“Leroy Gordon Cooper, Jr., (Colonel, USAF, Ret.) [bio] an original Mercury 7 astronaut, died earlier today at his home in Ventura, Calif. He was 77 years old. Cooper piloted the sixth and last flight of the Mercury program and later commanded Gemini V.”
“As one of the original seven Mercury astronauts, Gordon Cooper was one of the
faces of America’s fledgling space program. He truly portrayed the right stuff,
and he helped gain the backing and enthusiasm of the American public, so critical
for the spirit of exploration. My thoughts and prayers are with Gordon’s family
during this difficult time,” said NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe.
“Cooper’s efforts and those of his fellow Mercury astronauts, Alan Shepard, Gus
Grissom, John Glenn, Scott Carpenter, Wally Schirra and Deke Slayton, serve as
reminders of what drives us to explore. They also remind us that to succeed any
vision for exploration needs the support of the American people,” Administrator
O’Keefe said.
The youngest of the original seven astronauts, Cooper’s flight in his Faith 7
spacecraft stretched the capabilities of the Mercury capsule to the limits. The
mission, May 15 and 16, 1963, lasted more than 34 hours and 22 orbits. That was
more than three times the longest U.S. human space flight until that time, and
far exceeded the initial design capability of the capsule. During his flight,
Cooper became the first astronaut to sleep in space.
“NASA’s astronauts extend their deepest sympathies to Gordon Cooper’s family,”
said Kent Rominger, chief of the astronaut office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center
in Houston. “He was among the first pioneers in space and his achievements
inspired many of us to pursue our dreams of exploring our universe. We salute his
many accomplishments as an astronaut and as a husband and father. He will be
truly missed,” he said.
Cooper and Charles Conrad Jr. flew the troubled and suspenseful third flight of
the Gemini program in August 1965. The goal of the mission was to prove
astronauts could survive in space long enough to perform a lunar mission. During
their eight-day mission, they experienced a number of problems with power
systems, thruster fuel, venting gas that caused the spacecraft to roll, and more
in a seemingly unending series.
But they stayed in orbit for almost 191 hours, 122 orbits in nearly eight days,
and got themselves and their spacecraft back intact. In orbit, they accomplished
a “shadow rendezvous” with an imaginary spacecraft, an exercise demonstrating it
could be done.
Sam Beddingfield, NASA’s Mechanical Engineer for Project Mercury said, ” He
(Cooper) would think about anything and always be willing to give his opinion. He
knew what he was doing and could always make things work.”
Cooper was born on March 6, 1927, in Shawnee, Okla. He served in the Marine Corps
in 1945 and 1946. He then attended the University of Hawaii, where he was
commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. In 1949 he was called to
active duty and completed pilot training in the U.S. Air Force. From 1950 to 1954
he was a fighter pilot in Germany.
Norris Gray, NASA’s Fire Chief and Emergency Preparedness Officer during the
Mercury and Gemini years said, ” Cooper never said ‘you can’t do it,’ he was
gung-ho on everything. He was a real gentleman from the word go. He led a full
life, one that a lot of people would want to live.”
Cooper earned a bachelor’s degree at the Air Force Institute of Technology in
1956, then completed test pilot school at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. He
served as a test pilot there until he was selected as a Mercury astronaut.
Cooper was backup command pilot of Gemini 12, launched in November 1965. He also
served as backup command pilot for Apollo 10, which flew in May 1969. He left
NASA and retired from the Air Force as a colonel on July 31, 1970.
He founded Gordon Cooper and Associates in 1970. He served as president of the
consulting firm that specialized in activities ranging from aerospace to hotel
and land development projects. Cooper was a director of a number of other
organizations, most specializing in energy, advanced electronics systems,
efficient homes, boats and marine systems and equipment.
In 1975, he became vice president for research and development for Walter E.
Disney Enterprises Inc. of Glendale, Calif., the research and development
subsidiary of Walt Disney Productions.
Throughout his life, Cooper pursued a wide range of activities, both
professionally and as hobbies. A NASA biography lists his hobbies as treasure
hunting, archaeology, racing, flying, skiing, boating, hunting and fishing. Among
his numerous awards were the Air Force Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying
Cross with cluster, NASA’s Exceptional Service Medal, the Collier Trophy and the
Harmon Trophy.
He was the first active-duty military man to address joint sessions of Congress
twice.
Cooper continued his wide-ranging interests and activities until late in his
life. He continued to design and test new aircraft in Southern California. “I get
cranky if I don’t fly at least three times a month,” he told a reporter when he
was 71.
Additional information about Cooper including his official NASA biography is
available on the Internet at:
