Schirra left mark with NASA and San Diego

San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial

May 4, 2007

As a pioneer in space travel, Wally Schirra left an enduring imprint on mankind's uncertain exploration of the boundless realm beyond Earth. But he was not an aimless dreamer. Throughout his years as a NASA astronaut, he executed practical, often dangerous missions with aw-shucks self-confidence. And during his retirement in San Diego, he continued to focus on everyday problem-solving in his adopted hometown.

Schirra's death yesterday at age 84 is a reminder of how far the U.S. space program has come in the last five decades. One of the original Mercury Seven astronauts, Schirra blasted off from Cape Canaveral in October 1962 and became the third American to orbit the planet. Like other early space flights, his mission left millions of Americans entranced by what they saw on fuzzy black-and-white television sets.

Schirra went on to become the only astronaut to fly in the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs, as America moved resolutely toward landing men on the moon and bringing them safely home again. In all, he logged nearly 300 hours in space.

After retiring from NASA and settling in San Diego, Schirra was active in civic endeavors. He readily encouraged San Diego to stretch itself, to reach further, to envision the future as the space program had done. Two years ago, he exhorted San Diego “to get off its rear” and build a new airport before it was too late. “Otherwise we will be less connected to the rest of the world – to our collective detriment.”

Wally Schirra's prescient view of the region's chronic airport dilemma is a reminder of just how far San Diego has to go.

'Most human of all astronauts'

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me@rescam.org

Schirra left mark with NASA and San Diego

San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial

May 4, 2007

As a pioneer in space travel, Wally Schirra left an enduring imprint on mankind's uncertain exploration of the boundless realm beyond Earth. But he was not an aimless dreamer. Throughout his years as a NASA astronaut, he executed practical, often dangerous missions with aw-shucks self-confidence. And during his retirement in San Diego, he continued to focus on everyday problem-solving in his adopted hometown.

Schirra's death yesterday at age 84 is a reminder of how far the U.S. space program has come in the last five decades. One of the original Mercury Seven astronauts, Schirra blasted off from Cape Canaveral in October 1962 and became the third American to orbit the planet. Like other early space flights, his mission left millions of Americans entranced by what they saw on fuzzy black-and-white television sets.

Schirra went on to become the only astronaut to fly in the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs, as America moved resolutely toward landing men on the moon and bringing them safely home again. In all, he logged nearly 300 hours in space.

After retiring from NASA and settling in San Diego, Schirra was active in civic endeavors. He readily encouraged San Diego to stretch itself, to reach further, to envision the future as the space program had done. Two years ago, he exhorted San Diego “to get off its rear” and build a new airport before it was too late. “Otherwise we will be less connected to the rest of the world – to our collective detriment.”

Wally Schirra's prescient view of the region's chronic airport dilemma is a reminder of just how far San Diego has to go.

'Most human of all astronauts'

RIP, Sir.

:(

*Salute*




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"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss

A book by a fellow astronaut, Walter Cunningham, "The All-American Boys", speaks a lot about the early astronauts'ways of life and Walter Schirra in particular. I know this because the Italian publishing house I was working for refused to translate it because it contrasted with the saintly image which NASA gave of them and reduced them to human beings, as recent events have demonstrated.
Tullio

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