Did NASA astronauts get Corvettes?
In 1961 when Alan Shepard became the first American in space, he was given a brand-new 1962 Chevrolet Corvette as a gift upon his return. Unsurprisingly, Alan Shepard, Gordon Cooper, Buzz Aldrin and Gus Grissom chose to lease Corvettes.
Did the astronauts really drive Corvettes?
The first American astronauts all drove Chevy Corvettes, helping to create the image of the ‘Vette as ‘America’s sports car’. Astronauts are almost by definition men (and women) who have a special relationship with machines.
What happened to the astronauts Corvettes?
Unfortunately for Corvette collectors, the astronaut’s Corvettes were turned in at the end of the one-year period and were sold to the general public. Once assimilated into the general Corvette population, the astronaut’s Vettes disappeared from public view.
Did Apollo astronauts get Corvettes?
Corvette was a part of the space program from the very beginning. Alan Shepard received a white 1962 Corvette as congratulations for being the first American in space in 1961. Afterwards, Florida Chevrolet-Cadillac dealer Jim Rathmann negotiated a $1-a-year lease agreement for Shepard’s six fellow Mercury astronauts.
Did the Mercury 7 Get Corvettes?
After subsequent flights, Florida dealer Jim Rathmann offered new Corvettes to all the Mercury 7 astronauts. They all accepted, but for John Glenn, who chose a Chevy wagon instead. The Corvette connection continued throughout the 1960s and ’70s.
What color was Neil Armstrong’s Corvette?
blue
Astronauts were given special lease arrangements by Rathman Chevrolet that allowed them to trade up for a new Corvette every year. In 1967, Neil Armstrong took delivery of a blue Corvette Coupe, equipped with the 390 horsepower, 427 cubic-inch V-8 mated to a four-speed transmission.
When did the first Corvette land on the Moon?
Corvettes have been associated with America’s manned space program from Alan Shepard’s first sub-orbital Mercury flight in the Freedom 7 capsule on May 5, 1961 to the final flight of Apollo 17 landing astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt on the moon on December 11, 1972.
Where can I see Apollo 12 and 15 corvettes?
The Apollo 12 and Apollo 15 cars of Danny Reed are on display at the National Corvette Museum exhibit “From Gas Station to Space Station ” that opened in February and runs through July celebrating the 50 th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.
Is the LM1 mission in the Final Frontier?
From our 2017 update: “LM1 is ideally placed to benefit from both increased lunar focus and more private enterprise aiming for the final frontier. LM1 scientists remain in the forefront of discussions on lunar exploration hosted by space agencies, especially NASA and ESA.”
Who is the custodian of lunar mission one?
Lunar Missions Trust will continue as the custodian of the Lunar Mission One idea on a fully volunteer basis, as it has done since 2015. Our Footsteps on the Moon image bank will still be carried to the Moon by Astrobotic’s first lander; stay in touch for more details on this mission.