In this historical photo from the U.S. space agency, molded astronaut couches line the NASA Langley Research Centers model shop wall. The names of the test subjects (Langley employees) are written on the back.
The couches are similar to those made for each astronaut and fitted into the Mercury capsules for manned spaceflight.
The National Advisory Committe on Aeronautics (NACA) was a precursor to NASA. NACA was created by Congress in 1915.
Each weekday, SPACE.com looks back at the history of spaceflight through photos (archive).