Space pioneer Walter Schirra preparing for his orbital mission on board Sigma 7, May-October 1962

Two vintage gelatin silver prints on fiber-based paper, printed 1962, the first numbered "NASA S-62-1187" in black in top margin, with NASA caption numbered "62-MA-7-24" and Daily telegraph Art Department credit stamps on verso (NASA HQ), the second numbered "NASA S-62-5997" in black in top margin, with NASA caption on verso (NASA MSC), each 20,3 x 25,4 cm, 1 print with layout marks, (2)

The objectives of MA-8 were to: (1) evaluate the performance of the man-spacecraft system in a six-pass orbital mission; (2) evaluate the effects of an extended orbital space flight on the astronaut and to compare this analysis with those of previous missions and astronaut simulator programs; (3) obtain additional astronaut evaluation of the operational suitability of the spacecraft and support systems for manned orbital flights; (4) evaluate the performance of spacecraft systems replaced or modified as a result of previous three-pass orbital missions; and, (5) evaluate the performance of and exercise further the Mercury Worldwide Network and mission support forces and establish their suitability for extended manned flight. (https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action? id=1962-052A).

First photograph: a very fine portrait of Walter Schirra by NASA’s first senior photographer Bill Taub during Schirra’s training for orbital spaceflight. Schirra would become the only NASA astronaut to fly into space during the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions (Mercury Atlas 8, Gemini VI-A, Apollo 7) and the first to carry a Hasselblad into space.

Second photograph: the Sigma 7 spacecraft is sitting atop the Atlas 113-D launch vehicle during simulated flight.