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Roger B. Chaffee facts for kids

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Roger B. Chaffee
RogerChaffee.1964.ws.jpg
Born (1935-02-15)February 15, 1935
Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
Status Deceased
Died January 27, 1967(1967-01-27) (aged 31)
Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S.
Nationality American
Occupation Test pilot
Space career
NASA astronaut
Rank Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy
Selection Group 3 (1963)
Missions Apollo 1
Mission insignia
 Apollo 1 patch.png

Roger Bruce Chaffee (February 15, 1935 – January 27, 1967) was an American test pilot and astronaut. He worked with the space program on the ground, helping astronauts who were flying in space. He talked to Gemini 4 during its mission, and NASA trusted him to fly special research jets to learn about how rockets worked.

Chaffee died along with fellow astronauts Gus Grissom and Ed White during a test for the Apollo 1 mission at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (then known as Cape Kennedy), Florida.

Images for kids

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    Chaffee's Navy portrait

  • The Apollo spacecraft and orange rafts float in a pool, surrounded by divers

    Chaffee (sitting on hatch sill) during water egress training for Apollo 1

  • Roger B. Chaffee at a console in the Mission Control Center, Houston, during the Gemini-Titan 3 flight

    Chaffee at the consoles in Mission Control during the Gemini 3 mission

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    Apollo 1 crew, Grissom, White, and Chaffee

  • Grissom and Chaffee headstones with a wreath between them

    Gus Grissom's and Roger Chaffee's headstones during the NASA Day of Remembrance ceremony in 2013

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    Chaffee's name, along with Grissom's and White's, on the Space Mirror Memorial

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