The mission of Mercury-Atlas 8, flown by Wally Schirra on October 3, 1962, spanned nine hours and six orbits of Earth. This flight established his position as the fifth American to reach space. He remains the only astronaut to complete orbital flights within the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs during his career at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Military Service and Aviation Background
Born in 1923 in Hackensack, New Jersey, Schirra graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1945. His early military career included service on the USS Alaska during the final months of World War II. After becoming a naval aviator in 1948, he served as a fighter pilot and completed 90 combat missions during the Korean War, where he downed two MiG-15s. He graduated from the United States Naval Test Pilot School in 1958, leading to his work testing weapons systems, including the Sidewinder missile, and evaluating aircraft such as the F4H Phantom for carrier operations.
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In 1959, Schirra was selected as one of the Mercury Seven. On his 1962 flight, Sigma 7, he demonstrated manual control techniques for spacecraft maneuvering. By December 1965, he participated in the two-man Gemini program. During the Gemini 6A mission, he performed the first space rendezvous, successfully station-keeping his spacecraft within one foot of the Gemini 7 craft.
Apollo Command and Later Career
Schirra commanded Apollo 7 in October 1968, marking the first crewed launch for the Apollo program. This 11-day mission served as an orbital shakedown test for the Apollo Command and Service Module. He retired as a captain from the United States Navy and from NASA in 1969. Subsequently, he worked as a consultant for CBS News, co-anchoring coverage of all seven Apollo Moon landing missions alongside Walter Cronkite.
Fast facts
- Born: 1923, Hackensack
- Died: 2007, La Jolla
- Education: United States Naval Academy, 1945
- Spacecraft flown: Mercury, Gemini, Apollo
- Military rank: Captain
- Total time in space: 295 hours, 15 minutes
- Burial: At sea
Questions readers ask
Was Wally Schirra the first person to orbit the Earth three times?
No, he was the first astronaut to fly into space three times, completing missions in the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs.
What did Schirra do after retiring from NASA?
He served as a businessperson and consultant for CBS News, where he co-anchored broadcasts of the Apollo Moon landing missions.
Achievements
- Emmy Award
- National Aviation Hall of Fame — 1986
- Affiliated with National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Educated at New Jersey Institute of Technology, United States Naval Test Pilot School and United States Naval Academy
- Worked as United States Naval Aviator, astronaut and autobiographer
