In Race to Space, the Winner Was a Russian

1. In Race to Space, the Winner Was a Russian Designed by Lena Melnik Yakutsk start

2. In Race to Space, the Winner Was a Russian • Warm-up • Vocabulary Work: Part 1 • Listening: Part 1 • Vocabulary Work: Part 2 • Listening: Part 2 • Reading “History of Gagarin’s flight ”: - Vocabulary Work - Text: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 - Practice the new words - Questions for discussion in class

3. to send • to launch • start the rocket • with a roar • to rise from • the launch pad • speed increased • out of sight. • blasted off from the Baikonur menu

4. re-entered the atmosphere • slowed the spacecraft • flight ended into • with a soft splash ocean • landed inside his capsule • capsule lands • to return • a landing • helicopter lifted smb. from • carried to • a waiting ship. menu

5. a dependable military rockets • a spacecraft • a space vehicle menu

6. a test pilots • physical test • mental test menu

7. a cosmonaut • had been accepted for menu

8. flight lasted to orbit the Earth manned flight weightlessness menu

9. test flight • was made • spacecraft carried • chimpanzee • Named Belka • survived the launch • survived the landing menu

10. was born on • was drafted into • had been accepted • became the first human • worked on space missions • trained other cosmonauts menu

11. The First: Gagarin, Sheppard, Tereshkova menu

12. Gagarin’s legacy:"Circling the Earth in my orbital spaceship I marveled at the beauty of our planet. People of the world, let us safeguard and enhance this beauty — not destroy it!" menu

13. Find the English equivalent: • a space agency • to send • to return • a dependable military rockets • to launch • a spacecraft • a space vehicle • a test pilots • to approve the money • to announce • to survive • a landing menu

14. Find the English equivalent: пережить • a space agency • to send • to return • a dependable military rockets • to launch • a spacecraft • a space vehicle • a test pilots • to approve the money • to announce • to survive • a landing menu

15. Find the English equivalen: объявить • aspace agency • to send • to return • a dependable military rockets • to launch • a spacecraft • a space vehicle • a test pilots • to approve the money • to announce • to survive • a landing • пережить menu

16. Find the English equivalent: космическое агентство • a space agency • to send • to return • a dependable military rockets • to launch • a spacecraft • a space vehicle • a test pilots • to approve the money • to announce • to survive • a landing • объявить • пережить menu

17. Find the English equivalent: Космическое транспортное средство • a space agency • to send • to return • a dependable military rockets • to launch • a spacecraft • a space vehicle • a test pilots • to approve the money • to announce • to survive • a landing • космическоеагентство • объявить • пережить menu

18. Find the English equivalent: запускать • a space agency • to send • to return • a dependable military rockets • to launch • a spacecraft • a space vehicle • a test pilots • to approve the money • to announce • to survive • a landing • космическоеагентство • космическое транспортное средство • объявить • пережить menu

19. Find the English equivalent: надежная военная ракета • a space agency • to send • to return • a dependable military rockets • to launch • a spacecraft • a space vehicle • a test pilots • to approve the money • to announce • to survive • a landing • космическоеагентство • запускать • космическое транспортное средство • объявить • пережить menu

20. Find the English equivalent: посылать • a space agency • to send • to return • a dependable military rockets • to launch • a spacecraft • a space vehicle • a test pilots • to approve the money • to announce • to survive • a landing • космическоеагентство • надежнаявоеннаяракета • запускать • космическое транспортное средство • объявить • пережить menu

21. Find the English equivalent: одобрить выделение денег • a space agency • to send • to return • a dependable military rockets • to launch • a spacecraft • a space vehicle • a test pilots • to approve the money • to announce • to survive • a landing • космическоеагентство • посылать • надежнаявоеннаяракета • запускать • космическое транспортное средство • объявить • пережить menu

22. Find the English equivalent: космический корабль • a space agency • to send • to return • a dependable military rockets • to launch • a spacecraft • a space vehicle • a test pilots • to approve the money • to announce • to survive • a landing • космическоеагентство • посылать • надежнаявоеннаяракета • запускать • . • космическое транспортное средство • одобрить выделение денег • объявить • пережить menu

23. Find the English equivalent: возвращаться • a space agency • to send • to return • a dependable military rockets • to launch • a spacecraft • a space vehicle • a test pilots • to approve the money • to announce • to survive • a landing • космическоеагентство • посылать • надежнаявоеннаяракета • запускать • космический корабль • космическое транспортное средство • одобрить выделение денег • объявить • пережить menu

