Mercury Program Astronaut Scott Carpenter born 1925

Malcolm Scott Carpenter, born in Boulder, Colorado May 1, 1925, was one of seven original astronauts chosen for NASA's Project Mercury program in 1959.  He became the 4th American in space and the 2nd to orbit Earth, after John Glenn and the first to eat solid food in space.

This was his only flight as he received an injury from a motorcycle accident in 1963, which grounded him.  He was hospitalized in September 2013 after a stroke and passed away October 10, 2013 in Denver.

Scott Carpenter launched aboard Aurora 7 1962

Scott Carpenter became the fourth American in space and the second to orbit Earth in Aurora 7, launched May 24, 1962.  He made three orbits in just under 5 hours before returning, splashing down 250 miles from his target.  He was found several hours later northeast of Puerto Rico, no worse for the wear.