Deke! U.S. Manned Space

Archival Summary & Scope

Mercury astronaut Deke Slayton, initially poised to be one of the first Americans in space, instead became the inaugural chief of the U.S. Astronaut Corps. From this pivotal role, Slayton handpicked the crews for the Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab missions, notably selecting Neil Armstrong for the historic Apollo 11 flight. In *Deke!*, Slayton shares his unparalleled insider account of the U.S. manned space program, offering candid insights into its greatest achievements. Told in his own words and through the voices of those who knew him best, this memoir unveils decades of untold stories from a central figure in humanity's most ambitious era of exploration.