Deke Slayton signed photo

Donald Kent 'Deke' Slayton (March 1, 1924 – June 13, 1993) was one of the original "Mercury Seven" NASA astronauts.. Initially grounded by a heart condition, he would serve as NASA's Director of Flight Crew Operations.

Deke Slayton was responsible for all crew assignments at NASA from November 1963 until March 1972, when he was granted medical clearance to fly as docking module pilot of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.

At the time of the flight, he became the oldest man to fly into space.
(NASA litho)