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KMID : 0360919620050110106
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Journal of the Korean Medical Association
1962 Volume.5 No. 11 p.106 ~ p.110
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Medical suppirt to the Man in Space
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Funsch, Harold F.
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Abstract
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Usually I begin my talks with a joke, but since time is of a essence I believe you would prefer that the jokes confine themselves to a social period.
On 3 October 1962, Commander. Walter Schirra, US Navy, successfully completed a 6-orbit flight around the planet earth. This marked the latest achievement of the United States in its "Man in Space" program. Preceding Commander Schirra´s flight had been US I\Tavy.Lt. Commander Scott Carpenter and US Marine Corps Lt. Colonel John Glenn on 3-orbit flights and US Air Force Captain Gus Grissom and US Navy Commander Alan Shephard on sub-orbital flights. What did it take to put these men in space? What space medicine activities took place during their flights? And what activities are anticipated for the future? These are things which I would like to discussatthis time.
In 1958, the President of the United States announced- the establishment of a national program designed to fly a man in space. To accomplish this goal, the National Aeronautics and Space. Administration was established. This organization is composed of engineers, technicians, administrators, and experts in all fields of science; ´Because of the experience accumulated in the more than 50 years of aviation history, the three military services were directed to play a major supporting role to the National Space Agency. Part of this vast accumulation of knowledge included the field of Aviation Medicine. The medical members of America´s space team were drawn from the resources within the Department of Defense. Even before the pilots were chosen, Flight Surgeons were on the job with NASA. In January of 1959, at the very beginning of the pilot selection program, a Flight Surgeon was assigned from the Air Force to be the personal . physician to. the astronauts. This doctor, participated in the selection program´ and lear ned, to know his ,future patients from the first day of their association with their new job.
After some.30 experienced test pilots had under-. gone one of the most thorough and searching physical examinations that ´medicine could offer, and after they had submitted to a. rigorous series of tests designed to assess their ability to withstand a variety of stresses, the Flight Surgeon sat down with the engineers and with management. He took an active part in the deliberations which eventually resulted in the selection of seven astronauts. These seven men were gathered together with their families at AF Base, in April of 1959. At this time, the doctor became a member of their commanity.The pilots embarked on a training ; program. which was designed to best fit them for spacee flight. Since no one had ever been in space before the approach of necessity had to be a broad one. It included, experiences which simulated. the space - envwrontnent as much as possible. It also was designed to maintain a high level of physical fitness and psychological and emotional good health. -This necessity for a strong bodyand a sound mind needs no justification.
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