22 – The Mercury Seven

On April 9th, 1959, in Washington D.C., America’s first seven astronauts were announced at a NASA press conference.

The selection process for Astronaut Group 1 started from 508 service records, all from branches of the U.S. Military. From that group, “110 men were found to meet the minimum standards.” A grueling medical and psychological examination process whittled down the number of applicants, with NASA eventually settling on seven instead of six of the 18 finalists.

Who Were the Original Mercury Seven? Back row: Astronauts Shepard, Grissom, Cooper. Front row: Schirra, Slayton, Glenn, Carpenter.

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  • 27 – Piers Sellers

    STS-112 Mission specialist Piers Sellers is photographed on the end of the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) arm as he tethers himself to the External TV Camera Group (ETVCG) on the Destiny laboratory module (LAB1/C2-05) of the International Space Station (ISS).

  • 21 – Gemini-Titan VIII

    Commander Neil Armstrong (right) and pilot David R. Scott prepare to board the Gemini-Titan VIII.

  • 20 – Nicole Mann

    NASA astronaut Nicole Mann gives a thumbs up from inside the Orion mockup, Wednesday, July 10, 2019 at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

  • 25 – Dr. Andrew Morgan

    Astronaut Andrew Morgan works while tethered on the International Space Station on October 11, 2019.