24. Find the English equivalent: летчик испытатель • a space agency • to send • to return • a dependable military rockets • to launch • a spacecraft • a space vehicle • a test pilots • to approve the money • to announce • to survive • a landing • космическоеагентство • посылать • возвращаться • надежнаявоеннаяракета • запускать • космический корабль • космическое транспортное средство • одобрить выделение денег • объявить • пережить menu

25. Find the English equivalent: приземление • a space agency • to send • to return • a dependable military rockets • to launch • a spacecraft • a space vehicle • a test pilots • to approve the money • to announce • to survive • a landing • космическоеагентство • посылать • возвращаться • надежнаявоеннаяракета • запускать • космический корабль • космическое транспортное средство • летчик испытатель • одобрить выделение денег • объявить • Пережить menu

26. Well done! • a space agency • to send • to return • a dependable military rockets • to launch • a spacecraft • a space vehicle • a test pilots • to approve the money • to announce • to survive • a landing • космическоеагентство • посылать • возвращаться • надежнаявоеннаяракета • запускать • космический корабль • космическое транспортное средство • летчик испытатель • одобрить выделение денег • объявить • пережить • приземление menu

27. Listen to the text and prepare to answer the questions: • What was the NASA's most important job ? • What was the name of project for sending an American into space? • Who from would be chosen the first astronauts? • When was made the final test flight? • Who did carry a final test flight? • Where did the landing of Mercury spacecraft take place? menu

28. Answer the questions: • What was the NASA's most important job ? check menu

29. Answer the questions: • What was the NASA's most important job ? NASA's most important job was to send an American into space and return him safely to Earth. next menu

30. Answer the questions: • What was the NASA's most important job ? NASA's most important job was to send an American into space and return him safely to Earth. • What was the name of project for sending an American into space? check menu

31. Answer the questions: • What was the NASA's most important job ? NASA's most important job was to send an American into space and return him safely to Earth. • What was the name of project for sending an American into space? Project Mercury was the plan for doing this. next menu

32. Answer the questions: • What was the NASA's most important job ? NASA's most important job was to send an American into space and return him safely to Earth. • What was the name of project for sending an American into space? Project Mercury was the plan for doing this. • Who from would be chosen the first astronauts? check menu

33. Answer the questions: • What was the NASA's most important job ? NASA's most important job was to send an American into space and return him safely to Earth. • What was the name of project for sending an American into space? Project Mercury was the plan for doing this. • Who from would be chosen the first astronauts? Astronauts would be chosen from the best military test pilots. next menu

34. Answer the questions: • What was the NASA's most important job ? NASA's most important job was to send an American into space and return him safely to Earth. • What was the name of project for sending an American into space? Project Mercury was the plan for doing this. • Who from would be chosen the first astronauts? Astronauts would be chosen from the best military test pilots. • When was made the final test flight? check menu

35. Answer the questions: • What was the NASA's most important job ? NASA's most important job was to send an American into space and return him safely to Earth. • What was the name of project for sending an American into space? Project Mercury was the plan for doing this. • Who from would be chosen the first astronauts? Astronauts would be chosen from the best military test pilots. • When was made the final test flight? The final test flight was made at the end of January, nineteen sixty-one. next menu

36. Answer the questions: • What was the NASA's most important job ? NASA's most important job was to send an American into space and return him safely to Earth. • What was the name of project for sending an American into space? Project Mercury was the plan for doing this. • Who from would be chosen the first astronauts? Astronauts would be chosen from the best military test pilots. • When was made the final test flight? The final test flight was made at the end of January, nineteen sixty-one. • Who did carry a final test flight? check menu

37. Answer the questions: • What was the NASA's most important job ? NASA's most important job was to send an American into space and return him safely to Earth. • What was the name of project for sending an American into space? Project Mercury was the plan for doing this. • Who from would be chosen the first astronauts? Astronauts would be chosen from the best military test pilots. • When was made the final test flight? The final test flight was made at the end of January, nineteen sixty-one. • Who did carry a final test flight? • A Mercury spacecraft carried a chimpanzee named Ham . menu next

38. Answer the questions: • What was the NASA's most important job ? NASA's most important job was to send an American into space and return him safely to Earth. • What was the name of project for sending an American into space? Project Mercury was the plan for doing this. • Who from would be chosen the first astronauts? Astronauts would be chosen from the best military test pilots. • When was made the final test flight? The final test flight was made at the end of January, nineteen sixty-one. • Who did carry a final test flight? • A Mercury spacecraft carried a chimpanzee named Ham . • Where did the landing of Mercury spacecraft take place? check menu

