And then there was one

[Stinky The Clown]

Astronaut Scott Carpenter has died at age 88. He predeceases the last of the Mercury 7, John Glenn.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/11/us/scott-carpenter-mercury-astronaut-who-orbited-earth-dies-at-88.html

For those of us who were young and impressionable in the 1960s, the Mercury 7 were real heroes and role models.

Listening to the tense moments of the first space flight, with Alan Shepherd launched up in that tiny, tiny space capsule crafted by McDonnell Aircraft Company, we cheered when he returned. An American hero to counter Russia's Yuri Gagarin, who beat us to the punch, fair and square.

John Glenn was the first guy in orbit. He was followed by Mr. Carpenter.

Tom Wolfe's novel, The Right Stuff, and the movie of the same name, pretty much captures the time and the people of that era in aviation and aerospace history. If you have the chance to watch it, please do. It continues to play very well. (You'll love their portrayal of Lyndon Johnson and his encounter with John Glenn's wife, Annie.)

[Hoyt]

1. Remember it well, and how the country freaked out when the Ruskies beat us into space.

The Right Stuff was definitely a great book.