October 3, 2021
Today in 1962, the Mercury spacecraft Sigma 7 was launched. Aboard the craft, Astronaut Walter M. “Wally” Schirra completed nearly six orbits of the Earth, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean 9 hours, 13 minutes after liftoff. All Mercury capsules were built in St. Louis by McDonnell Aircraft Corporation.
Pictured above are the Mercury 7 astronauts. Credit – NASA.