On 2/22/2010 7:35 PM, Greg D. Moore (Strider) wrote:Wasn't there a
program that never got off the ground many
years ago, with a selected crew of astronauts who never flew?

You may be thinking of the MOL - Manned Orbiting Laboratory which was an Air
Force project based on Gemini vehicles.

They also had astronauts lined up for Dyna-Soar:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-20_Dyna-Soar

"In April 1960, seven astronauts were secretly chosen for the Dyna-Soar
program. Neil Armstrong and Bill Dana left the program in the summer of
1962. On 19 September 1962, Albert Crews was added to the Dyna-Soar
program and the names of the six Dyna-Soar astronauts were announced to
the public:
* Neil Armstrong (NASA) 1960–62
* Albert H. Crews, Jr. (Air Force) 1962–63
* Bill Dana (NASA) 1960–62
* Henry C. Gordon (Air Force) 1960–63
* Pete Knight (Air Force) 1960–63
* Russell L. Rogers (Air Force) 1960–63
* Milt Thompson (NASA) 1960–63
* James W. Wood (Air Force) 1960–63"

Not surprisingly, there was a strong X-15 pilot bias.

The MOL astronauts we
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manned_Orbital_Laboratory

"* MOL Group 1 - November 1965
o Michael J. Adams (Air Force)
o Albert H. Crews Jr. (Air Force)
o John L. Finley (Navy)
o Richard E. Lawyer (Air Force)
o Lachlan Macleay (Air Force)
o Francis G. Neubeck (Air Force)
o James M. Taylor (Air Force)
o Richard H. Truly (Navy)

* MOL Group 2 - June 1966
o Karol J. Bobko (Air Force)
o Robert L. Crippen (Navy)
o Charles G. Fullerton (Air Force)
o Henry W. Hartsfield, Jr. (Air Force)
o Robert F. Overmyer (Marine Corps)

* MOL Group 3 - June 1967
o James A. Abrahamson (Air Force)
o Robert T. Herres (Air Force)
o Robert H. Lawrence, Jr. (Air Force)
o Donald H. Peterson (Air Force)"

Pat