บท 291: Dangerous Mechanical Tick

Being an astronaut was one of the most complicated jobs a human endured. When Project Mercury first started, NASA recruited a total of 100 experienced pilots as astronaut candidates. Only seven were selected in the end. During the early stages of human space exploration, nobody really knew what would happen the moment they left the confines of planet earth. Theoretically, the list of mishaps could be endless, since space was infinite, and all they had were their guts and an overpriced tin can. Ground control was thousands of miles away, and there wasn't anyone up there they could rely on. As an astronaut, they had to be prepared for every instance of an emergency, fixing problems that weren't even in their manuals. It was a job that required not only bravery but also ingenuity. That was why the astronauts' training was essential to them.