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Original Astronauts In Space Suits
Original 7 astronauts in front of the Convair F-106 B aircraft
Photograph of Project Mercury Flight Simulation with Astronaut M. Scott Carpenter
Photograph of Astronaut Malcolm Scott Carpenter Adjusting his Straps Prior to Aurora 7 Launch
Photograph of Astronaut M. Scott Carpenter Using His Hands to Describe Phases of His Aurora 7 Flight
Photograph of Astronaut Malcolm Scott Carpenter Leaving Hangar S Prior to Aurora 7 Launch
Photograph of Astronaut Malcolm Scott Carpenter Putting on His Space Suit Prior to Aurora 7 Launch
Original Seven Astronauts. NASA public domain image colelction.
Photograph of Astronaut M. Scott Carpenter Relaxing While Discussing His Aurora 7 Flight
The Original Seven NASA Image of The Day
Summary
In this 1960 photograph, the seven original Mercury astronauts participate in U.S. Air Force survival training exercises at Stead Air Force Base in Nevada. Pictured from left to right are: L. Gordon Cooper, M. Scott Carpenter, John Glenn, Alan Shepard, Virgil I. Grissom, Walter Schirra and Donald K. Slayton. Portions of their clothing have been fashioned from parachute material, and all have grown beards from their time in the wilderness. The purpose of this training was to prepare astronauts in the event of an emergency or faulty landin
g in a remote area. Forty-five years ago today on May 24, 1962, Scott Carpenter went on to fly the second American manned orbital flight. He piloted his Aurora 7 spacecraft through three revolutions of the Earth, reaching a maximum altitude of 164 miles. The spacecraft landed in the Atlantic Ocean about 1,000 miles, about 1,609 kilometers, southeast of Cape Canaveral after the 4 hour, 54 minute flight. Image credit: NASA
NASA Identifier: 177715main_image_feature_832_ys_full