Virgil Grissom
/ˌvɜːdʒɪl ˈɡrɪsəm/
/ˌvɜːrdʒɪl ˈɡrɪsəm/
- (1926-67) the second US astronaut to be sent into space (1961), and the first to make two space flights. He was killed with two other astronauts, Roger Chaffee and Edward White, in the Apollo 1 spacecraft when it was destroyed by fire during a test on the ground. see also Apollo program