65 years ago, America announced the names of its first astronauts Sixty-five years ago this week, NASA introduced its first astronauts, saying they'd be launched into space in the agency's new capsule. They were immediately dubbed The Mercury 7. The astronaut selection, which took place on April 2, 1959, followed a three-month process. The seven were unveiled to the press a week later, on …
I always thought it was a nice touch that they also got subtly honoured by their names being used in Thunderbirds.
At least for 5 of them anyway, maybe Wally and Deke aren't quite heroic enough sounding names, despite the achievements of their real-life counterparts...
(and to forestall the question, Gus Grissom's actual first name was Virgil, Gus was his nickname).
maybe Wally and Deke aren't quite heroic enough sounding names
Perhaps they could one-up the others by claiming that Brains was named after them...
Is it time to dig out my copy of 'The Right Stuff'?
They used a comedia dell'arte group to play the press corps - and it's absolutely manic. I guess to match the descriptions from the astronauts about what a complete media circus it was.
Either that or I should watch the Thunderbirds? Your post has already caused me to start humming the theme tune. I probably won't get it out of my head for the rest of the day...
Perhaps they could one-up the others by claiming that Brains was named after them...
Therein lies a whole other story...
I recently digitised my old copies of Thunderbirds (plus Stingray and Captain Scarlet) and am currently working through them and enjoying it very much.
Must also rewatch The Right Stuff, haven't seen that in years. Great film, if a bit long to fit into daily life.
I would say reviving my youth, but both those series, and indeed all the space launches bar the final two Apollo missions were before I was born (for Apollo 16, I was a whole 2 days old when it launched).
The detonator for the explosive bolts holding the hatch in was actuated by bashing it with the heel of the right hand, as it fired the plunger recoils back into the hand usually causing a bruise/mark. Grissom didn't have such a mark apparently. Not that that would stop manglement looking for a reason to blame the spam in a can...
As proven by a Schirra in his mission a year later when he intentionally fired Sigma-7s hatch and received a deep cut and bruise through the metal reinforced glove of his spacesuit. The sordid detail is that Grissoms accident with the hatch likely led to the decision to only have a ground crew openable hatch on Apollo, leading to the Apollo 1 fire killing Grissom, White and Chaffee, who might have made an exit had they had an explosive hatch.
Read the life story of Wally Funk on that subject.
It's right up there with any of the men for heroism and pioneer spirit. And was wonderful that she finally got to space (albeit suborbital via Blue Origin) a few years back.
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