[Project Apollo] THE LEGENDARY NEW NINE: portrait of NASA's second group of astronauts NASA, Sep...

[Project Apollo] THE LEGENDARY NEW NINE: portrait of NASA's second group of astronauts NASA, September 1962 Printed 1962. Vintage gelatin silver print on fibre-based paper [NASA image S-62-3982]. Numbered 'NASA S-62-3982' in black in the top margin, with NASA caption on the reverse (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas). 20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.) Historical context A historic portrait of the nine new members of the astronaut corps (Astronaut Group 2, selected on September 17, 1962), also known as the New Nine. Seated from left to right are: Pete Conrad, Frank Borman, Neil Armstrong and John Young. Standing from left to right are: Elliot See, James McDivitt, James Lovell, Edward White and Thomas Stafford. With the announcement of the Gemini program, which laid the groundwork for the Apollo program, the New Nine were selected to augment the Mercury Seven and included many of the most famous astronauts in history. Together, these two groups represented the foundation of NASA's journey to the Moon and beyond. Footnotes: While the Mercury Seven were chosen to accomplish orbital flight, the Gemini program's complex objectives—such as rendezvous and lunar landing—necessitated candidates with advanced engineering degrees (four of the Nine) in addition to test pilot experience. The New Nine also introduced the first civilian test pilots to the astronaut corps: Elliot See, who had flown for General Electric, and Neil Armstrong, who piloted the X-15 research plane for NASA. Lovell and Conrad were initially candidates for the Mercury Seven but were not selected at the time. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing