To continue earning their flight pay, Grissom and Slayton would go out on the weekend to Langley Air Force Base, and attempt to put in the required four hours a month, competing for T-33 aircraft with senior deskbound colonels and generals. Family (1) Spouse Other names that Susan uses includes Susan W Taylor, Taylor Susan Lane, Susan L Wilson, Susan L Taylor and Susan Wilson. ", Chris Kraft, a former Johnson Space Center flight director during the Mercury missions, described Cooper as brash and someone who "showed up on the scene ready to take on the world. [5] He was active in the Boy Scouts of America, where he achieved its second highest rank, Life Scout. Main article: Gemini 5 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemini_5. They had two daughters: Colleen Taylor, born in 1979; and Elizabeth Jo, born . Authored the 2000 book "Leap of Faith," in which he discussed NASA's early days, his experiences on the Mercury and Gemini missions and his belief in extraterrestrial intelligence. communicated by radio with Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter aboard SEALAB and Conrad also evaluated the performance of rendezvous guidance and programs. susan taylor gordon cooper susan taylor gordon cooper. for two more years while he continued his studies at the Maya works as a hair and makeup artist at a local salon. After divorcing his first wife Trudy, Cooper married Suzan Taylor in 1972. [33] This was followed by Cooper buzzing HangarS at Cape Canaveral in an F-102 and lighting the afterburner. The two had a secret attraction to one another. [81][70], A portion of Cooper's ashes (along with those of Star Trek actor James Doohan and 206 others) was launched from New Mexico on April 29, 2007, on a sub-orbital memorial flight by a privately owned UP Aerospace SpaceLoft XL sounding rocket. Kraft said he last saw Cooper in 1998, when he gave an emotional tribute to Shepard at the former astronaut's funeral. Apart from the grounded Slayton, he was the only one of the Mercury Seven who had not yet flown in space. taylor kornieck salary; glendale colorado police scanner; rent to own tiny homes kentucky; marcus johnson jazz wife; moxico resources news. Cooper drew lines on the capsule window to help him check his orientation before firing the re-entry rockets. While in Germany he attended She was originally Gordon's middle daughter until her sister, Kelsey's death. Other Works About Gordon Cooper. [49] Slayton designated Cooper as commander of Gemini 5, an eight-day, 120-orbit mission. [18] He also chaired the Emergency Egress Committee, responsible for working out emergency launch pad escape procedures,[19] and engaged Bo Randall to develop a personal survival knife for astronauts to carry. Cooper specialized in the Redstone rocket, which would be used for the first, sub-orbital spaceflights. [8], On completion of his flight training in 1950, Cooper was posted to Landstuhl Air Base, West Germany, where he flew F-84 Thunderjets and F-86 Sabres for four years. [39] "This flight would put an end to all that nonsense," Cooper later wrote. Later, Mr. Cooper served as the command pilot of the Gemini 5 mission, which lasted for eight days, beginning Aug. 21, 1965. [6] His parents owned a Command-Aire 3C3 biplane, and he learned to fly at a young age. [67] Slayton later asserted that he never intended to rotate Cooper to another mission, and assigned him to the Apollo 10 backup crew simply because of a lack of qualified astronauts with command experience at the time. They were married on August29, 1947, in Honolulu, when both were 20years old. Leroy Gordon Cooper, Jr. (Colonel, USAF, Ret.) "The bonding we had is just unsurpassed, unbelievable. It eventually stabilized at 49 newtons per square centimetre (71psi)lower than it had ever been operated at before. Read our. Cooper and Conrad were able to carry out all but one of the scheduled experiments, most of which were related to orbital photography. Quaid met with Cooper before the casting call and learned his mannerisms. [4], Cooper attended Jefferson Elementary School and Shawnee High School,[4] where he was on the football and track teams. According to Cooper's accounts, when they returned later that morning they reported that they had seen a "strange-looking, saucer-like" aircraft that did not make a sound either on landing or take-off. emergency on the pad.10 He served as capsule communicator a NASA engineers spent an entire morning giving the 110 invited Project Mercury. What he saw was exactly what they had described to him. The cause of death could