NASA News
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration
John C. Stennis Space Center
(228) 688-3341 Aug. 23, 2004
Stennis Space Center, MS 39529-6000
STS-04-080
NASA Public Affairs Office FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (228) 688-3341
MERCURY, APOLLO ASTRONAUTS VISIT STENNIS SPACE CENTER HANCOCK COUNTY, Miss. – Former Mercury Astronauts Scott Carpenter and Gordon Cooper, along with former Apollo Astronaut Al Worden, visited NASA Stennis Space Center (SSC) today to talk to employees about their missions and their role in the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF).
While at SSC, the astronauts conducted a short program in SSC’s visitor center, StenniSphere.
“We need a lot of push, a lot of attention” given to the Vision for Space Exploration, Worden said. “We need to talk more about the technology spinoffs from the space program that put this country out ahead of everyone else. We three take seriously the education of future astronauts and scientists.”
The astronauts’ emphasis on supporting the next generation of explorers was part of the reason for their visit to SSC. With the aim of helping the United States retain its world leadership in science and technology, ASF raises funds to annually award a total of $170,000 to 17 college students who exhibit exceptional performance in science and engineering.
ASF was formed in 1984 by six surviving original Mercury astronauts and Betty Grissom, the widow of the seventh, Virgil “Gus” Grissom. ASF awarded its first scholarship two years later. To date, the foundation has awarded nearly $2 million to 183 deserving students, and counts more than 40 Gemini, Apollo and Space Shuttle astronauts among its members.
“You are in the presence of heroes,” Adm. Thomas Q. Donaldson V (USN, Ret.), SSC Center Director, told the crowd in StenniSphere. “When you’re in the presence of greatness, you just know it. These guys are the real thing.”
Worden was command module pilot for Apollo 15, July 26-Aug. 7, 1971. Apollo 15 took the lunar rover to the Moon, and spent the longest time on the lunar surface. Worden, a native of Jackson, Mich., has logged more than 295 hours in space.
Cooper, born in Shawnee, Okla., piloted Faith 7 on a 22-orbit mission May 15-18, 1963, that tested the Mercury craft to its limits and concluded Project Mercury. He also served as command pilot of Gemini 5, the step between Project Mercury and the Apollo Program. He has logged 222 hours in space.
Carpenter, originally from Boulder, Colo., followed John Glenn to make the second American orbital flight on May 24, 1962, piloting the Aurora 7 spacecraft through three revolutions of the Earth. The craft landed after almost five hours of flight time. He later spent 390 days living and working on the ocean floor for SEALAB. Carpenter has the unique distinction of holding the title Astronaut/Aquanaut for being the only person to penetrate both inner and outer space.
“We will go back to the Moon again,” Carpenter said. “It’s not a question of if, but when. We won the space race once, but it has no end. We just need to renew our resolve.”
For more information about ASF, visit www.AstronautScholarship.org. For more information about SSC, America’s largest rocket test complex, visit
/centers/ssc/.
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News releases provided by NASA’s Stennis Space Center are available at https://www.nasa.gov/centers/ssc/news/newsreleases/2004. For more information, call the NASA Public Affairs Office at Stennis at 1-800-237-1821 in Mississippi and Louisiana only, or (228) 688-3341.
2004 News Releases