Astronaut Group 2

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NASA's Astronaut Group 2, also known as The New Nine, was the second group of astronauts selected by NASA in September 1962. The group was required to augment the original Mercury 7 with the announcement of the Gemini Program and leading to the Apollo Program. The selection requirements were as demanding as for the first group with a greater emphasis on candidates with engineering experience as well as test pilot experience. In addition, Group 2 became the first group with civilian test pilots in the group; one flew for General Electric, while another flew the X-15 research plane for NASA. The achievements of the Group 2 Astronauts eclipsed those of any group before or since.

Neil Armstrong

Commander, first docking (Gemini ATV) in space and first mission abort from earth orbit; Commander, first manned lunar landing; first person to walk on the Moon. Flew on Gemini 8 and Apollo 11.

Frank Borman

Commander, first 14 day manned mission; Commander, first mission to orbit the Moon. Flew on Gemini 7 and Apollo 8.

Pete Conrad

Pilot, first 8 day manned mission and first re-boost to set record for human earth orbit altitude record; Commander, second manned lunar landing; third man to walk on the Moon. Commander, first successful US space station mission and space endurance record of 28 days. Flew on Gemini 5, Gemini 11, Apollo 12 and Skylab 2.

James Lovell

Pilot, first mission to orbit the Moon. First man to travel to vicinity of the Moon twice. Commander, first mission abort beyond earth orbit aboard Apollo 13. Absolute human altitude record. Flew on Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8 and Apollo 13.

James McDivitt

Commander, first mission to dock two manned spacecraft in Earth orbit and exchange crews. Flew on Gemini 4 and Apollo 9.

Elliott See

Slated to command Gemini 9, but died in a plane crash before the mission.

Thomas Stafford

Pilot, first United States orbital rendezvous; Commander, lunar landing test mission; Commander, first joint US-USSR space mission. Flew on Gemini 6A, Gemini 9, Apollo 10 and ASTP.

Edward White

First US space walk, Flew on Gemini 4. He was slated to be the Prime Crew Pilot for first Apollo mission, but died in the Apollo 1 fire.

John W. Young

Pilot, first mission to change orbit plane; Commander, first mission to dock with two different craft ("Gemini ATV") in Earth orbit. Command Module Pilot, lunar landing test mission; first person to orbit the Moon solo and orbit the Moon twice; Commander, fifth lunar landing; ninth person to walk on the Moon; Commander, first Space Shuttle mission; first person to travel into space 6 times. Flew on Gemini 3, Gemini 10, Apollo 10, Apollo 16, STS-1 and STS-9.