Space Pioneer Wally Schirra Dies At 84

Navy Pilot Flew In Mercury, Gemini And Apollo Programs

(CBS/AP)  Astronaut Walter M. "Wally" Schirra Jr., one of the original Mercury Seven astronauts and the only man to fly on all three of NASA's early space missions, has died at the age of 84, a NASA official confirmed Thursday.

Schirra, who commanded the first rendezvous of two spacecraft in orbit, died of natural causes, David Mould, NASA press secretary in Washington, said Thursday. Mould said he had been suffering from cancer but didn't know if that contributed to the death.

"With the passing of Wally Schirra, we at NASA note with sorrow the loss of yet another of the pioneers of human spaceflight," NASA Administrator Michael Griffin said.

In 1962, Schirra became the third American to orbit the Earth, circling the globe six times in a flight that lasted more than nine hours.

As CBS News correspondent Peter King recalls, Schirra coined a famous line when asked about his thoughts as the clock ticked down to zero before his Mercury flight: "He said, 'Just think of these millions of parts put together by the lowest bidder!' Everybody’s used that line since; John Glenn used it, I think they use it on the shuttle today — but it's still a good line!"

He returned to space three years later as commander of Gemini 6-A and guided his two-man capsule toward Gemini 7, already in orbit. On Dec. 15, 1965, the two ships came within a few feet of each other as they shot through space, some 185 miles above the Earth. It was the first rendezvous of two spacecraft in orbit.

His third and final space flight in 1968 inaugurated the Apollo program that sought to land a man on the moon. In all, Schirra logged nearly 300 hours in space.

King notes that Schirra flew in three of NASA's most important missions in history, from his nine-hour Mercury flight (called a perfect engineering test), to Gemini 6, testing multi-craft manuevers essential for getting to the Moon and back.

For the Apollo 7 mission in October 1968 — which followed the deadly Apollo launch pad fire which killed fellow Mercury teammate Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee — Schirra's crew ran a shakedown cruise like no other, and for eleven days, they tested what was essentially a brand new spacecraft in every possible way.

It paved the way for circumnavigating the Moon that Christmas, Said King, and for subsequent test flights and the Apollo 11 Moon landing.

The former Navy test pilot said he initially had little interest when he heard of NASA's Mercury program. But he grew more intrigued over time and the space agency named him one of the Mercury Seven in April 1959.

Supremely confident, he sailed through rigorous astronaut training with what one reporter called "the ease of preparing for a family picnic."

Having A Ball

Schirra became the fifth American in space when he blasted off from Cape Canaveral on Oct. 3, 1962, aboard the Sigma 7 Mercury spacecraft. The first two American astronauts made suborbital space flights.

"I'm having a ball up here drifting," Schirra said from space.

At the end of his sixth orbit, Schirra piloted the capsule for a perfect splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

"No one has flown better than you," NASA Administrator James E. Webb told him a few days later.

Mercury Seven astronauts who survive him are John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, and Carpenter.

"He was a practical joker, but he was a fine fellow and a fine aviator," Carpenter recalled Thursday. "He will be sorely missed in our group." Carpenter said he last saw Schirra several months ago and talked to him just a few days ago.

Of America's first forays into space, Schirra once wrote, "We shared a common dream to test the limits of man's imagination and daring. Those early pioneering flights of Mercury, the performances of Gemini and the trips to the moon established us once and for all as what I like to call a spacefaring nation. Like England, Spain and Portugal crossing the seas in search of their nations' greatness, so we reached for the skies and ennobled our nation."

Although he never walked on the moon, Schirra laid some of the groundwork that made future missions possible.

He liked to stress that NASA never planned to simply send a person to the moon.

"Moon and back," Schirra would point out. "We did confirm a round trip from the very beginning. And 'moonandback' is one word. No hyphens. No commas."

[lkrupp-2009]

It seems crazy that the original space pioneers are now slowly dying off. I'm rather pessimistic about the future of manned exploration. The scientific community is generally against manned missions, preferring instead robotic probes. They're getting more bang for the buck I guess. I'm 56 years old now and hope is fading for me to see a manned mission to Mars in my lifetime. I would like to experience one more time the thrill I felt as I watched Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon LIVE on television. If you weren't there I can't explain it to you.

