Astronaut Scientific Debriefings, 1962-1963

Text

This text came with the file. It may have mistakes. When the text and the image disagree, the image is right.

r
SCIEN'.rinc DEBRIEFING
,
.. . .
•'
Ji.me 1, 1963
(First Experiment • Flashing Light)
John McKee:
One of the first questions that I have regards some estimates
you made of the beacon distance.
Were those based ·entirely on the knowle
of how bright it was tram p~vious aircraft training ·or do ·you feel there
was some other distance cue somehow involved in the ·test.
J
Cooper: No.
If I had no prev;ous experience on the light·, I don Vt believe
I would have had any possibility of telling how far it was except· that on
that second night pass after ejecting the light. Apparent'.cy the sun was
shining on it as I saw this steady glow, up to about ·my level on the orbital
path. At that time I bad a little bit more depth perception on it ·and could
') .
seem tp note the proper drift on it. That was the first time that I • saw it.
and t o the experiments we _q;f,d on :the aircraft When we had radar measurement
•
I
you notice the pitch rate.? -- or what was the sensation?
. Cooper: · No, I ~idn't notice any 'rate as such.
I cou1d really feel
the spacecraft and to me it felt Jµst like there were doors banging ·open
down there,.,as it departed and Just a li~tle bit .of a Jolt: through_~he : t'
h .·
•
•
\
I
• ' ~. A~
~ ... . ' .
spacecraft. It was a good so~d thump when it 'took·oft.
• ·' • •
•• '. , '' ,r~·:/; ._, :
ri-~