Page 6 Heppner, Ore., Gazette-Times, Thurs., Dec. 13, W3
Future astronauts In training
to be the
Wre
first kids in space
going
By ERNIE CERESA
Heppner is noted (or many'
things . . , vast wheat (arms,
cattle ranches, quaint parking
meters and salty, rugged
individuals.
Heppner also has something
else-the (irst youngsters in
training to become the (irst
children launched into space.
One of the boys has been in
the space program (or the past
(ive years; his co-partner has
been in training (or three
years. They rigidly (ollow
approved diet and excercise
rules given them by the
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration
(NASA), study the problems
of space travel, and keep in
constant communication with
NASA officials and particu
larly Astronaut Alan L. Bean,
one of the group of 14
astronauts chosen by NASA on
Oct. 8, 1963.
In pursuit of their goal of
becoming the first children in
space, they have dispatched 35
letters ranging from persons
at the Space Administration at
Houston, Tex., to President
Nixon. Most have responded,
(urnishing the boys advice,
encouragement and infor
mation about the possibilities
of one day riding into space.
Some encouragement was
received from the National
Investigations Committee on
Aerial Phenomena, Washing
ton, D.C., when the boys asked
for information regarding
spaceships now in orbit and
for identification of foreign
craft aloft.
One letter received was
from Sen. Sam Ervin Jr., U.S.
Committee on Government
Operations and chairman of
the Senate Committee on the
Watergate Investigations.
Ervin was impressed enough
to write the boys as follows:
"This is to acknowledge
receipt of your recent letter,"
Sen Ervin replied, "telling
me of your interest and that of
your friend in going into outer
space and seeking my per
mission to do so. While I
always like to be as helpful as
possible, particularly to young
people, I am afraid that the
request you make of me is
entirely beyond my control.
Best wishes for all your future
undertakings."
Gov. Tom McCall wrote the
two: "I appreciate your will
ingness to volunteer to be the
first children in space, but I
don't think the Nation is ready
to take that step just now.
Please get the best education
you can in the next few years,
and maybe some day you will
be the youngest man ever to
go into space. But I'm sure
that no children will be
blasting off from Cape Ken
nedy in the near future."
Neither boy shows any
discouragement upon receipt
of such advice. Their play
mates and fellow students
scoff at their hopes, yet they
continue their contacts with
the space agency at Houston
and Cape Kennedy. Officials
there cooperate with them and
encourage them in their plan.
To illustrate, the boys have
received a detailed checklist
of guidelines for space travel.
Both are in constant com
munication with Astronaut
Alan L. Bean.
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"Is spinach part of the
required diet (or an astro
naut?" they asked Bean. No,
Bean replied, and submitted
list o( (oods approved (or
space (light diet. He also
recommended they eat plenty
o( fresh green vegetables and
fruit and to abstain from
candy and sweet drinks.
John W. King, Public Af
fairs Officer, Houston Space
Center, encourages the boys to
keep up their work. He sends
them tests once a month. The
tests are completed and re
turned to King at NASA for
evaluation and, hopefully, for
future use.
The boys' interest in space
age began five years ago when
ohe of them received a space
game (or Christmas. After
playing the game until it was
almost worn out, he decided to
apply to NASA as the first
youngster to go into outer
space.
He telephoned Houston and
asked the operator (or the
"man in charge." He got him.
"If adults can go into space,
why can't youngsters start
their own training program
and prepare themselves as
(uture astronauts?" the boys
asked the astonished admini
strator. "And," the boy con
tinued, "isn't it true that
youngsters weigh far less than
adults, and being smaller,
would not require as much
room in a spaceship as an
adult?"
The NASA officer admitted
the boy was correct ; and that
if he were dedicated to
becoming an astronaut, the
time to prepare is now.
That's how the boys got
involved with President Nix
on's office, Sen. Ervin, Gov.
McCall, Astronaut Bean and
the whole parcel of NASA
people.
Al Bean is their favorite
astronaut, because he replies
promptly to their letters.
They can weather the rigid
spaceman diet, exercise and
study. What they find exas
perating is that their friends
and teachers refuse to believe
they're in such close contact
with the space administration.
Recently, they phoned Hous
ton and asked the path
Pioneer 10 is taking in its
orbital path. When they men
tioned it to their teachers and
friends, they were met with
considerable skepticism.
"They think we're kind of
odd' they confessed.
Not wishing to be chided,
they keep their telephone calls
and correspondence from the
eyes of their friends, and dis
cuss "space matters" only
amog themselves, to avoid
ridicule.
Well, meet the future as
tronauts. They are Donny
Lott, 10, and Robert Bier, 9.
Donny and Robert expect to
get an invitation to Cape
Kennedy soon. But eventually,
they want to fly in space. They
can wait. They are dedicated.
Enjoy the Christmas Magic of Lloyd Center
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They are determined to be the
youngest astronauts, and go
into the history books that
way.
Donny Is the ton of Mr. and
Mrs. Randy Lott, 464 Morgan
St. She confirms Donny'i
Going through astronaut training programs are Donny
Lott, left, and hit pal, Robert Bier. Donny is holdlag
picture of his favorite astronaut, Alan Bean; Robert la
holding a photo of Sky-Lab.
story that he has called NASA
many times, but doubts he got
through to any space official.
According to Mrs. Lott, Donny
has tried to contact Alan Bean
by phone, but couldn't because
"there are at least 10 Alan
Beans listed in the Houston
directory."
"Donny has a whole drawer
full of letters from various
astronauts, and as long as he
is interested in the space
program he's keeping out of
mischief!" Mrs. Lott added.
Randy Lott, the father, says
p j
"They're celebrating! It must be somebody's birthday!"
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Donny "would do anything to
be the first youngster in space,
even if he died doing It."
Robert is the ion of Mr. and
Mr. Jim Bier, 375 N. Gale.
His (ather says Robert is not
the type who would get
interested in the space pro-
gram without help from Don
ny. "I think this is only
phase the boys are going
through. But sometimes I
wonder," he said.
Bier is principal of Heppner
High School.
Mrs. Lorena Jones, the
boys' teachers, says the
thinks the boys' project ia
"just wonderful."
She said both are "good
boys" and average students.
Nobody around this news
paper is going to pooh-pooh
that possibility.
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