Carpenter Is Man Of Action

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29832, 26 May 1962, Page 11

Carpenter Is Man Of Action

(U.S. Information Service}

WASHINGTON Lieutenant Commander Malcolm Scott Carpenter, the second United States astronaut to travel in orbit around the world, has been a man of action all of his adult life. Before he was chosen to train for piloting a space vehicle in orbital flight. Carpenter had logged 2900 flying hours in propeller-driven and jet aircraft, in training, in combat and as an instructor. Like the six others who were selected in the first group to earn the new title of "Astronaut,” he must have been something of a dreamer, too Those who volunteered to fly around the world in a rocket-launched spacecraft in 88 minutes surely had something in common with the spirit that inspired Magellan and Drake During the first orbital flight by Lieutenant Colonel John Glenn, Carpenter served as Glenn’s reserve or “backup" pilot, actin i, as his chief assistant and standing by to make the trip himself if necessary Explaining his motive for volunteering for the manned snace flight research programme. Carpenter said: “It is a chance to serve the country in a noble cause. It

certainly is a chance to pioneer on a grand scale. This is something I would willingly give my life for. I think a person is very fortunate to have something he can care that much about.” Did he have any fears about his imminent flight? What was his philosophy about that, a reporter asked. “Well." replied Lieutenant Commander Carpenter, “you don't think much about that. You are subject to the Reliability of the machine as a whole. But we have proved we can do this job. We’re adequately protected in the event of any foreseeable problem.” But not all problems are foreseeable in this space flight programme. Some time ago he was asked whether the space programme should be slowed or stopped if an accident should occur. His answer was typical of this team of astronauts: “Of course not. There will be some losses in this field, just as there are in every pioneering activity. We all realise this but we have to go ahead anyway. “We’ve tried to make it as safe as we possibly can. and we will take the consequences. We have to go forward even if we lose a man tow and then.”

Carpenter, like his predecessors in space flight, talks about his spacecraft as a sailor does about his ship, as though it had life and personality of its own. In selecting a name for it, the Aurora Seven, he followed the pattern by which each United States astronaut lias chosen the name for the craft he rides. The astronaut’s training programme at any given time is oriented toward one spacecraft —the one to be launched next—and he developed a deep personal interest in the one to which he entrusted his life. Preparation for Role Carpenter’s whole life seems to have been spent in conscious or unconscious preparation for his role as spaceman. He was born on May I. 1925, in Boulder. Colorado As a boy in the high mountains of that western state, he developed a strong body and quick reflexes by years of hiking and skiing in some of America’s most rugged terrain. After finishing secondary school in 1943. he enlisted in the Navy as an aviation cadet. The war ended before he completed his flight training, and he entered the University of Colorado to study

aeronautical engineering, graduating in 1949. Carpenter then returned to the Navy and served as a pilot in South Korea during the Chinese Communist invasion. In the years since, he has served as a Navy flight officer at sea, as well as an electronics and intelligence officer.

In perfecting his skills by flying and testing many types of aircraft, he accumulated more than 2900 hours of flying time, including more than 400 hours in jet aircraft. He was selected for Project Mercury because of his nearperfect physical condition, high intelligence, and jet pilot experience.

Carpenter's special area of study has been navigation and communications. Each astronaut specialises in one phase of space travel and Is responsible for keeping his fellow volunteers up to date on his findings. The skill he developed in his special fields highly benefited him on his historic flight.

His greatest comfort, however. came from his complete faith in everyone associated with the flight. As Carpenter commented: “I believe we have the best minds in the country behind this project.”.