Apollo, yes. I don’t think it’s for reasons you might be implying (what are they, that they’re going to space to kill stuff?). They have to have people who can endure high-gs and stress. Pilots are already proven for this. A civilian they have to test and train up from nothing. I don’t think it’s some kind of secret military plot. It’s just convenience and accessibility.
Of all of the Apollo astronauts only one was a scientist.
Out of the entirety of the Apollo missions we got one scientist on the moon. It’s pretty clear whether US governments intentions lay.
The percentage of scientists to non-scientists is depressingly low.
Apollo, yes. I don’t think it’s for reasons you might be implying (what are they, that they’re going to space to kill stuff?). They have to have people who can endure high-gs and stress. Pilots are already proven for this. A civilian they have to test and train up from nothing. I don’t think it’s some kind of secret military plot. It’s just convenience and accessibility.