39. Well done! • What was the NASA's most important job ? NASA's most important job was to send an American into space and return him safely to Earth. • What was the name of project for sending an American into space? Project Mercury was the plan for doing this. • Who from would be chosen the first astronauts? Astronauts would be chosen from the best military test pilots. • When was made the final test flight? The final test flight was made at the end of January, nineteen sixty-one. • Who did carry a final test flight? • A Mercury spacecraft carried a chimpanzee named Ham . • Where did the landing of Mercury spacecraft take place? • The landing took place in the Atlantic ocean. next menu

40. Choose the most suitable word (phrase) to fill in the gap: • to send • announced • dependable military rockets • a spacecraft • to return • a space vehicle • a space agency • test pilots • the launch • approved the money • training for • the landing • Steve Ember: This is Steve Ember. • Shirley Griffith : And this is Shirley Griffith with the VOA Special English program EXPLORATIONS. Today we finish the story of the first American program to send a person into space. It was called Project Mercury. • (music) Steve Ember : The American _____opened for business October first, nineteen fifty-eight. NASA's most important job was ___an American into space and ______him safely to Earth. Project Mercury was the plan for doing this. It would use one of several ___________________to launch a small, one-man spacecraft. The ____________would return to Earth and land in the ocean. Astronauts would be chosen for the program from the best military ______who had education in science or engineering. The idea was simple. But making it happen was not a simple job. Thousands of scientists, engineers, technicians and other workers were needed. And money was needed -- thousands of millions of dollars. • Shirley Griffith: Congress________. NASA organized the program. The McDonnell Company designed and built the________. The Army and Air Force built the Redstone, Jupiter and Atlas rockets. NASA _________the seven astronauts it had chosen on April ninth, nineteen fifty-nine. They immediately began _________space flight. No time was wasted. The first test flights began later that year. Those test flights did not carry astronauts. Men would fly the Mercury spacecraft only after it was proved safe. The final test flight was made at the end of January, nineteen sixty-one. A Mercury spacecraft carried a chimpanzee named Ham on a seven hundred kilometer flight over the Atlantic Ocean. There were some problems. But the animal survived _______and _______in the ocean. menu

41. Choose the most suitable word (phrase) to fill in the gap: • to send • announced • dependable military rockets • a spacecraft • to return • a space vehicle • test pilots • the launch • approved the money • training for • the landing • Steve Ember: This is Steve Ember. • Shirley Griffith : And this is Shirley Griffith with the VOA Special English program EXPLORATIONS. Today we finish the story of the first American program to send a person into space. It was called Project Mercury. • (music) Steve Ember : The American space agency opened for business October first, nineteen fifty-eight. NASA's most important job was ___an American into space and ______him safely to Earth. Project Mercury was the plan for doing this. It would use one of several ___________________to launch a small, one-man spacecraft. The ____________would return to Earth and land in the ocean. Astronauts would be chosen for the program from the best military ______who had education in science or engineering. The idea was simple. But making it happen was not a simple job. Thousands of scientists, engineers, technicians and other workers were needed. And money was needed -- thousands of millions of dollars. • Shirley Griffith: Congress________. NASA organized the program. The McDonnell Company designed and built the________. The Army and Air Force built the Redstone, Jupiter and Atlas rockets. NASA _________the seven astronauts it had chosen on April ninth, nineteen fifty-nine. They immediately began _________space flight. No time was wasted. The first test flights began later that year. Those test flights did not carry astronauts. Men would fly the Mercury spacecraft only after it was proved safe. The final test flight was made at the end of January, nineteen sixty-one. A Mercury spacecraft carried a chimpanzee named Ham on a seven hundred kilometer flight over the Atlantic Ocean. There were some problems. But the animal survived _______and _______in the ocean. menu