[resqdiver4]

IKrupp I must agree with you. I am 45 and can remember vividly my childhood growing up through the Mercury Program and those wonderful years watching the Apollo Missions. I too had hopes of seeing a manned mission to Mars and the possibility of colonizing the moon, but I guess we can only hope our children will see it and get the wonderful experience it was to see Neil make that first step on another world. God Speed to Wally and those who have blazened the trails to boldly go where no man has gone before. My sincere prayers and Thanks go out to his family in their time of grief for sharing this great astronaut with those of us who can only dream of what spaceflight was really like.

[infidel_us]

Goodbye to an American hero. Your contributions to your country and to science will not be forgotten.

[freckster]

I met him once at the Huntsville AL Space & Rocket Center. Nice guy. Something about astronauts - at least the early ones. They are different. They have an aura about them. I've met a few and even before I knew who they were I felt they were something special.

[mottasa-2009]

Truly a great American. Farewell Wally, your legacy continues.

[pensacola8-2009]

My Salute to you Wally!! The world owes you a debt of gratitude! We'll keep the fire burning!

[canaima]

A head cold wasn't the only reason Wally was "grumpy" on his Apollo flight. He was also extremely upset that NASA decided to launch Apollo 7 even though winds aloft were stronger than 25 MPH to the west. He remarked that they had promised him that this would never happen, but they went ahead & launched anyway despite the promise. So Wally felt that NASA had broken their promise, and it upset him greatly. In the event of an abort of the launch, west winds would push the command module over land and, not being designed to come down over land, there were serious concerns about the survivability of a crew during a hard landing that wasn't in water.

News items that mention his "grumpiness" during Apollo 7 seldom ever mention this. It was also, according to Schirra, one of the reasons he finally decided to retire from NASA when he did. Who can blame him for being upset?

Godspeed, SkyRay! Thanks for helping us finally conquer the moon!

[michellem99-2009]

I am 52. I am so sad that this gentleman is no longer here. I was 10 when Ed White walked in space,saw that on TV. I loved the Apollo flights and saw most of it on TV. Due to the foster homes I was not allowed to watch most of the missions due their remarks which did hurt. I saw them golf on the moon/Apollo 14. Apollo 15 riding on the moon. Apollo13 returning to earth as a class as I her for thim. My fave mission was Apollo 17.I followed the Apollo missions the best as I was able to. Apollo 17 will always be secial to me for personal reasons. I lost the scrap books I use to have years ago due things the beyondmy control as they went missimg my foster Mum. I did look uo the moom felt it was men were walking on the moon. The kids today can only read about it. I watched live TV as it happened. I still follow manned flight.I am glad women now go into space. I have alway felt ought and should have yeaers ago. i saw some Apollo 7.They were doing a TV cast from inside the cm. Heard the Bible read at Christmas time 68. The pc we have haveis more powerful than than what they used in the Apollo flights. Never dreamed we be on computers years ago. My heart felt prayer go out his loved ones. Peace and love.

[arthurcl1]

He was a real Hero to the American People and our Space Program!

[mitywhity]

Another irreplacable member of our greatest generation gone away. I hope I catch the last bus out of here with the final member of that generation.

[b1falcon]

Wally Schirra was truly one of the best and my my condolences go out to his family.
I was a member of the launch support team at Kennedy Space Center during the Appolo Missions and it was a great honor. I still have all of the certificates, patches, coins and envelopes (for mailing from the KSC Post Office). It was also an honor to have known, (in passing), most of the astronauts during my tour with NASA. Again, I extend my heartfelt sympathy to Wally's family, and my thanks to him for being one of the original pioneers of our great space program.
He will be missed by those of us who knew of his accomplishments.

[paviles394]

Another hero gone..we can use more these days.

[louklou51]

One of the last American heroes, rest in peace, Wally, you earned it. God Bless.

[michellem99-2009]

Even tho I was a girl at the time,they were my girlhood heroes. That is BEFORE the bosoxs.I did when in high school had 2 pen pals I wrote to .Foster mum tryed to put a stop to my space interests. I was so hurt when I came home from school one day It was gone .Everything. It all met something to me. I remember him sharing and teaching us about the flights on TV. I loved to listen both Walter/Wally talk about it. I was able to hear Gene Cernan/Ron Evans share their mission in person in Portland ME. I met the teacher who was killed in the space shuttle at her church as she served us thanksgiving dinner in Concord NH 85. She was so nice. As a legally blind person,I am grateful for the space program.I send my heart felt prayers to his loved ones. A true hero .