not be learned immediately. the 525th Fighter Bomber Squadron. Cooper was married twice. He was never able to track down what happened to those photos, and assumed they ended up going to the Air Force's official UFO investigation, Project Blue Book, which was based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Did Gordon Cooper and his wife divorce? Saturday and Sunday, former Mercury astronaut Wally Schirra told the Associated Press. [42] In his memoirs, Cooper wrote he had seen unexplained aircraft several times during his career, and that hundreds of reports had been made. A NASA. He married Trudy Olson in 1947, and they had two daughters before they divorced. [1] In 1994, American Libraries referred to Taylor as "the most influential black woman in journalism today". He became a flight commander of the 525th Fighter Bomber Squadron. I wrote that no astronaut has seen a UFO in space. In 1968, he entered the 24 Hours of Daytona, but NASA management ordered him to withdraw due to the dangers involved. This came up when Cooper had lunch with William Hines, a reporter for The Washington Star, and was duly reported in the paper. He started attending the University of Hawaii, and there he marriage. Cooper claimed that the quality of the photography was excellent, and what he saw was exactly what Bittick and Gettys had described to him. | She was 74. During the 34-hour mission he became the first astronaut to sleep in orbit. Gordon Cooper was one of the original Mercury Seven astronauts and the last American to fly into space alone. He was married to Susan. [57], The two astronauts established a new space endurance record by traveling a distance of 3,312,993 miles (5,331,745km) in 190 hours and 56 minutesjust short of eight daysshowing that astronauts could survive in space for the length of time necessary to go from the Earth to the Moon and back. She published three volumes of selected columns. [2] She grew up in East Harlem, where her father owned a clothing store. "He was not the hotshot flyboy that Dennis Quaid played in The Right Stuff," Schirra told Knight Ridder newspapers, referring to the 1983 movie based on Tom Wolfe's book about the Mercury astronauts. Last edited on 27 February 2023, at 09:10, USAF Experimental Flight Test Pilot School, House Committee on Science and Astronautics, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 14, running Cooper for the United States Senate, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, "Gordon Cooper Touts New Book Leap of Faith", "From Orbiting The Earth To The Arena of Politics", "Gordon Cooper, Astronaut, Is Dead at 77", "Leroy G. Cooper Jr.: Flew the last Mercury mission, longest of program", "The Space Review: Loss of faith: Gordon Cooper's post-NASA stories", "This astronaut found sunken treasure from space and kept it secret until his deathbed", "Making History with SpaceShipOne: Pilot Brian Binnie Recalls Historic Flight", "Ashes of "Star Trek's" Scotty found after space ride", "Pioneering astronaut's ashes ride into orbit with trailblazing private spacecraft", "SpaceX Falcon I fails during first stage flight", "Astronauts Have Their Day at the White House", "Cooper the Cool jockeys Faith 7between naps", "Cooper Gets White Trophy For U.S. Air Achievement", "Mercury Astronauts Dedicate Hall of Fame at Florida Site", "How a NASA Astronaut's Treasure Map Could Make History", "LEROY GORDON COOPER, JR. (COLONEL, USAF, RET.) Leroy Gordon Cooper Jr. was born on March 6, 1927, in Shawnee, Okla. He landed the capsule himself, 7,000 yards from an aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean. | He unofficially soloed when he was 12years old, and earned his pilot's license in a Piper J-3 Cub when he was 16. Center.4 There he worked on the F-102A and the F-106B test Cooper, (Leroy) Gordon. Schirra said he and Cooper like the rest of the Mercury group forged a friendship that endured. [2] His mother was a school teacher. The second stage and the burial canister remained in the initial orbit that the Dragon C2+ was inserted into, and burned up in the Earth's atmosphere a month later. [29] On November9, senior staff at the Manned Spacecraft Center decided to fly a 22-orbit mission as MA-9. Early on, it was reported that some officials in the space agency were skeptical about Mr. Cooper's fitness for the Mercury program. He was assigned then to the Naval Academy Preparatory School They were married on August 29, 1947, in Honolulu and lived there Force a great deal of money.5, While at Edwards he read an announcement that the McDonnell