42. Choose the most suitable word (phrase) to fill in the gap: • announced • dependable military rockets • a spacecraft • to return • a space vehicle • test pilots • the launch • approved the money • training for • the landing • Steve Ember: This is Steve Ember. • Shirley Griffith : And this is Shirley Griffith with the VOA Special English program EXPLORATIONS. Today we finish the story of the first American program to send a person into space. It was called Project Mercury. • (music) Steve Ember : The American space agency opened for business October first, nineteen fifty-eight. NASA's most important job was to send an American into space and ______him safely to Earth. Project Mercury was the plan for doing this. It would use one of several ___________________to launch a small, one-man spacecraft. The ____________would return to Earth and land in the ocean. Astronauts would be chosen for the program from the best military ______who had education in science or engineering. The idea was simple. But making it happen was not a simple job. Thousands of scientists, engineers, technicians and other workers were needed. And money was needed -- thousands of millions of dollars. • Shirley Griffith: Congress________. NASA organized the program. The McDonnell Company designed and built the________. The Army and Air Force built the Redstone, Jupiter and Atlas rockets. NASA _________the seven astronauts it had chosen on April ninth, nineteen fifty-nine. They immediately began _________space flight. No time was wasted. The first test flights began later that year. Those test flights did not carry astronauts. Men would fly the Mercury spacecraft only after it was proved safe. The final test flight was made at the end of January, nineteen sixty-one. A Mercury spacecraft carried a chimpanzee named Ham on a seven hundred kilometer flight over the Atlantic Ocean. There were some problems. But the animal survived _______and _______in the ocean. menu

43. Choose the most suitable word (phrase) to fill in the gap: • announced • dependable military rockets • a spacecraft • a space vehicle • test pilots • the launch • approved the money • training for • the landing • Steve Ember: This is Steve Ember. • Shirley Griffith : And this is Shirley Griffith with the VOA Special English program EXPLORATIONS. Today we finish the story of the first American program to send a person into space. It was called Project Mercury. • (music) Steve Ember : The American space agency opened for business October first, nineteen fifty-eight. NASA's most important job was to send an American into space and to return him safely to Earth. Project Mercury was the plan for doing this. It would use one of several ___________________to launch a small, one-man spacecraft. The ____________would return to Earth and land in the ocean. Astronauts would be chosen for the program from the best military ______who had education in science or engineering. The idea was simple. But making it happen was not a simple job. Thousands of scientists, engineers, technicians and other workers were needed. And money was needed -- thousands of millions of dollars. • Shirley Griffith: Congress________. NASA organized the program. The McDonnell Company designed and built the________. The Army and Air Force built the Redstone, Jupiter and Atlas rockets. NASA _________the seven astronauts it had chosen on April ninth, nineteen fifty-nine. They immediately began _________space flight. No time was wasted. The first test flights began later that year. Those test flights did not carry astronauts. Men would fly the Mercury spacecraft only after it was proved safe. The final test flight was made at the end of January, nineteen sixty-one. A Mercury spacecraft carried a chimpanzee named Ham on a seven hundred kilometer flight over the Atlantic Ocean. There were some problems. But the animal survived _______and _______in the ocean. menu

44. Choose the most suitable word (phrase) to fill in the gap: • announced • a spacecraft • space vehicle • test pilots • the launch • approved the money • training for • the landing • Steve Ember: This is Steve Ember. • Shirley Griffith : And this is Shirley Griffith with the VOA Special English program EXPLORATIONS. Today we finish the story of the first American program to send a person into space. It was called Project Mercury. • (music) Steve Ember : The American space agency opened for business October first, nineteen fifty-eight. NASA's most important job was to send an American into space and to return him safely to Earth. Project Mercury was the plan for doing this. It would use one of several dependable military rocketsto launch a small, one-man spacecraft. The ____________would return to Earth and land in the ocean. Astronauts would be chosen for the program from the best military ______who had education in science or engineering. The idea was simple. But making it happen was not a simple job. Thousands of scientists, engineers, technicians and other workers were needed. And money was needed -- thousands of millions of dollars. • Shirley Griffith: Congress________. NASA organized the program. The McDonnell Company designed and built the________. The Army and Air Force built the Redstone, Jupiter and Atlas rockets. NASA _________the seven astronauts it had chosen on April ninth, nineteen fifty-nine. They immediately began _________space flight. No time was wasted. The first test flights began later that year. Those test flights did not carry astronauts. Men would fly the Mercury spacecraft only after it was proved safe. The final test flight was made at the end of January, nineteen sixty-one. A Mercury spacecraft carried a chimpanzee named Ham on a seven hundred kilometer flight over the Atlantic Ocean. There were some problems. But the animal survived _______and _______in the ocean. menu

