The Mercury 7 astronauts

 

The Mercury 7 astronauts were announced by NASA on 9th April 1959.

Each of these men would eventually fly in space – all during the Mercury Program with the exception of Deke Slayton who flew on the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975.

Mercury 7

Mercury 7

The Mercury 7 Astronauts.

Text on back of photo reads:

4 JULY 1962 S62-3709
SAM HOUSTON COLISEUM, HOUSTON, TEXAS

ORIGINAL SEVEN ASTRONAUTS WELCOMED TO HOUSTON -

The original seven Mercury astronauts, each sporting a new hat, are pictured on stage at the Sam Houston Coliseum. A large crowd was on hand to welcome the astronauts to Houston, Texas.

Left to right are astronauts M. Scott Carpenter, L. Gordon Cooper, Jr., John H. Glenn, Jr., Virgil I. Grissom, Walter M. Schirra, Jr., Alan B. Shepard, Jr. and Donald K. Slayton.

Senator John Tower (Republican-Texas) is seen in far right background.

Photo preserved by Hamish Lindsay. Scan by Colin Mackellar.


John Lambie (Muchea and Carnarvon) preserved these NASA-issued portraits. (Scans by Colin Mackellar). –

 

Mercury 7

Alan Shepard.

Mercury 7

John Glenn.

Mercury 7

Gus Grissom. (Gemini photo.)

Mercury 7

Scott Carpenter.

Mercury 7

Wally Schirra.

Mercury 7

Gordon Cooper.

Mercury 7

Deke Slayton.