The Baltimore Sun published on May 20, 1963. Written by Stephen A. Bennett, the article provides details Mercury-Atlas 9 (MA-9), the final manned space mission for Project Mercury. MA-9 launched from Launch Complex 14 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Cape Canaveral, on May 15, 1963. Gordon Cooper (1927-2004) traveled in Faith 7, successfully orbiting the Earth 22 and a half times before returned to Earth the following day.]]> The Baltimore Sun, May 20, 1963: Private Collection of Dr. Calvin D. Fowler.]]> The Baltimore Sun]]> Chronopoints]]> The Baltimore Sun, May 20, 1963.]]> The Baltimore Sun, May 20, 1963.]]> Dr. Calvin Fowler Collection, Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> The Baltimore Sun.]]> The Baltimore Sun and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> The Chicago's American. The article provides a contemporaneous account of Dr. Calvin D. Fowler, manager of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 14 (LC-14) and launch conductor, whose job was launching astronaut Gordon Cooper into space on a Project Mercury rocket.]]> The Chicago's American, May 9, 1963: Private Collection of Dr. Calvin D. Fowler.]]> The Chicago's American]]> Chronopoints]]> The Chicago's American, May 9, 1963.]]> Dr. Calvin Fowler Collection, Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> The Chicago's American.]]> The Chicago Tribune and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Chronopoints]]> Dr. Calvin Fowler Collection, Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Chronopoints]]> Dr. Calvin Fowler Collection, Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Faith 7, for Project Mercury. Faith 7 was piloted by Gordon Cooper (1927-2004), on May 15, 1963. After the launch, the team assembled in the blockhouse to observe the mission on monitors. Dr. Fowler, who had just launched Cooper into orbit, is seated along with O'Malley, who had previously launchedJohn Glenn (b. 1921)'s rocket, Friendship 7.]]> Chronopoints]]> Dr. Calvin Fowler Collection, Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
When the Mercury 7 astronauts, such as Cooper, visited the launch site, they wore distinctively colored helmets so that they could be identified at a distance. Cooper, on such a visit before his flight, is viewing the unerected Atlas rocket from the gantry in the second photograph. The Atlas was America's first rocket capable of lifting a man into orbit. Faith 7's Atlas booster eventually lifted it into orbit, allowing Cooper to circle the Earth 22.5 times.]]>
Chronopoints]]> Dr. Calvin Fowler Collection, Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
Chronopoints]]> Dr. Calvin Fowler Collection, Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Chronopoints]]> Dr. Calvin Fowler Collection, Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
General Dynamics/Astronautics Operations Manager B. G. MacNabb is seen in the center of the first photograph. In the second photograph, MacNabb is pictured on the left, Wendt is seen in the center, and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 14 Manager Dr. Calvin D. Fowler is photographed on the right.]]>
Chronopoints]]> Dr. Calvin Fowler Collection, Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
Faith 7 into orbit. Dr. Fowler and Cooper were at the General Dynamics/Astronautics factory in San Diego, California, to accept the Atlas booster. Cooper was to be the final astronaut of Project Mercury, as it paved the way for Project Gemini. Dr. Fowler would manage the spacecraft preparation and ignite the Atlas launch vehicle. Cooper would become, for a short time, the space endurance record holder.]]> Chronopoints]]> Dr. Calvin Fowler Collection, Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Faith 7 Mercury spacecraft by manually landing in the Pacific Ocean on May 16, 1963, closer than any other flight had landed with reference to the recovery ship. A dehydrated Cooper, still in Faith 7, is seen after the recovery aboard the aircraft carrier USS Kearsarge. Cooper not only set a record of staying in space for over 34 hours, but he would prove a trained pilot was an important ingredient in space flight.]]> Chronopoints]]> Dr. Calvin Fowler Collection, Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Faith 7, the name his spacecraft was dubbed, launched successfully and circled the earth 22.5 times. While in space, Cooper was one of the early practitioners of conducting scientific observations in space.]]> Chronopoints]]> Dr. Calvin Fowler Collection, Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Faith 7 flight, Cooper orbited the earth 22.5 times.]]> Chronopoints]]> Dr. Calvin Fowler Collection, Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Chronopoints]]> Dr. Calvin Fowler Collection, Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Faith 7's Atlas booster eventually lifted it into orbit, allowing Cooper to circle the Earth 22.5 times.]]> Chronopoints]]> Dr. Calvin Fowler Collection, Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Friendship 7 (MA-6), which occurred on February 20, 1962. The dinner, was sponsored by the Launch Team (which was generally composed of National Aeronautics and Space Administration, General Dynamics, the McDonnell Aircraft Corporation, and other contractor personnel) on April 23, 1962, at the Cocoa Armory, located at 308 North Fiske Boulevard in Cocoa, Florida. Signators include Freedom 7 astronaut Alan Shepard (1923-1998), the first American in space; Luge Luetjen; Manager for McDonnell Aircraft, Paul C. Donnelly (1923-2014), NASA Engineer, Manager, Spacecraft Test Conductor for Project Mercury; Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth; Aurora 7 astronaut Scott Carpenter (1925-2013), the second American to orbit the Earth; Mercury 7 astronaut Deke Slayton (1924-1993); Sigma 7 astronaut Wally Schirra (1923-2007), the hird American to orbit Earth ; B. G. MacNabb, the Site Manager for General Dynamics Astronautics; Annie Glenn (1920-), Glenn's wife; Faith 7 astronaut Gordon Cooper (1927-2004), the fourth American to orbit Earth; , T. J. O'Malley (1915-2009), Manager for Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS)'s Launch Complex 14 (LC-14) and Launch Conductor for General Dynamics Astronautics.]]> Chronopoints]]> Dr. Calvin Fowler Collection, Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Flash Player]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Faith 7 astronaut Gordon Cooper (1927-2004), the fourth American to orbit the Earth, with Dr. Cal Fowler (1929-2013), Launch Complex 14 (LC-14) Manager at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The two were photographed at a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) awards dinner.]]> Chronopoints]]> Dr. Calvin Fowler Collection, Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Adobe Flash Player]]> Chronopoints]]> Dr. Calvin Fowler Collection, Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Cocoa Beach Collection, Brevard County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>