil of the l'xporilllcnts about their obser-
vations, lJnpl~l!ll1C'J as W("l as specifically assigned. The dchricfings
cO!1lplcl1\{'ntc'd OJ) - the·-spot reports IllUdl' by the ast ronauts Juri ng the
l11i~;sion ill radio contacts with the ground-l;ontrol Cl'ntcr. In this Iv ill' ,
a c011lpreIH'llsivl' qUlllll\lrv 'vas obtailll'J of whnt till' ,lstronauf's had seclJ
wh i 1(' i II orb i 1 ,
Tilis chapter di~L:u~;sl'S the cl1l1Jitioll'i I1lltkr Ivhicl1 t!w astronauts
\1bservcd, with partiCUlar rcfcrcllcP to the M('rcury aid Ccntini serIf's,
,lilt! the ohservatiolls. both planned al1Ll unplanl1ccJ. made hy them. 'lhe
Chapter ()
\' i Sll a 1 Uil S l'TV at ions flau,' bv U. S. As t ronau ts
Franklin E. Roach
Astronaut.s in orbit view the earth, its atmosphere anu the astro-
nomical sky frOl~\ altitudes ranging from 100 to BOO + nalltical miles
060 to 1300 km.) above ml'an sea level, Wt'll abov(~ many of the r(>stric-
tions of the grounu-based observer. They are skilled in accurate ob-
servatic'lls, thdr ('v('si.ght is excellent, they have an intimate famil-
iarity with naviga.tional a~tronomy and a broad llnder~talldjng Df the
buslc ph;'sical SCiCIl('('S, Their reports from orbit of visual sightings
therefore descrvc careful consideration.
11L'tl\'ecll 12 Apri I 1961 and 1:' NovembC'r 1~)6(), 3D astronauts spC'l1t
a total of 2503 hours in "rbi t. (sec Tahles 1 anu 2 !luring the
fji.l!hts till' astronauts cal'riC'u out assigned tasks of ~;cveral gl'neral
categor'C's, vi :',: lkfcilSC, engineeri.ng, medical, and scientific. 1\
list of the assi);lIcd task;; tilat Ivere part 0f the Mercury pro,~ramis
provj dl'd in Tab Ie 3 to gi vc an idea of the kinds of visual obser-
vation~; the ll~t l'ol1auts I"ere a:~k~d to make.
As a part of the program, debriefing:; were held following l~ach U,S.
mission, At thc~".: sessions, the astronauts we're questioned by scien-
t.ists iUVO!Vl'd jll the desigi1 of t.hl' l'XpCrilllcnts about their obser-
vation~, Impl:llllwd as W(" 1 as speci fically assigned, The dehriefin)'.s
COl1tplCII\{'lltc'd ,)1\ - ttW·-SJlot reports 11ladl' by the ast ronaut!; Juri ng the
1l11!;si0I1 in radio contacts with the ground-control center. In this l~ilY,
:l ,:olllprelll'llSivt' SlUllliI;Irv ,;as obtailll'J of whnt thl' 'lstrOn<luts had .~l'('lI
1\'h i 1(' i 1\ orb iI,
This chapteT' di~l'u,~s('S till' Cl1l\ditiollS 1l11(kr IvhiciI t!](, astrollaut·;
\)b~c'rv\'d, Idth !'ilrli\'ular rcfCTC'IlC(' to the ~I('rcury aId (',cmini series,
dJld the ohservatiolls, hoth planlled nnu unplanl1ccJ. made hy them. 'Ihe