45. Choose the most suitable word (phrase) to fill in the gap: • announced • a spacecraft • test pilots • the launch • approved the money • training for • the landing • Steve Ember: This is Steve Ember. • Shirley Griffith : And this is Shirley Griffith with the VOA Special English program EXPLORATIONS. Today we finish the story of the first American program to send a person into space. It was called Project Mercury. • (music) Steve Ember : The American space agency opened for business October first, nineteen fifty-eight. NASA's most important job was to send an American into space and to return him safely to Earth. Project Mercury was the plan for doing this. It would use one of several dependable military rocketsto launch a small, one-man spacecraft. The space vehicle would return to Earth and land in the ocean. Astronauts would be chosen for the program from the best military ______who had education in science or engineering. The idea was simple. But making it happen was not a simple job. Thousands of scientists, engineers, technicians and other workers were needed. And money was needed -- thousands of millions of dollars. • Shirley Griffith: Congress________. NASA organized the program. The McDonnell Company designed and built the________. The Army and Air Force built the Redstone, Jupiter and Atlas rockets. NASA _________the seven astronauts it had chosen on April ninth, nineteen fifty-nine. They immediately began _________space flight. No time was wasted. The first test flights began later that year. Those test flights did not carry astronauts. Men would fly the Mercury spacecraft only after it was proved safe. The final test flight was made at the end of January, nineteen sixty-one. A Mercury spacecraft carried a chimpanzee named Ham on a seven hundred kilometer flight over the Atlantic Ocean. There were some problems. But the animal survived _______and _______in the ocean. menu

46. Choose the most suitable word (phrase) to fill in the gap: • announced • a spacecraft • the launch • approved the money • training for • the landing • Steve Ember: This is Steve Ember. • Shirley Griffith : And this is Shirley Griffith with the VOA Special English program EXPLORATIONS. Today we finish the story of the first American program to send a person into space. It was called Project Mercury. • (music) Steve Ember : The American space agency opened for business October first, nineteen fifty-eight. NASA's most important job was to send an American into space and to return him safely to Earth. Project Mercury was the plan for doing this. It would use one of several dependable military rocketsto launch a small, one-man spacecraft. The space vehicle would return to Earth and land in the ocean. Astronauts would be chosen for the program from the best military test pilots who had education in science or engineering. The idea was simple. But making it happen was not a simple job. Thousands of scientists, engineers, technicians and other workers were needed. And money was needed -- thousands of millions of dollars. • Shirley Griffith: Congress________. NASA organized the program. The McDonnell Company designed and built the________. The Army and Air Force built the Redstone, Jupiter and Atlas rockets. NASA _________the seven astronauts it had chosen on April ninth, nineteen fifty-nine. They immediately began _________space flight. No time was wasted. The first test flights began later that year. Those test flights did not carry astronauts. Men would fly the Mercury spacecraft only after it was proved safe. The final test flight was made at the end of January, nineteen sixty-one. A Mercury spacecraft carried a chimpanzee named Ham on a seven hundred kilometer flight over the Atlantic Ocean. There were some problems. But the animal survived _______and _______in the ocean. menu

47. Choose the most suitable word (phrase) to fill in the gap: • announced • a spacecraft • the launch • training for • the landing • Steve Ember: This is Steve Ember. • Shirley Griffith : And this is Shirley Griffith with the VOA Special English program EXPLORATIONS. Today we finish the story of the first American program to send a person into space. It was called Project Mercury. • (music) Steve Ember : The American space agency opened for business October first, nineteen fifty-eight. NASA's most important job was to send an American into space and to return him safely to Earth. Project Mercury was the plan for doing this. It would use one of several dependable military rocketsto launch a small, one-man spacecraft. The space vehicle would return to Earth and land in the ocean. Astronauts would be chosen for the program from the best military test pilots who had education in science or engineering. The idea was simple. But making it happen was not a simple job. Thousands of scientists, engineers, technicians and other workers were needed. And money was needed -- thousands of millions of dollars. • Shirley Griffith: Congress approved the money, NASA organized the program. The McDonnell Company designed and built the________. The Army and Air Force built the Redstone, Jupiter and Atlas rockets. NASA _________the seven astronauts it had chosen on April ninth, nineteen fifty-nine. They immediately began _________space flight. No time was wasted. The first test flights began later that year. Those test flights did not carry astronauts. Men would fly the Mercury spacecraft only after it was proved safe. The final test flight was made at the end of January, nineteen sixty-one. A Mercury spacecraft carried a chimpanzee named Ham on a seven hundred kilometer flight over the Atlantic Ocean. There were some problems. But the animal survived _______and _______in the ocean. menu

