...there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
And in the heavens. Barely 24 hours ago, SpaceShip One made history as the worlds first civilian spacecraft.
Yesterday marks another milestone: pioneer Mercury autronaut "Gordo" Cooper died at home on Monday, October 4, in his Ventura, California home.
If you recall, in the movie The Right Stuff screenwriters Philip Kaufman and Tom Wolfe had Gordon Cooper characterize himself as "the best pilot in the world." You could probably say that of any of the Mercury Seven.
It's almost as if he had been waiting for the pilots at Scaled Composites to join the club, before he left it...
Rest In Peace, Gordo; and may you fly high forever.
You can find Gordon Cooper's bio here.
UPDATE: Dean Esmay pointed out that I mixed up the nicknames for "Gus" Grissom and "Gordo" Cooper; and is my face red right now. Fixed.
Comments (1)
Casey, I think you're confusing Gordon "Gordo" Cooper with Virgil "Gus" Grissom.
Still, I'm sorry to hear the news.
Posted by Dean Esmay | October 6, 2004 2:05 AM
Posted on October 6, 2004 02:05