Astronaut Group 3 was the third group of astronauts selected by NASA. Their selection was announced in October 1963. Fourteen astronauts made up Group 3. Four died in training accidents before they could fly in space. All of the surviving ten flew in the Apollo program; five also flew Gemini missions. Aldrin, Bean, Cernan and Scott walked on the Moon. They are the only ones of the first 19 NASA astronaut groups to have no members at all fly on the Space Shuttle.
Group 3 was the first to waive the requirement of a test pilot background, though military jet fighter aircraft experience was substituted. This applied to Aldrin, Anders, Cernan, Chaffee, Cunningham and Schweickart; all the others were test pilots.
Edwin E. (Buzz) Aldrin, Jr (born 1930), U.S. Air Force (2 flights)Gemini 12 — November 1966 — Pilot — First productive EVA without tiringApollo 11 — July 1969 — Lunar Module Pilot — First manned lunar landing; Aldrin became the second man to walk on the MoonAldrin also served as the backup Pilot for Gemini 9 and backup Command Module Pilot for
Apollo 8.
William A. Anders (born 1933), U.S. Air Force (1 flight)Apollo 8 — December 1968 — Lunar Module Pilot — First manned circumlunar flight; Anders was responsible for significant photographyAnders also served as the backup Pilot for
Gemini 11 and backup Command Module Pilot for
Apollo 11.
Charles A. Bassett, II (1931–1966), U.S. Air ForceSelected as Pilot for Gemini 9, but died in a
T-38 plane crash less than four months before the mission.
Alan L. Bean (born 1932), U.S. Navy (2 flights)Apollo 12 — November 1969 — Lunar Module Pilot — Second manned lunar landing; Bean became the fourth man to walk on the MoonSkylab 3 — July–September 1973 — Commander — Second American space station missionBean also served as the backup Command Pilot for
Gemini 10 and backup Lunar Module Pilot for
Apollo 9.
Eugene A. Cernan (1934-2017), U.S. Navy (3 flights)Gemini 9A — June 1966 — Pilot — Second American EVA, first mission where a backup crew completely replaced the prime crewApollo 10 — May 1969 — Lunar Module Pilot — "Dress rehearsal" for
Apollo 11, first lunar flight of the Lunar Module and highest velocity achieved by a manned vehicleApollo 17 — December 1972 — Commander — Final manned lunar mission and final manned lunar landing; Cernan is currently the last person to walk on the MoonCernan also served as backup Lunar Module Pilot for
Apollo 7 and backup commander for Apollo 14.
Roger B. Chaffee (1935–1967), U.S. NavySlated to be Pilot on the Prime Crew for first manned
Apollo mission, but was killed in a cabin fire during launch rehearsal.
Michael Collins (born 1930), U.S. Air Force (2 flights)Gemini 10 — July 1966 — Pilot — First double rendezvous, first manned mission to change orbital planeApollo 11 — July 1969 — Command Module Pilot — First manned lunar landingCollins also served as backup Pilot for
Gemini 7 and was on the "Apollo 3" (later Apollo 8) crew, but was removed for medical reasons months before launch.
R. Walter Cunningham (born 1932), U.S. Marine Corps (1 flight)Apollo 7 — October 1968 — Lunar Module Pilot — First manned Apollo mission
Donn F. Eisele (1930–1987), U.S. Air Force (1 flight)Apollo 7 — October 1968 — Command Module Pilot — First manned Apollo missionEisele also served as the backup Command Module Pilot for
Apollo 10.
Theodore C. Freeman (1930–1964), U.S. Air ForceKilled in
T-38 crash in 1964 before being selected for any flight assignment.
Richard F. Gordon Jr. (born 1929), U.S. Navy (2 flights)Gemini 11 — September 1966 — Pilot — First direct-ascent rendezvous, set highest apogee Earth orbit, first artificial gravity experimentApollo 12 — November 1969 — Command Module Pilot — Second manned lunar landingGordon was slated to command
Apollo 18 but the mission was canceled due to budget cuts. He was also backup Pilot for
Gemini 8, backup Command Module Pilot for
Apollo 9 and backup Commander for
Apollo 15.
Russell L. Schweickart (born 1935), U.S. Air Force (1 flight)Apollo 9 — March 1969 — Lunar Module Pilot — First manned flight of the Lunar ModuleSchweickart also served as the backup commander for the
Skylab 2 crew in 1973.
David R. Scott (born 1932), U.S. Air Force (3 flights)Gemini 8 — March 1966 — Pilot — First docking (Gemini ATV) in space and first mission abort from Earth orbitApollo 9 — March 1969 — Command Module Pilot — First manned flight of the Lunar ModuleApollo 15 — July 1971 — Commander — Fourth manned lunar landing, first use of the
Lunar Rover; Scott became the seventh person to walk on the MoonScott also served as the backup commander for
Apollo 12.
Clifton C. Williams (1932–1967), U.S. Marine CorpsTrained as a Lunar Module Pilot. Served as the backup Pilot for Gemini 10. Selected as a member of the backup crew for Apollo 9, but died in a plane crash before the mission.
