Mr Russell L Schweickart (1960s)

[Music] fellow astronauts in training with Mr Russell L Schweikert describe him as one who likes to get involved has an inquisitive and scientific mind plus an intense enthusiasm for learning [Music] born in New Jersey Rusty Schweikert earned both The Bachelor of Science and master of science degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology then remained as a research scientist in the experimental astronomy laboratory doing research in Upper atmospheric physics star tracking and stabilization of Stellar images he added flying to his career joining the United States Air Force in 1956 and after that the Massachusetts Air National Guard as a pilot he logged over 2 400 flight hours mostly in jet aircraft when NASA selected the third class of astronauts portraying in October 1963. Rusty Schweikert was among the group of 14. it was a double honor since up to this time only two other civilians had been selected for training [Music] Rusty Schweikert moved his family to the Nassau Bay Community near the manned spacecraft Center which also included the homes of astronauts Jim mcdivitt and Dave Scott he plunged into Astronaut training with characteristic Zeal whether in a classroom [Music] on a field trip or involved in a test Rusty Schweikert was conspicuous by his unreserved interests and for the benefit of joshing friends a perennial boyish appearance in the fall of 1964 Rusty Schweikert helped in NASA's research and development program by wearing a Gemini pressure suit for eight days to test biomedical instrumentation [Music] with biosensors taped to his body to record physiological reactions he flew in jet aircraft to produce both weightless and high gravity conditions spent several days in a Gemini spacecraft mock-up to approximate a space mission and underwent High acceleration simulations to duplicate flight and re-entry situations without a flight assignment in Germany Rusty schweikert's General Astronaut training was soon converted to specialized Mission training in the more complex Apollo in April 1966 he was named a backup pilot for the first manned Apollo flight and trained with the prime crew of spacecraft 12 until November shortly after that the fire that claimed the lives of the Prime crew at Cape Kennedy canceled all flight schedules upon reactivation of Apollo flights astronaut Schweikert was assigned to the second manned Apollo flight AS lunar module planet with Jim mcdivot spacecraft commander and Dave Scott Command Module pilot still another change NASA switched them from Apollo 8 to Apollo 9 the third manned flight ing a later Mission meant more time for training even more time for development of one's physical stamina so often necessary to an astronaut foreign [Music] for Rusty Schweikert admission control during the Apollo 5 flight Mission success was especially important to him since this was the first test in space of an unmanned lunar module the same type of spacecraft he would be piloting on the third man flight on Apollo 9 two complex spacecraft will be flown during the approximate 10 days of flight while Apollo is in Earth orbit lunar module pilot Schweikert with spacecraft Commander mcdivitt will use an intra vehicular tunnel to transfer from Command Module to lunar module to check out its systems they will perform Rendezvous and docking Maneuvers with the command service module practicing in Earth orbit what another space crew must do in lunar orbit extra vehicular activity will include transferring from lunar module to command service module by using external surface translational AIDS without re-entry capabilities the lunar module will be left in space after serving its primary pioneering purpose [Music] a thorough checkout of a lunar module for the upcoming lunar Landing mission is a critical undertaking it is a challenge for the combined abilities of Rusty Schweikert and his fellow crewmen in Apollo 9. but one that will be met with confidence [Music]