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Lot #192
Theodore C. Freeman

Voluminous training note archive—including a hand-drawn space capsule—from the first astronaut to die

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Description

Voluminous training note archive—including a hand-drawn space capsule—from the first astronaut to die

Air Force pilot (born 1930) selected as part of the third group of astronauts. Freeman was killed on October 31, 1964, when a goose smashed through the cockpit canopy of his T-38 Talon jet trainer. Flying shards of Plexiglas entered the jet engine intake and caused the engine to flameout. Freeman ejected from the stricken aircraft, but was too close to the ground for his parachute to open properly. Very rare training notebook used by Freeman for various academic training topics, literally hundreds of 8.5 x 11 typed pages, handwritten notes and navigational computations, tests, and annotations. He has printed his name in pencil at the top of a printed outline page and one of the lightly-lined sheets of paper, “T. C. Freeman.” as well as his last name only on another lined page. On another page he has drawn a capsule as an illustration for stability deviations. The total collection of pages stand 2.25-inches tall and are secured within a three-ring binder. Chapters in the binder include Flight Mechanics featuring free flight trajectories, space orbits, inertial guidance and reentry mechanics, and heating and guidance control; and aerodynamics featuring orbital mechanics, reentry mechanics, burning flight, thrust programming, and radiative and convective heating. In overall fine condition. In addition to completing basic training and familiarization with Gemini training and briefings, Freeman and the other new astronauts took on additional assignments relating to the Apollo missions, as many of them were expected to progress to that program than had their predecessors. One of the only training books ever offered on the market! RRAuction COA.

Auction Info

  • Auction Title: Space & Aviation
  • Dates: #376 - Ended September 22, 2011