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53 years ago today - NASA introduces the Mercury 7 Astronauts
4/9/2012 7:58:35 PM
Over 50 years - hard for someone my age to believe.
At the time my Mom and I lived with my grandparents in Cocoa Beach while my Dad was assigned to a USMC duty station where dependants were not allowed. Cocoa Beach was a small town then. My grandparents house was on the beach, about where the Royal office building is now.
Once in a while we saw a Astronaut or two driving around in their Jim Rathman supplied ‘vetts.
It’s hard for me to describe how high these seven military pilots were regarded at the time. I can’t think of any group of people since who commanded a similar level of celebrity and respect. I can think of several who deserved it, but never got it. Sigh.
My grandfather was the engineer in charge of the optical tracking camera system that filmed every rocket launch. A few weeks before John Glenns’ orbital flight he arranged for us meet Mr. Glenn.
You can still see my grandfathers camera towers as you drive along A1A in Brevard county. A couple of them are at Patrick, most at Cape Canaveral, and more along the beach at Playlinda and north.
Just reminiscing. I was 9 when Alan Shepard became the first American in space.
NASA Mercury site.
Mike
At the time my Mom and I lived with my grandparents in Cocoa Beach while my Dad was assigned to a USMC duty station where dependants were not allowed. Cocoa Beach was a small town then. My grandparents house was on the beach, about where the Royal office building is now.
Once in a while we saw a Astronaut or two driving around in their Jim Rathman supplied ‘vetts.
It’s hard for me to describe how high these seven military pilots were regarded at the time. I can’t think of any group of people since who commanded a similar level of celebrity and respect. I can think of several who deserved it, but never got it. Sigh.
My grandfather was the engineer in charge of the optical tracking camera system that filmed every rocket launch. A few weeks before John Glenns’ orbital flight he arranged for us meet Mr. Glenn.
You can still see my grandfathers camera towers as you drive along A1A in Brevard county. A couple of them are at Patrick, most at Cape Canaveral, and more along the beach at Playlinda and north.
Just reminiscing. I was 9 when Alan Shepard became the first American in space.
NASA Mercury site.
Mike
4/9/2012 11:06:36 PM
I had a wild hair a month ago and bought the movie "The Right Stuff" on Amazon.
Still held up well, long, as it should be to do that period justice.
I was just a wee lad during the Mercury program, but I remember watching the Gemini and Apollo missions on TV.
Pop flew some guidance circuts on Apollo, he was a micro electronics designer for Martin Marrietta.
We need that kind of national committment to moving the country ahead again.
Still held up well, long, as it should be to do that period justice.
I was just a wee lad during the Mercury program, but I remember watching the Gemini and Apollo missions on TV.
Pop flew some guidance circuts on Apollo, he was a micro electronics designer for Martin Marrietta.
We need that kind of national committment to moving the country ahead again.
