Gallaudet University
Who We Are
Our Work
Overview
News & Stories
May 25, 2023
May 18, 2023
Upcoming Events
June 24, 2023
June 29, 2023
August 20, 2023
University Wide Events
No Communication Compromises
Areas of Study
Schools
Programs
Changing the world
Research
Community & Innovation
Research Experiences & Services
Our Global Presence
Global at Home
Global Learning For All
Global Engagement
Your Journey Starts Here
Study
Learn
Undergraduate Support
Information
Tools and Resources
Explore Our Campus
Connect
Discover
Influence
Jun 1, 2023
Quick Links
Departments
Support
Faculty and Staff
FAQs
Contact
GU
/
Schuchman Documentary Center
Deaf Difference + Space Survival
Email Us
In the early 1960s a joint research project hosted by the U.S. Department of the Navy and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) sought out deaf men from Gallaudet University to participate in experiments on balance, motion sickness, and weightlessness.
Eleven men aged 25 – 48, most deaf from meningitis, joined the research project and remained involved for most of the decade. They spun in centrifuges, stayed for days in a rotating room, participated in zero-gravity flights, and helped their country understand space survival.
These materials are intended for broadcast, print, and online media outlets. Gallaudet University retains ownership of images and text of the exhibition. To request other uses or media interviews, or to discuss further matters, please contact us. Barron Gulak standing within the centrifuge pod. Courtesy...
The photo album and videos are for entertainment and educational purposes. They are produced by Drs. John S. and Betty J. Schuchman Deaf Documentary Center and Gallaudet University Museum (© Copyright 2017 Gallaudet University). Gallaudet University retains ownership of images and text of the exhibition.
Media and community coverage of the Deaf Difference + Space Survival exhibition: "How Being Deaf Made the Difference in Space Research," posted by Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum. "Gallaudet University highlights NASA's deaf hidden figures," by Mike Carter-Conneen of ABC 7 News (WJLA-TV)....
These materials are intended for broadcast, print, and online media outlets. Gallaudet University retains ownership of images and text of the exhibition. To request other uses or media interviews, or to discuss further matters, please contact us.
This exhibit is currently closed to the public, only those who are allowed on campus may view the exhibit. Two alumni of Gallaudet University was featured in this episode of Xploration Outer Space, a program hosted by Emily Calandrelli that takes viewers on journeys through...
This exhibition tells the story of Deaf people who served the nation by participating in early space studies. They put their minds and bodies to work in centrifuges, on zero-gravity flights, and on rough seas. We know that a small inner-ear organ is largely...
Curatorial Advisors, Image Donors & Interviewees Barron Gulak Harry O. Larson David W. Myers Donald O. Peterson John Paul Zakutney Gallaudet University Archives Jerald Jordan Collection Robert Greenmun Collection Primary Source Footage and Documents John Glenn Archives, The Ohio State University James Greenmun Robert Peterson...