Dr. Randall M. Chambers is one of the space research pioneers, having designed and implemented many of the earliest astronaut training and research programs.
After receiving the Ph. D. from Case Western Reserve University in 1954, Dr. Chambers served in the U.S. Air Force. There he became enamored of the challenges of space exploration after attending seminars by Dr. Wernher von Braun.
In 1958 Dr. Chambers was appointed Projects Director of the newly-organized acceleration research training program set up for astronaut training for Mercury, X-15, Gemini and Apollo astronauts.
This research was conducted at the Aviation Medical Acceleration Laboratory of the U.S. Naval air Development Center in Johnsville, Pa. in conjunction with the newly-created NASA-Langley Research center in Virginia.
Dr. Chambers conducted astronaut training programs there for the next 10 years. In the process he became one of the world’s authorities in human performance in unusual environments and in space flight imulation.
Then at NASA Langley he served as an aerospace engineer and chief life scientist, working on the human factors research for such programs as the lunar lander, the shuttle, Sky Lab, dynamic loads and flight simulators.
Dr. Chambers is the author of more than 200 scientific publications and research reports. He is the recipient of numerous awards for his work including the Commander’s Awards, including the Commander’s Award Medals for civilian scientific service and NASA service awards and medals.
Dr. Chambers has pesented research reports to numerous scientific meetings. He is a Fellow in many
Scientific organizations.
Dr. Chambers had also given programs about space to community groups and school classes of all ages.
After 29 years in government research, he began a second career in 1988 as a Distinguished Professor of Engineering at Wichita State University in Kansas.
