When and where was Roger B. Chaffee born?
Roger Bruce Chaffee arrived in the world on the 15th of February 1935. His birthplace was Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Questions about Roger B. Chaffee
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What military service did Roger B. Chaffee perform before becoming an astronaut?
Heavy Photographic Squadron 62 assigned Chaffee to critical duties flying over Cuba between the 4th of April 1960 and the 25th of October 1962. He flew eighty-two missions including those during the Cuban Missile Crisis and accumulated more than 2,000 hours in jet aircraft.
How did NASA select Roger B. Chaffee as an astronaut candidate?
Chaffee submitted an application in August 1962 and entered an initial pool of 1,800 applicants. A message from NASA awaited him on the 14th of October 1963, officially announcing his selection among fourteen candidates for the third group of astronauts.
What happened during the Apollo 1 plugs-out countdown demonstration test involving Roger B. Chaffee?
A power surge appeared at 23:30:55 GMT during the event at Cape Kennedy on Friday, January 27. An electrical short ignited equipment leading to a fire that killed the astronauts inside by 23:31:19 GMT when cabin pressure held the hatch shut.
Which honors and memorials recognize the legacy of Roger B. Chaffee today?
Roger B. Chaffee received the Congressional Space Medal of Honor posthumously in 1997 and earned a second Air Medal for his service. His name appears on the Space Mirror Memorial dedicated in 1991 and he has a crater named after him on the far side of the Moon.