Original Mercury Seven astronaut passes away

[AlphaSigOU]

Just on the news... Leroy Gordon (Gordo) Cooper, one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts passed away at his home in Ventura, California at age 77.

Only three of the Mercury Seven are alive today: John Glenn (Friendship 7), Wally Schirra (Sigma 7), and Scott Carpenter (Aurora 7).

Gus Grissom died in the Apollo 1 fire in 1967. Deke Slayton died in 1993, Alan Shepard in 1998.

Vaya con Dios, Brother Gordo...

[DeltAlum]

I remember watching the Mercury flights starting in Junior High School -- and how scary it was after some of our early failures in putting unmanned satellites into orbit.

Those seven were absolutely bigger than life heros.