Mercury-Atlas 9, final NASA solo mission, launched 1963

Mercury-Atlas 9 launched on May 15, 1963 from Cape Canaveral with astronaut Gordon Cooper in the Faith 7 spacecraft.  It was the final crewed mission of the Mercury program and the last time an American was launched alone on a solo mission. 

Gordon passed Wally Schirra's original record of seven orbits, completing twenty-two during the 34-hour mission. Gordon conducted radiation experiments, recorded status reports, took pictures, and dined on powdered roast beef mush and water.

On May 16, Faith 7 splashed down four miles from the recovery ship, USS Kearsarge, the most accurate landing to date.  The Mercury program had fulfilled all its mission objectives.

Gordon Cooper, Mercury/Gemini astronaut born 1927

Gordon Cooper, born March 6, 1927 in Shawnee, Oklahoma, was one of the first original astronauts chosen for Project Mercury, the first manned space program for the U.S.  He flew on the final Mercury mission, Mercury-Atlas 9 (Faith 7) in May 1963.  It was also the longest Mercury flight, and he was the first American to get to sleep during a mission, which lasted 34 hours.  This flight marked the last time an American was to be launched on a solo orbital mission.

In August 1965, Cooper flew as Command Pilot of Gemini V with Pete Conrad.  The mission lasted eight days, setting a new record, demonstrating that astronauts could survive in space for the time necessary to fly to the moon and back.

Cooper retired from NASA in 1970.  He passed away in October 2004 from heart failure at age 77.  He had contracted Parkinson's disease prior to his death.

Gemini V launched 1965

(L-R): Pete Conrad, Gordon Cooper

Gemini V, the third Gemini flight, the 11th manned American flight and the 19th spaceflight of all time, launched August 21, 1965 from Cape Kennedy in Florida.  On board were the Command Pilot L. Gordon Cooper, Jr. and Pilot Charles "Pete" Conrad, Jr.  They spent 7 days, 22 hours and 55 minutes in space, breaking the existing record for duration set by Vostok 5 in 1963.

Conrad and Cooper conducted medical experiments during the mission, but they did not have much of appetites.  They averaged about 1000 cal/day although the intended daily intake was 2700cal.  They also experienced dandruff as a significant problem, which was believed to be the results of very low ambient humidity in the cabin, causing their skin to become dry and flaky.

Gordon Cooper in Faith 7 launched 1963

Oklahoma native Gordon Cooper blasted off May 15, 1963 in the Faith 7 spacecraft for what would be the last solo flight for an American astronaut.  The mission, Mercury-Atlas 9, was the last of NASA's Mercury program.

Thirty-four hours and twenty minutes after liftoff, Cooper splashed down in the Pacific Ocean four miles from the USS Kearsarge.