Vintage nasa photo showing members of the original seven and the second group of nine eat iguana steak during tropic survival training in the panama canal zone. Oct 16, 2018 walter wally schirra was the only one of his fellow astronauts to fly in three nasa programs. On october 3, 1962, schirra orbited the earth six times in sigma 7. After retiring from nasa, schirra lived in san diego and wrote several books about his experiences. The ma8 mercuryatlas mission with sigma 7 spacecraft was the third manned orbital flight by the united states, and made the six orbits in 914 hours. The 6orbit flight of sigma 7 is fully covered from its. By the time he was 15, wally was flying his father s. In 1988 republished in 1999 wally schirra, with richard n. Schirras space audiobook by wally schirra, richard n. Schirra s capsule, sigma 7, splashed down only 5 miles from the recovery carrier. Walter schirras third and final space flight in 1968 inaugurated the apollo program that sought to land a man on the moon. Schirras logbooks show a total of 4,577 hours flight time 295 in space and 267 carrier landings.
San diego aerospace museum, san diego, california schirra served as a director and the museum features the walter m. Invaluable is the worlds largest marketplace for art, antiques, and collectibles. He complemented walter cronkite and the two became a powerful space coverage team. This book includes an early biography for schirra and details of the sigma 7 spaceflight, with the events leading up to the flight and postflight activities.
Another rendezvous mission, apollo 7, saw schirra and crew members donn eisele and walter cunningham synching up their craft with the saturn 1b launch vehicle. One of america s first astronauts and the only one of the original seven to fly in all three pioneering space programs mercury, gemini and apollo wally schirra inherited a love of flying from his world war iace father and barnstorming, wing walking mother. Schirra s first space flight was piloting the fifth mercury mission on oct. Nasa astronaut walter schirra in his mercury flight suit. Nasa lot sts 2 3 5 8 11 gemini liberty bell 7 sigma 7. Irreverent, provocative, and filled with fascinating anecdotes, this autobiography by one of americas first astronauts offers a revealing inside look at the early days of space flight and the men who captured the heart of the nation. Walter w schirra autographed signed book schirras space. Philadelphiaborn walt schirra only became a pilot through a series of mixups. Schirra discussing the flight plan with flight director. A malfunctioning fuelcontrol valve delayed the flight of ma8 until october 3, 1962. Schirra s space was an interesting, quick and very enlightening read. Space apollo schirra flight log booksthe 19th century rare.
This book includes an early biography for schirra and details of the sigma 7 spaceflight, with the events leading up to the flight and. A small sticker on reverse mentions this as being used in schirra s space on page 110 in the book. Mercuryatlas 8 ma8 was the fifth united states crewed space mission, part of nasas mercury program. Walter w schirra autographed signed book schirras space nasa. In 1959, he became one of the original seven astronauts chosen for project mercury, which was the united states first effort to. Schirras space flight, october 3, 1962 manned spacecraft center u. The book is an account of the mercury seven astronauts. The 6orbit flight of sigma 7 is fully covered from its origins through to the spacecrafts safe recovery from the ocean after a highly successful mercury mission. Zeke cormier, and phil wood, with barrett tillman as the writer. One of americas first astronauts and the only one of the original seven to fly in all three pioneering space programs mercury, gemini and apollo wally schirra inherited a love of flying from his world war iace father and barnstorming, wing walking mother. The making of a flightready astronaut springerlink. What better way to celebrate our 50 th anniversaries than by honoring a true american hero and pioneer in space, walter wally m. Schirras space was an interesting, quick and very enlightening read. Wally schirra 19232007, one of the original seven american astronauts, is an icon of the.
Known as a text book pilot, schirra remained in the spacecraft following his mercury and gemini flight and is the first astronaut to be brought aboard recovery ships twice in this manner. Wally schirra, one of the original seven astronauts for mercury project selected by nasa on april 27, 1959. Their 11days on apollo 7 qualified the redesigned command module for flights to the moon after the tragic fire that took the lives of the apollo 1 crew in january 1967. Schirras was the first of two longerduration mercury missions. Wally schirra, one of the first seven original american astronauts and the only one to fly mercury, gemini and apollo missions, passed away may 2, after having been. Chosen from the navy to become one of nasas mercury astronauts in 1959, schirra went on to become the first man ever to make three flights in space. During the flight he took hundreds of photos of earth and space phenomena. Another rendezvous mission, apollo 7, saw schirra and crew members donn eisele and walter cunningham synching up their craft with the saturn 1. This chronicle of his experiences takes us into space on schirra s 1962 mercury flight that orbited earth six times and aboard gemini for the first rendezvous of two manned craft in. In2005, he collaborated on a second book, the real space. This is a complete set of wally schirras official flight log books, meticulously maintained by him over more than two decades from his earliest days in training through his fabled career as a fighter pilot, a military test pilot, and one of the original seven american astronauts.
