| Adams | ||
Personal: Male, Married, Three children. Born in Sacramento, California, USA. Died in X-15 crash when spacecraft went out of control during reentry. US Air Force US Air Force Astronaut Career Astronaut Group: USAF MOL Group 1 - 1965. Deceased Entered space service: 12 November 1965. Left space service: 20 July 1966. Number of Flights: 1.00. Total Time: 0.0034 days. Born in Sacramento, California; married with three children. Joined USAF in November 1952 and flew 49 missions in the Korean War. Graduated with BS in aeronautical engineering from Oklahoma University in 1958 and then completed USAF Aerospace Research Pilot School . Tested LLRV lunar module trainer in 1964. Selected as MOL astronaut, but left MOL program for X-15, taking Joe Engle's place when he was selected as NASA astronaut in 1966. Died in X-15 crash when spacecraft went out of control during reentry. Erroneous computer data and failure of dampers caused the X-15 to re-enter the atmosphere 180 degrees out of phase. Major Adams chose to remain with the aircraft in an attempt to recover it. Adams Spaceflight Log
Adams Chronology 12 November 1965 - USAF MOL Astronaut Training Group 1 selected.. The group was selected to provide crews for flights of the Manned Orbiting Laboratory, a classified military manned space station.. Qualifications: Qualified military pilot; graduate of Aerospace Research Pilot School; serving military officer; US citizen by birth.. 6 October 1966 - X-15A Checkout mission. Assignment: Prime Crew. Maximum Speed - 4666 kph. Maximum Altitude - 22980 m. Engine shut down at 90 seconds. 29 November 1966 - X-15A Checkout mission. Assignment: Prime Crew. Maximum Speed - 5020 kph. Maximum Altitude - 28040 m. 22 March 1967 - X-15A Stab./Loads/ASAS Test mission. Assignment: Prime Crew. Maximum Speed - 6150 kph. Maximum Altitude - 40570 m. Inertial system failed after peak altitude; cabin pressurization lost during descent. 28 April 1967 - X-15A WTR/HS/E loads Test/Technology mission. Assignment: Prime Crew. Maximum Speed - 5985 kph. Maximum Altitude - 50900 m. 15 June 1967 - X-15A HS/Stab/WTR Test/Technology mission. Assignment: Prime Crew. Maximum Speed - 5802 kph. Maximum Altitude - 69890 m. 25 August 1967 - X-15A Guid/HT/BLN Test mission. Assignment: Prime Crew. Maximum Speed - 5012 kph. Maximum Altitude - 25720 m. 15 November 1967 - X-15A UVPL/Solar/MM/SA TPS Technology/Meteor/Solar mission. Assignment: Prime Crew. Flight: X-15 Flight 191. Fatal accident, aircraft destroyed. After reaching peak altitude, entered spin at Mach 5. Entered dive at 30,000 m, began high frequency pitch oscillations, disintegrated when these reached 15 Gs.Maximum Speed - 5744 kph. Maximum Altitude - 81080 m. 15 November 1967 - Astronaut Michael James Adams dies at age of 37 -- Died in X-15 crash when spacecraft went out of control during reentry.. | ||
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