The Mercury Seven astronauts pose with an Atlas model on July 12, 1962. Front row (l to r): Gus Grissom, Scott Carpenter, Deke Slayton and Gordon Cooper. Back row (l to r): Alan Shepard, Wally Schirra and John Glenn.
Image: NASA.

On this date in 1959, NASA announced the seven pilots selected for the Mercury program. This group, known as the “Mercury Seven,” included Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, Gus Grissom, Wally Schirra, Alan Shepard, and Deke Slayton.