DONALD K. SLAYTON Donald K. Slayton sends a typed letter about the possibility of calcium lost in astronauts over long periods of time. Typed Letter Signed: "D K Slayton" as Manager for Orbital Flight Test/Space Shuttle Program, 1p, 8x10½. LBJ Space Center, Houston, Texas, 1979 December 17. To Dennis Cooper, Lacey, WA. In full: "Enclosed are the pictures that you asked me to autograph [not present]. In regard to your question about long duration flight, it is obviously too early to know whether calcium loss is a real problem. At least up to six months duration, as demonstrated by the Russians recently, it does not appear to be an issue. I do not think it will be a great concern once we understand the situation better." Donald K. "Deke" Slayton (1924-1993), one of the seven original Project Mercury astronauts, was grounded during that period due to an irregular heartbeat and did not make a space flight until the mid-1970s. While he was grounded, Slayton served as Coordinator of Astronaut Activities (1962-1963) before resigning from the U.S. Air Force (he was a veteran WWII bomber pilot) to become Director of Flight Crew Operations (in these positions, Slayton was involved in choosing the crews for nearly all the Gemini and Apollo missions). Following a comprehensive review of his medical status, Slayton was certified eligible for manned space flights in March 1972, and the 51-year-old made his first and only trip into space as the Apollo docking module pilot of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) mission (which also included American crew members Thomas Stafford and Vance Brand) in the first joint U.S.-U.S.S.R. joint space venture (July 15-24, 1975). After his 217 hour and 28 minute journey into space, Slayton became Manager for Approach and Landing Test Project (1975-1977) before serving as Manager for Orbital Flight Test until his retirement from NASA i... More information available. Please contact us if you have questions. DOCUMENT 155394

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