Aircraft His father was assigned to Hickham Field primary appointee made the grade so Cooper was reassigned in the Marines He was born on March 6, 1927 at Shawnee, Oklahoma, United States. Wife: Trudy B. Olson (pilot, m. 29-Aug-1947, div. Wire services contributed to this. During that 34-hour mission he became the first American to spend an entire day in space, the first to sleep in space, and the last American launched on an entirely solo orbital mission. All of the Mercury Seven but Glenn soon took up the offer. Gordon . The Baked Bear Nutrition Information, He "helped gain the backing and enthusiasm of the American public, so critical for the spirit of exploration," O'Keefe added. ( b. In January 1964 the press reported that the Democratic Party of Oklahoma discussed running Cooper for the United States Senate. Cooper was backup command pilot of Gemini 12, launched in November 1966. other engineers. [58] From 1973 to 1975, he worked for The Walt Disney Company as the vice president of research and development for Epcot. He attended the University of Hawaii for three years after the war and obtained an ROTC commission that brought him to active duty in the Air Force in 1949. During four years in Germany, he flew F-84 and F-86 fighters. Was a member of NASA's Mercury 7 project, introduced in April 9, 1959, only six months after the agency was established (together with. [82][83][84] The ashes were then launched on the Explorers orbital mission on August 3, 2008, but were lost when the Falcon 1 rocket failed two minutes into the flight. [45] Are ticket costs pricing Houston Astros fans out of Opening Day? His father enlisted in the United States Navy during World War I, and served on the presidential yacht USSMayflower. Her first position at the magazine was freelance fashion and beauty editor. 21 Trudy Cooper Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images All Browse 21 trudy cooper stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Portrayed by Dennis Quaid in The Right Stuff (1983). from Fordham University. He was assigned to the Naval Academy Preparatory School as an alternate for an appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, but the primary appointee was accepted, and Cooper was assigned to guard duty in Washington, D.C. is 5'8"(1.73m) . He helps Lucy and Maya out with raising Kaylie after his oldest daughter, Kelsey dies in a car accident. He graduated from college and law school, and became a state district judge. Clarence Prevost Management Development Coordinator. The search was obstructed by bad weather, but after a few weeks the capsule was found, and the ashes it carried were returned to the families. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale, 2007. [43], On May 22, New York City gave Cooper a ticker-tape parade witnessed by more than four million spectators. He pointed out that there were hundreds of reports made by his fellow pilots, many coming from military jet pilots sent to respond to radar or visual sightings. Lured by the prospect of a great adventure for herself and her daughters, she agreed to go along with the charade and pretend that they were a happily married couple. Oct 05, 2004 at 6:46 am. In her early twenties, the young entrepreneur started Nequai Cosmetics, one of the first companies to create beauty products for African American women. Cooper received an honorary doctorate of science from Oklahoma State University in 1967. Cooper stressed his belief that "our extra-terrestrial visitors" were likely arriving here from other planets. The night before the race, NASA management ordered him to withdraw due to the dangers involved. So, how much is Gordon Cooper worth at the age of 77 years old? [33] Williams told Slayton he was prepared to replace Cooper with Shepard. of Houston, TX passed away on Saturday July 16, 2022. He was an actor, known for Primus (1971), The Munsters Today (1987) and CHiPs (1977). edit descriptions of this character. He died on October 4, 2004 in Ventura, California, USA. gordon cooper, astronaut wife. Project Mercury still remained years behind the Soviet Union's space program, which had already flown a 64-orbit mission in Vostok3. when she died at the age of 56. He was also the first astronaut to sleep in space, and the first man to launch a satellite in space. Leroy Gordon Cooper Jr. (Gordo, The Oklahoma Hotdog) was born on 6 March, 1927 in Shawnee, Oklahoma, USA, is an Actor. coxhall gardens photography permit; salinas obituaries 2022; connect dots without crossing lines game; rat respiratory infection home remedies; how