Slayton, Donald K., 1924-1993
Person
Dates
- Existence: 1924 March 1 - 1993 June 13
Biographical Note: Deke Slayton
Donald Kent "Deke" Slayton was a pilot for the United States Air Force, an aeronautical engineer, test pilot and then astronaut, who was selected as one of NASA's original Mercury Seven astronauts. He was born in Sparta, Wisconsin on March 1, 1924. During World War II, he joined the United States Army Air Force. Following the end of the war he attended the University of Minnesota and received his Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical engineering in 1949. He later joined the United States Air Force where he was a pilot. His experience led him to be selected as one of the astronauts for the Mercury Program. He later became NASA's first Chief of the Astronaut Office and Director of Flight Crew Operations, responsible for NASA crew assignments. Slayton passed away on June 13, 1993 in League City, Texas.
Found in 4 Collections and/or Records:
First International Space Docking Certificate
Collection — Box: Assorted rare collections, Box 1, Folder: 2011-06-06 folder 1
Identifier: 2011-06-06-1
Content Description
This collection consists of a single item, the "First International Space Docking Certificate," also known as the Space Magna Carta. The document, which is in both English and Russian and is dated July 17, 1975, commemorates the first international crewed space mission when an American Apollo module docked with a Soviet Soyuz capsule. This official government document was signed in space by the two entire crews, including Thomas P. Stafford, D. K. Slayton, Vance Brand, Alexei Leonov, and...
Deke Slayton Mercury Program Notebook
Collection — Box: Slayton Collections Box 1
Identifier: 2011-12-03
Content Description
The Deke Slayton Mercury Program Notebook is a small collection consisting of a single item: a spiral bound "steno"-style notebook of handwritten notes by Deke Slayton during the Mercury Program. Written on the cover is the text, “Astro Affairs Organization of 1st Astronaut Office." The contents of the notebook illustrate the organizational structure of the department, problems that needed to be addressed, future program plans, and policies that were to be published. Each of these topics are...
Deke Slayton Notebooks and Letter
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: 2008-04-12
Content Description
The Deke Slayton Notebooks and Letter is a small collection consisting of planning notebooks used by Slayton ranging in date from 1963 to 1992 and letter that he received in 1959. The notebooks are primarily pocket-sized planners recording Slayton's activities from 1963-1976 and from 1991-1992. There are 181 notebooks in total, most of which cover one month of a year, arranged in small boxes each covering one calendar year with twelve notebooks per box. One notebook, not housed in a...
Charles L. Soellner NASA Collection
Collection
Identifier: 1992-04-03
Overview
The Charles L. Soellner NASA Collection documents the space programs of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The documents date from 1959 to 1975. The bulk of the materials are photographs and photomechancial prints mass-produced by NASA. The visual documentation and ephemera related to manned spaceflight missions were collected and assembled together in scrapbooks by Soellner.