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Archives at The Museum of Flight


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 2 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 ASTP Joint Operations Checklist

 Collection — Box: Slayton Collections Box 1, Folder: 2021-11-18
Identifier: 2021-11-18-1
Content Description The Deke Slayton ASTP Joint Operations Checklist consists of a single item: Slayton's personal copy of the "ASTP Reference Joint Operations Checklist," published by NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, March 31, 1975. The checklist is an 80-page document with guidelines for docking and undocking the Apollo spacecraft with the Soyuz capsule during the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. It also covers such topics as photo, television and movie ops; waste management; a fungi experiment; a microbial...

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