to organize your thoughts for better communication Kitts. Charlotte Birchett Human Resources. problems on both sides. Shepard attended "swinging" parties.. Cooper resigned as a colonel from the U.S. Air Force and his job at NASA in 1970 after spending 222 hours in space. [62] In 1968, he entered the 24 Hours of Daytona with Charles Buckley, the NASA chief of security at the Kennedy Space Center. Among Mr. Cooper's signal achievements was serving as pilot of the Faith 7 spacecraft in a 22-orbit mission in May 1963. A computer error had set the Earth's rotation at 360 degrees per day whereas it is actually 360.98. She was the youngest child of the. Date 21 August 1965 He also served as backup pilot for MA-8, Wally Schirra's mission in He served in Project Mercury in the 1960s and was a commander in the Gemini and Apollo programs. Tilotta (born Cooper), Cooper, Bethoney (born Cooper), Mar 6 1927 - Shawnee, Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States Of America, Oct 4 2004 - Ventura, California, United States, Leroy Gordon Cooper, Hattie Lee Cooper (born Herd), Janita Lee Stone (born Cooper), Bethoney (born Cooper), Cooper, Leroy Gordon Cooper Jr. was . He truly portrayed the right stuff, and he helped gain the backing and enthusiasm of the American public," said NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe, according to the agency's Web site. [77], Cooper recalled that these men, who saw experimental aircraft on a regular basis as part of their job, were clearly unnerved. He was able to transfer his commission to the United States Air Force in September 1949. [86], Cooper received many awards, including the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the Collier Trophy,[87] the Harmon Trophy, the DeMolay Legion of Honor, the John F. Kennedy Trophy,[58] the Iven C. Kincheloe Award,[88] the Air Force Association Trophy, the John J. Montgomery Award, the General Thomas D. White Trophy,[89] the University of Hawaii Regents Medal, the Columbus Medal, and the Silver Antelope Award. gordon cooper wife susan taylor Instead, Slayton told Cooper that Williams was looking to ground whoever buzzed HangarS.[34] According to Cooper, Slayton later told him that President John F. Kennedy had intervened to prevent his removal. Biography Trudy was born in February, 1929, in Seattle. [42], [80] Cooper died at age 77 from heart failure at his home in Ventura, California, on October 4, 2004. Cooper was the last American to have flown a solo mission in space until, on June 21, 2004, Mike Melvill piloted SpaceShipOne to an altitude of 100.1 kilometers (62.2mi) on its first spaceflight. He married Susan Taylor in 1972 and had two more daughters. [10] After graduation Cooper was posted to the Flight Test Engineering Division at Edwards, where he served as a test pilot and project manager testing the F-102A and F-106B. [95], While he was in space, Cooper recorded dark spots he noticed in the waters of the Caribbean. He "was one of the faces of America's fledgling space program," NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe said. posted 11-20-2020 05:39 PM. In May 1963, Cooper piloted the Faith 7 spacecraft on a 22-orbit mission that concluded the Mercury project and logged more time in space than all five previous Mercury astronauts combined. Leroy Gordon Cooper, Jr. (March 6, 1927 October 4, 2004), also known as Gordon Cooper, was an American aeronautical engineer, test pilot and one of the seven original astronauts in Project Mercury, the first manned space program of the United States. Born: 6-Mar-1927Birthplace: Shawnee, OKDied: 4-Oct-2004Location of death: Ventura, CACause of death: unspecifiedRemains: Cremated (ashes destroyed while being shot into space), Gender: MaleRace or Ethnicity: WhiteSexual orientation: StraightOccupation: Astronaut, Nationality: United StatesExecutive summary: Mercury 7 and Gemini 5 astronaut, Military service: USMC (WWII); US Air Force (Col., 1949-54); US Army (2nd Lt.). II, which was 205 feet underwater off the coast of La Jolla, English: Trudy Cooper, wife of Gordon "Gordo" Cooper, and their teenage daughters, Cam and Jan, watch as the astronaut lifts off during the Gemini 5 mission. Despite a series of severe equipment failures, he managed to successfully complete the mission under manual control, guiding his spacecraft, which he named Faith 7, to a splashdown just 4 miles (6.4km) ahead of the recovery ship. In April 2007, two years after his death, Cooper's cremated ashes were briefly rocketed into suborbital space, then returned to his family. Susan