This book tells that story and also permitted wally to give us his thoughts about the manned space program. Buy online, view images and see past prices for wally schirra two weeks after his historic space flight. Wally schirra signed book inscribed wally schirra 10 mar 2003 on first blank page in blue ink. Walter w schirra autographed signed book schirras space nasa astronaut mercury. This chronicle of his experiences takes us into space on schirras 1962 mercury flight that orbited earth six times and aboard gemini for the first rendezvous of two manned craft in. I knew there was a good reason for wally to retire from nasa early, but i didnt hear much about it prior to reading this book. The arcs foundation and nasa national aeronautics and space administration were both founded in 1958 in the aftermath of the launch of sputnik.
A varied selection of publication and papers as follows. The tailhook navy with fellow navy captains richard l. In 2005 schirra coauthored the book the real space cowboys with ed buckbee. Other springerpraxis books of related interest by colin burgess. Wally schirra 19232007, one of the original seven american astronauts, is an icon of the space age. Billings, released his first autobiography schirras space. Colin burgess offers a comprehensive yet personal look at the 1962 orbital mission of wally schirra aboard the spacecraft sigma 7, the first book about this. In 1988,quinlan press published schirras memoirs titled. Schirra sfirst space flight came on october 3, 1962, as pilot of mercuryatlas 8.
March 12, 1923 may 3, 2007, capt, usn, was an american naval officer and aviator, aeronautical engineer, test pilot, and one of the original seven astronauts chosen for project mercury, united states first effort to put humans in space. In 1959, he became one of the original seven astronauts chosen for project mercury, which was the united states first effort to put human beings into space. Buy schirras space bluejacket books new edition by schirra, wally, billings, richard n. Irreverent, provocative, and filled with fascinating anecdotes, this autobiography by one of america s first astronauts offers a revealing inside look at the early days of space flight and the men who captured the heart of the nation.
They took photographs, scouted future landing sites, and on christmas eve read from the book of genesis to tv viewers back on earth. Wally schirra national aeronautics and space administration. Walter wally schirra was the only one of his fellow astronauts to fly in three nasa programs. Text, photographs and maps relative to this historic mercury flight. Schirra, walter marty jr wally encyclopedia astronautica. Wally schirra was the only one of the original seven nasa astronauts to command a spacecraft in all three pioneering space programs mercury, gemini, and apollo.
Details about walter w schirra autographed signed book schirras space nasa astronaut mercury. On october 3, 1962, he flew the sixorbit, ninehour, mercury. In the most successful american manned space flight to date, schirra traveled nearly six orbits, returning to earth at a predetermined point in the pacific ocean 9 hours, minutes after liftoff. Named as one of nasas original seven mercury astronauts in 1959, he. Nasa photo shows the sigma 7 on board the usss kearsarge immediately after the world orbital flight of astronaut walter m. Schirrasfirst space flight came on october 3, 1962, as pilot of mercuryatlas 8. At the time of his mission in sigma 7, schirra became the fifth american and ninth human to travel into. Sts flight operations baseline operations plan august 1977 alt12 flight data file crew activity plan sts2 august 14, 1981 wflight schedule card unfolded flight data file crew activity plan sts3 february 15, 1982 flight data file crew activity plan sts5 cycle 5 trajectory september 30, 1982 flight data file crew. Charts, graphs, line drawings and other illustrations. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
This image was intended for use in a book though im not sur e which. In 1995 schirra coauthored the book wildcats to tomcats. Schirra made his final space flight on 11 october 1968 as commander of apollo 7, the first manned apollo flight following the fatal apollo 1 test disaster. He encircled the globe six times in a flight that lasted more than nine hours. Wally schirra two weeks after his historic space flight. Schirras participation on the gemini 6 and apollo 7 missions is also told, but in brief, and the book also relates his postnasa life and activities through to his passing in 2007. Exceedingly rare vintage nasa photo used in schirras space shows the schirra family. Schirra s space flight, october 3, 1962 manned spacecraft center u. He also engaged in a range of business activities and in 1979 formed his own consultant company, schirra enterprises.
Named as one of nasas original seven mercury astronauts in. Wally schirra academic dictionaries and encyclopedias. Schirras prenasa life is examined, as well as his training as a nasa astronaut and for his mercury ma8 flight. On june 27, 1962, schirra was designated for americas fifth manned space mission and third orbital flight, originally scheduled for september 28, 1962. Schirra s final flight to space teamed him with crew mates donn eisele and walter cunningham for the first crewed mission of the apollo spacecraft. His father, an engineering graduate of columbia university with royal canadian air force flight training, was commissioned a first lieutenant in the army signal corps. In 2005, he coauthored the book the real space cowboys with ed buckbee. Billings, released his first autobiography schirra s space. Space flight gallery, that includes schirras gemini spacesuit and the moon rock presented in his name. In 1988,quinlan press published schirra s memoirs titled. Two men seated at a desk, both reading from a large book the younger man. Schirra was the only man of the original seven to fly in all three pioneering space programsmercury, gemini and apollo. Vintage nasa lotthis lot includes 9 books and one schedule card. Schirra s mother, florence leach schirra, went along on her husband s barnstorming tours and performed wing walking stunts.
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