Donald Kent Slayton CAPCOM

Air Force test pilot Donald “Deke” Slayton had also been selected as one of the “Mercury 7” astronauts in 1959. However, a heart murmur would lead to him being medically disqualified from flight status before Mercury-Atlas 7. He subsequently became the Director of Flight Crew Operations, and was known throughout NASA as “The Chief Astronaut”. In 1972, his flight status was restored, and in 1975 he made his only space flight on the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.

Alan Barlett Shepard, Jr. Pilot

US Navy pilot Alan Shepard became America's first man in space in Freedom 7 having been selected to be part of the first “Mercury 7” astronaut group in 1959. Shortly after his 1961 suborbital flight, he would be plagued with inner-ear problems which grounded him, although after undergoing surgery, Shepard was restored to flight status, and in 1971 would become the only Mercury 7 astronaut to walk on the moon.

Alan Shepard in words

John A. Powers PAO

“Shorty” Powers became known as “the eighth astronaut”, and was for many the voice of the early Mercury flights. Powers maintained high public visibility during America's first forays into spaceflight as NASA's first public affairs officer from 1959. He resigned soon after the end of the Mercury program.