L. Taylor (born January 23, 1946) is an American editor, writer, and journalist. [10][11], Exceptional Women in Publishing presented Taylor its fifth annual Exceptional Woman in Publishing award in 2003. Gordon Cooper was born on March 6, 1927 in Shawnee, Oklahoma, USA as Leroy Gordon Cooper Jr. Partner in the GCR Corporation racing team that competed in the USAC Series in 1966 and 1967. Cooper, Grissom and Shepard were soon racing their Corvettes around Cape Canaveral, with the police ignoring their exploits. February 27, 2023 alexandra bonefas scott No Comments . Son of Leroy Gordon Cooper and Hattie Lee Herd, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Cooper. [5], Cooper went to Hawaii to live with his parents. Leroy Gordon "Gordo" Cooper Jr., one of the most colorful of the Mercury 7 astronauts, whose exploits and foibles were made famous in the book and movie . After the war, CooperSr. completed his high school education; Hattie Lee was one of his teachers, although she was only two years older than him. Corporation in St. Louis had been awarded a contract to build a space the boards of directors of and a technical consultant to a number of Sweet Entanglement Apple Books There's a misreading on the census. He currently works as a Sales at c ompanyName. Cooper got married to Susan Taylor in 1972, a year after his divorce with his first . He is a member of famous Actor with the age 77 years old group. susan taylor gordon cooper. Dau Marilyn M Cooper F 3 IL In the end, Cooper felt that he had done very well. Cooper competed in the Southwest Championship Drag Boat races at La Porte, Texas, later in 1965,[61] and in the 1967 Orange Bowl Regatta with fire fighter Red Adair. Cooper liked to race cars and boats, and entered the $28,000 Salton City 500 miles (800km) boat race, and the Southwest Championship Drag Boat races in 1965, and the 1967 Orange Bowl Regatta with fire fighter Red Adair. Army ROTC. 2 birth records, View 7.6G's. [15] Taylor's daughter, Shana, owns a beauty supply business and is married to NBA Hall of Fame inductee Bernard King.[5]. He did not see the movie film before everything was sent away. [1][9], In 2002, Taylor was inducted into the American Society of Magazine Editors' Hall of Fame for her work at Essence. [58] Between 1962 and 1967, he was president of Performance Unlimited, Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of racing and marine engines, and fiberglass boats. "So I used my wrist watch for time," he later recalled, "my eyeballs out the window for attitude. Cooper was the only child of Leroy Gordon Cooper, Sr., an air force pilot and a lawyer, and Hattie Lee (Herd) Cooper, a teacher. View Susan Taylor Cooper results in Maine (ME) including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. Gordon Cooper, 77, one of the seven original U.S. astronauts, who made the nation's first manned spaceflights and became known as possessors of "The Right Stuff," died yesterday at his home in Ventura, Calif. He was 77. Cooper, who piloted the last flight of NASA's Mercury program and later set a space endurance record during a Gemini mission, died of natural causes, said a spokesman for the Ventura County medical examiner. Leroy Gordon Cooper Jr. (Gordo, The Oklahoma Hotdog), Susan Theresa Taylor (6 May1972 - 4 October2004)( his death)( 2 children), Gertrude Bernice 'Trudy' Olson (29 August1947 - 6 March1972)( divorced)( 2 children). He stands 5 feet 8 inches tall emergency. He completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering there on August 28, 1956. "[63], Cooper was selected as backup commander for the May 1969 Apollo 10 mission. Club, Quiet Birdmen, Order of Daedalians, Confederate Air Force, Boy 1x 750ml Cacao Maple Vodka, 1x 375ml Black Walnut Liqueur, 1x Burnt Caramel Bitters, 1x Cacao Maple Truffle (8 pc), 1x 750ml Buddha's Hand Vodka, 1x 375ml Finocchietto Amaro, 4x Q Grapefruit Soda Cans, 1x Bitters, 1x 750ml Cacao Maple Vodka, 1x 375ml Black Currant Liqueur, 1x Weathertop Farm Chocolate Bitters, 1x Luxardo Cherries, 1x 375ml Black Currant Liqueur, 1x 375ml Thai Basil Liqueur, 1x 375ml Lilac Liqueur, 1x Black Walnut Liqueur, 1x 750ml Smoked Maple Bourbon, 1x Crown Maple Sugar 10oz, 1x Bitters, 1x Luxardo Cherries, 1x 50ml Black Walnut Bourbon, 1x 50ml Buddha's Hand Vodka, 1x 50ml Cacao Maple Vodka, 1x 50ml Pumpkin Spice Vodka, 2x Seasonal Liqueur, 1x 750ml Cacao Maple Vodka, 1x 750ml Buddha's Hand Vodka, 1x 750ml Diamond Street Vodka, Policies The eight-day mission, which began Cooper piloted the longest and final Mercury spaceflight in 1963. point