See NASA's Wanted Poster for the First Astronauts

On April 9, 1959, NASA announced the selection of the first astronauts, later immortalized as the “Mercury Seven.” Last week, some 54 years later, the National Archives reminded us of what specifically it meant to have the “right stuff” on it’s “ Todays Document ” blog.

See the original document below and read the description of the ideal astronaut:

Position Title: Mercury Astronaut

Duties:

Participates in indoctrination, developmental research, and pre-flight training programs under conditions simulating flight profiles of the type expected to be encountered with Project Mercury. Operates and/or observes fixed-base and moving-base simulator tests, serves as subject-under-test, and assists in the analysis of data for the evaluation and development of various boosters and of communication, telemetry, display, vehicle-control, environmental-control and other systems involved in launch, atmospheric escape, orbital flight, reentry, landing and recovery. Participates in specialized training exercises such as centrifuge programs to build up tolerances to the motions and forces associated with launch, flight without out gravity, and atmospheric reentry, and to develop proficiency and confidence for vehicle operation under such conditions.