The only astronaut to fly missions for the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs, Walter M. “Wally” Schirra was one of the original seven American astronauts. He was also a fighter pilot during the Korean War and enjoyed skiing, hunting, sailing, and fishing. He is most famous for his sense of humor and love of a … [Read more…]
One of the Mercury Seven astronauts and member of the Sealab II crew, Scott Carpenter was the second American to orbit Earth in the Aurora 7 and the first to claim the dual title of Astronaut/Aquanaut. Although he wasn’t always popular with some of the well-known names of the early space program, he remained an … [Read more…]
John Glenn was the first American to orbit Earth and also holds the record for the oldest astronaut to go into space. He was one of the original American astronauts known as the Mercury Seven, a group of aviators and test pilots chosen from across the Navy, Marines and Air Force who became instant heroes … [Read more…]
One of the most complex of the Mercury astronauts, Alan Shepard was the first American in space and the fifth man to walk on the moon. In between, he worked closely with fellow Mercury astronaut Deke Slayton to take charge of the Astronaut Office and overcame an ear condition that nearly ended his career as … [Read more…]