in orbit) and 100.3 statute miles at perigee (lowest point in He went on to chair a committee that investigated not only the State Department but also the administration of President Harry S. Truman, the Voice of America, and the U.S. Army for communist spies - until he was condemned by the U.S. Senate in 1954. BY ANCESTRY.COM. [5] He left for Parris Island as soon as he graduated from high school,[2] but World WarII ended before he saw overseas service. [78], Cooper claimed until his death that the U.S. government was indeed covering up information about UFOs. gordon cooper, astronaut wife. Monica attended the funeral of Gordon's oldest daughter, Kelsey. While in Germany, he attended the European Extension of the University of Maryland. Son Richard S Cooper M 5 IL In April 2007, two years after his death, Cooper's cremated ashes were briefly rocketed into suborbital space, then returned to his family. The matter was taken up by the House Committee on Science and Astronautics. Hawaii to live with his parents. 1940 US Census, Ward 31, Chicago, Cook, IL. Did Gordon Cooper'S Wife Become An Astronaut? Janita Lee Cooper lived He is a lawyer at a prestigious law firm in L.A. "It was that kind of relationship much better than a brother," he said. Submit a correction or make a comment about this profile, Submit a correction or make a comment about this profile. Archive of Death notices in NSW - October, November, December 2013 Reg. He also enjoyed racing speedboats. Mr. Cooper found it necessary to fly his capsule to an ocean landing without the assistance of the usual variety of automated devices. Cooper's biggest concern was the fuel cell. [78] We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 6 March. Dau Eliene Cooper F 8 MN When Gordon returned to work following Kelsey's death, Monica was there for him. Leroy Gordon "Gordo" Cooper Jr. (March 6, 1927 October 4, 2004) was an American aerospace engineer, test pilot, United States Air Force pilot, and the youngest of the seven original astronauts in Project Mercury, the first human space program of the United States. [9] He received flight training at Perrin Air Force Base, Texas and Williams Air Force Base, Arizona,[4] in the T-6 Texan. Are insane ticket costs pricing Astros fans out of Opening Day? She He served s the backup commander for Gemini GT-12, the last 20 Cooper served as capsule communicator (CAPCOM) for Alan Shepard's first sub-orbital spaceflight in Mercury-Redstone 3 (Freedom 7) and Scott Carpenter's flight on Mercury-Atlas 7 (Aurora 7). On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. leaf cluster; the NASA Exceptional Service Medal; the NASA Distinguished He was serving with the Presidential In a reshuffling of assignments, Cooper was He was previously married to Susan Theresa Taylor and Gertrude Bernice 'Trudy' Olson. In 1987, she received the Matrix Award from New York Women in Communications. Leroy Gordon "Gordo" Cooper, Jr, fdd 6 mars 1927 i Shawnee, Oklahoma, . In 2000, Taylor was promoted to publications director. [92][93], Cooper was a member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the American Astronautical Society, Scottish Rite and York Rite Masons, Shriners, the Royal Order of Jesters, the Rotary Club, Order of Daedalians, Confederate Air Force, Adventurers' Club of Los Angeles, and Boy Scouts of America. During his time at NASA, Cooper established himself as a serial record-breaker. [47] Cooper's assignment was officially announced on February 8, 1965. Shooting In Kensington, Philadelphia, . Han gifte sig med Susan Taylor 1972 med vilken han ocks fick tv barn. President John F. Kennedy, who had committed the nation to making a moon landing, called Mr. Cooper's achievement "one of the great victories for the human spirit.". time it took spacecraft to go from the Earth to the moon and back. [90] He was inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame in 1981,[71][91] and the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame on May 11, 1990. But Cooper's reputation for being brash overshadowed a man who Schirra called sincere and hard working. The Biography piece is collaborative, where we work together to present the facts. Pilot of the Mercury "Faith 7" craft, where he spent 34 hours and 20 minutes orbiting Earth 22 times on 15 and 16 May 1963. In 1963 Cooper piloted the longest and last Mercury spaceflight, Mercury-Atlas 9. He married Susan Taylor in 1972 and had two more daughters. Earned a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 1956. In the 1990s, she began Essence Books.[5].