Gordon Cooper, Astronaut, Dies, Reports NASA

Aww crap. He was the best damn pilot you ever did see.

Rest In Peace, Colonel Cooper. One of my earliest heroes.

R.I.P., Hot Dog.

I'm sorry to hear this, we are losing so many of the pioneers from that era. I am going to find my copy of "The Right Stuff" and watch it again.

I just watched From the Earth To the Moon (again) yesterday! All 12 episodes.

God speed Gordo!

Godspeed, Gordo.
Ironic that he leaves us as Spaceship One is making history. Bet he would have loved to ride that bird!

Please provide more of a link, I was just at CNN, did a search for GORDON COOPER DIED and NOTHING showed up for him dying

A *true* American hero!

Biographical Data	National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, Texas 77058

NAME: Leroy Gordon Cooper, Jr. (Colonel, USAF, Ret.)
NASA Astronaut (former)

PERSONAL DATA: Born March 6, 1927 in Shawnee, Oklahoma. His hobbies include treasure hunting, archeology, racing, flying, skiing, boating, hunting and fishing.

EDUCATION: Attended primary and secondary schools in Shawnee, Oklahoma and Murray, Kentucky; received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in 1956; recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Science degree from Oklahoma City University in 1967.

ORGANIZATIONS: The Society of Experimental Test Pilots, The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, The American Astronautical Society, The Blue Lodge Masons, The York Rite Masons, The Scottish Rite Masons, The Royal Order of Jesters, The Sojourners, The Rotary Club, The Daedalians, The Confederate Air Force, The Boy Scouts of America, The Girl Scouts of America.

SPECIAL HONORS: The Air Force Legion of Merit, The Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross, The Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross Cluster, The NASA Exceptional Service Medal, The NASA Distinguished Service Medal, USAF Command Astronaut Wings, The Collier Trophy, The Harmon Trophy, The Scottish Rite 33°, The York Rite Knight of the Purple Cross, The DeMolay Legion of Honor, The John F. Kennedy Trophy, The Ivan E. Kincheloe Trophy, The Air Force Association Trophy, The Primus Trophy, The John Montgomery Trophy, The General Thomas E. White Trophy, The Association of Aviation Writers Award, The University of Hawaii Regents Medal, The Columbus Medal, The Silver Antelope, The Sport Fishing Society of Spain Award.

EXPERIENCE: Cooper, an Air Force Colonel, received an Army commission after completing three years of schooling at the University of Hawaii. He transferred his commission to the Air Force and was placed on active duty by that service in 1949 and given flight training.

His next assignment was with the 86th Fighter Bomber Group in Munich, Germany, where he flew F-84s and F-86s for four years. While in Munich, he also attended the European Extension of the University of Maryland night school.

He returned to the United States and, after two years of study at AFIT, received his degree. He then reported to the Air Force Experimental Flight Test School at Edwards Air Force Base, California, and, upon graduating in 1957, was assigned as an aeronautical engineer and test pilot in the Performance Engineering Branch of the Flight Test Division at Edwards. His responsibilities there included the flight testing of experimental fighter aircraft.

He has logged more than 7,000 hours flying time--4,000 hours in jet aircraft. He has flown all types of Commercial and General aviation airplane and helicopters.

NASA EXPERIENCE: Colonel Cooper was selected as a Mercury astronaut in April 1959.

On May 15-16, 1963, he piloted the "Faith 7" spacecraft on a 22-orbit mission which concluded the operational phase of Project Mercury. During the 34 hours and 20 minutes of flight, Faith 7 attained an apogee of 166 statue miles and a speed of 17,546 miles per hour and traveled 546,167 statue miles.

Cooper served as command pilot of the 8-day 120-revolution Gemini 5 mission which began on August 21, 1965. It was on this flight that he and pilot Charles Conrad established a new space endurance record by traveling a distance of 3,312,993 miles in an elapsed time of 190 hours and 56 minutes. Cooper also became the first man to make a second orbital flight and thus won for the United States the lead in man-hours in space by accumulating a total of 225 hours and 15 minutes.

He served as backup command pilot for Gemini 12 and as backup commander for Apollo X.

Colonel Cooper has logged 222 hours in space.

He retired from the Air Force and NASA in 1970.

From NASA......

NASA Mourns Loss of Original Mercury 7 Astronaut Gordon Cooper

Glenn Mahone/Bob Jacobs Headquarters, Washington (Phone: 202/358-1600) James Hartsfield Johnson Space Center, Houston (Phone: 281/483-5111) Bruce Buckingham Kennedy Space Center, Florida (Phone: 321/867-2468)	Oct. 04, 2004
RELEASE : 04-333

NASA Mourns Loss of Original Mercury 7 Astronaut Gordon Cooper

Leroy Gordon Cooper, Jr., (Colonel, USAF, Ret.) 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:

http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/features/cooper_obit.html

In his post-NASA career, Cooper became known as an outspoken believer in UFOs and charged that the government was covering up its knowledge of extraterrestrial activity.

I'm with you Coop!

To bad the politics kept you off the lunar surface.

***********A TRUE AMERICAN HERO !!****************

Aww crap. He was the best damn pilot you ever did see.

And one of my favorite astronauts.

Everyone should rent "The Right Stuff" in Cooper's honor. He's portrayed by a young and wicked Dennis Quaid.

Gordo!

Rest in peace Gordo.

Biographical Data