Calculated Risk: The Supersonic Life and Times of Gus Grissom

Description

Unlike other American astronauts, Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom never had the chance to publish his memoirs—save for an account of his role in the Gemini program—before the tragic launch pad fire on January 27, 1967, which took his life and those of Edward White and Roger Chaffee. The international prestige of winning the Moon Race cannot be understated, and Grissom played a pivotal and enduring role in securing that legacy for the United States. Indeed, Grissom was first and foremost a Cold Warrior, a member of the first group of Mercury astronauts whose goal it was to beat the Soviet Union to the moon. Drawing on extensive interviews with fellow astronauts, NASA engineers, family members, and friends of Gus Grissom, George Leopold delivers a comprehensive survey of Grissom's life that places his career in the context of the Cold War and the history of human spaceflight. Calculated Risk: The Supersonic Life and Times of Gus Grissom adds significantly to our understanding of that tumultuous period in American history. Dedication Contents Preface Acknowledgments Introduction 1 Beginnings 2 Purdue 3 Wingman 4 Test Pilot 5 Mercury Seven 6 The Flight of Liberty Bell 7 7 Down a Peg 8 Letting Off Steam 9 Apogee 10 Front of the Line 11 Death at 218 Feet 12 Abandon in Place 13 Remembrance Afterword Notes Bibliography Index