48. Choose the most suitable word (phrase) to fill in the gap: • announced • the launch • training for • the landing • Steve Ember: This is Steve Ember. • Shirley Griffith : And this is Shirley Griffith with the VOA Special English program EXPLORATIONS. Today we finish the story of the first American program to send a person into space. It was called Project Mercury. • (music) Steve Ember : The American space agency opened for business October first, nineteen fifty-eight. NASA's most important job was to send an American into space and to return him safely to Earth. Project Mercury was the plan for doing this. It would use one of several dependable military rocketsto launch a small, one-man spacecraft. The space vehicle would return to Earth and land in the ocean. Astronauts would be chosen for the program from the best military test pilots who had education in science or engineering. The idea was simple. But making it happen was not a simple job. Thousands of scientists, engineers, technicians and other workers were needed. And money was needed -- thousands of millions of dollars. • Shirley Griffith: Congress approved the money, NASA organized the program. The McDonnell Company designed and built the spacecraft. The Army and Air Force built the Redstone, Jupiter and Atlas rockets. NASA _________the seven astronauts it had chosen on April ninth, nineteen fifty-nine. They immediately began _________space flight. No time was wasted. The first test flights began later that year. Those test flights did not carry astronauts. Men would fly the Mercury spacecraft only after it was proved safe. The final test flight was made at the end of January, nineteen sixty-one. A Mercury spacecraft carried a chimpanzee named Ham on a seven hundred kilometer flight over the Atlantic Ocean. There were some problems. But the animal survived _______and _______in the ocean. menu

49. Choose the most suitable word (phrase) to fill in the gap: • the launch • training for • the landing • Steve Ember: This is Steve Ember. • Shirley Griffith : And this is Shirley Griffith with the VOA Special English program EXPLORATIONS. Today we finish the story of the first American program to send a person into space. It was called Project Mercury. • (music) Steve Ember : The American space agency opened for business October first, nineteen fifty-eight. NASA's most important job was to send an American into space and to return him safely to Earth. Project Mercury was the plan for doing this. It would use one of several dependable military rocketsto launch a small, one-man spacecraft. The space vehicle would return to Earth and land in the ocean. Astronauts would be chosen for the program from the best military test pilots who had education in science or engineering. The idea was simple. But making it happen was not a simple job. Thousands of scientists, engineers, technicians and other workers were needed. And money was needed -- thousands of millions of dollars. • Shirley Griffith: Congress approved the money, NASA organized the program. The McDonnell Company designed and built the spacecraft. The Army and Air Force built the Redstone, Jupiter and Atlas rockets. NASA announcedthe seven astronauts it had chosen on April ninth, nineteen fifty-nine. They immediately began _________space flight. No time was wasted. The first test flights began later that year. Those test flights did not carry astronauts. Men would fly the Mercury spacecraft only after it was proved safe. The final test flight was made at the end of January, nineteen sixty-one. A Mercury spacecraft carried a chimpanzee named Ham on a seven hundred kilometer flight over the Atlantic Ocean. There were some problems. But the animal survived _______and _______in the ocean. menu

50. Choose the most suitable word (phrase) to fill in the gap: • the launch • the landing • Steve Ember: This is Steve Ember. • Shirley Griffith : And this is Shirley Griffith with the VOA Special English program EXPLORATIONS. Today we finish the story of the first American program to send a person into space. It was called Project Mercury. • (music) Steve Ember : The American space agency opened for business October first, nineteen fifty-eight. NASA's most important job was to send an American into space and to return him safely to Earth. Project Mercury was the plan for doing this. It would use one of several dependable military rocketsto launch a small, one-man spacecraft. The space vehicle would return to Earth and land in the ocean. Astronauts would be chosen for the program from the best military testpilots who had education in science or engineering. The idea was simple. But making it happen was not a simple job. Thousands of scientists, engineers, technicians and other workers were needed. And money was needed -- thousands of millions of dollars. • Shirley Griffith: Congress approved the money, NASA organized the program. The McDonnell Company designed and built the spacecraft. The Army and Air Force built the Redstone, Jupiter and Atlas rockets. NASA announcedthe seven astronauts it had chosen on April ninth, nineteen fifty-nine. They immediately began training for space flight. No time was wasted. The first test flights began later that year. Those test flights did not carry astronauts. Men would fly the Mercury spacecraft only after it was proved safe. The final test flight was made at the end of January, nineteen sixty-one. A Mercury spacecraft carried a chimpanzee named Ham on a seven hundred kilometer flight over the Atlantic Ocean. There were some problems. But the animal survived _______and _______in the ocean. menu