Gordon Cooper
Astronaut and Mercury-Atlas 9 pilot
Born
March 6th, 1927
98 years ago
Died
October 4th, 2004
20 years ago — 77 years old
Category
Explorers & Adventurers
Country
United States
Links & References
An engineer, pilot, and astronaut, this individual played a significant role in the early years of human space exploration. Selected as a NASA astronaut in 1959, he flew in space during the Mercury and Gemini programs. The most notable mission was Mercury-Atlas 9, where he completed 22 orbits around Earth in 1963, making him one of the first Americans to achieve such a feat. This mission held the record for the longest manned spaceflight at the time. After leaving NASA, continued to contribute to the aerospace industry and inspired future generations in engineering and space exploration.
Completed Mercury-Atlas 9 mission in 1963
Participated in Gemini 5 mission in 1965
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