c/pics · by setsneedtofeed@lemmy.world · 120d

Mercury astronauts

The Mercury Seven were Alan Shepard, Gus Grissom, Gordon Cooper, Wally Schirra, Deke Slayton, John Glenn, and Scott Carpenter.

161 points · 26 comments · view on lemmy.world

26 Comments

maniacalmanicmania@aussie.zone · 14 pts · 120d (1 reply)

The OG Shiny and Chrome.

IntrovertTurtle@lemmy.zip · 6 pts · 120d

doindoing@piefed.europe.pub · 10 pts · 120d (1 reply)

They are actually Earth astronauts.

Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 4 pts · 120d

Big if true

FrChazzz@lemmus.org · 9 pts · 120d

Crazy to think how quickly they had to take that photo as their space suits melted right off of them within seconds.

Also crazy to think that it took NASA seven months to realize that aluminum-coated nylon was a far better choice for space suit material.

leoj@piefed.social · 8 pts · 120d (7 replies)

The boot discrepancy is interesting, I wonder if that has to do with fit, mission assignments, rank, role, or personal preference.

Karmanopoly@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 120d (6 replies)

These are just regular construction work boots spray painted silver

leoj@piefed.social · 7 pts · 120d (5 replies)

Yeah but the people on their left and right are wearing different boots, that is what I was referring to.

Karmanopoly@lemmy.world · -1 pts · 120d (4 replies)

None of those look fit for space

leoj@piefed.social · 3 pts · 120d (3 replies)

I don't think they were doing EVAs or anything, so I don't really know how impressive the boots need to be, although I am thinking the construction boots / loggers on the middle two are not the regulation ones.

I am picturing them realizing they didn't bring their boots or they were still being made on picture day, so NASA engineers running around trying to find people who had a pair of boots they were willing to let them spray paint LOL.

Looks like left and right are wearing the actual boots btw

https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/boot-left-mercury-schirra/nasm_A19721158005

johncritzman@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 120d (2 replies)

That's fairly close actually! Their suits were still be manufactured and the all the boots weren't finished for the photo shoot. These space suits were custom made to fit each astronaut after all. So someone ran to the hardware store the day of and picked up some boots and silver spray paint to make it work. I feel like they should've had them stand in the back to help hide how different they were.

leoj@piefed.social · 2 pts · 120d

wow, seems like I probably heard that story before and internalized without realizing, although I would love to believe I guessed correctly.

Super cool piece of history, its easy to forget often people are just flying by the seat of their pants despite the way history and photographs make it look / feel otherwise.

atomicbocks@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 120d

Maybe the people in back had even less of their suit ready. It’s awfully dark back there for them to be wearing shiny pants.

Ziggurat@jlai.lu · 6 pts · 120d (2 replies)

Pretty cool historical capsule

Latter Grissom would be part of the Apollo 1 casualties

Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe · 4 pts · 120d (1 reply)

I could be more forgiving to NASA if a propulsion system had caused fatalities with Gemini than I can overlook the loss of Apollo I and Challenger - both of those are simply unforgiveable.

FFS, a pure O2 environment? Everything is flammable then.

The engineers told NASA temps had been too low for Challenger to launch and they went ahead anyway.

Fuck all the asshats involved in those decisions - you killed 15 people.

ProfessorProteus@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 120d

Iirc, with the Apollo 1 capsule, it wasn't just the O2 environment that was dangerous; the hatch opened inward, so it was impossible to open when the inside was pressurized. Rest in peace Gus, Ed, and Roger.

UncleMagpie@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 120d

When they moved it must have sounded like crinkling bags of Sun Chips

blackn1ght@feddit.uk · 4 pts · 120d (2 replies)

There's an incredible documentary on YouTube about Project Mercury, I'd highly recommend watching it you're into the development of the US Space programme. It's over 2 hours 30mins, but it's so well put together.

kurikai@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 120d

also the series. "when we left earth" is a good watch

Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe · 2 pts · 120d

Awesome. Will check it out.

Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe · 3 pts · 120d

Guts to strap onto the top of a missile and hope it worked.

Asidonhopo@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 120d

I liked them in that Pump Up The Volume video

DisgruntledGorillaGang@reddthat.com · 3 pts · 119d

When's the new album drop?

stolig@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 120d

Ahh! It’s darth Vader from the planet krypton!