On May 15, 1963, NASA astronaut Gordon Cooper launched on the sixth and final crewed flight of the Mercury Program. Discover more space history 👉 https://space-com.visitlink.me/bycVtB This was also the last time a NASA astronaut launched on a solo mission to space. Cooper lifted off from Cape Canaveral on an Atlas rocket booster. He rode inside a capsule called Faith 7, which he piloted for 22 orbits around the Earth. The entire mission lasted 34 hours and 20 minutes and was the longest flight

🚀✨On this day in 1963, Astronaut Gordon Cooper made history as the first American to spend over 24 hours in space. Piloting the Faith 7 spacecraft for the Mercury-Atlas 9 mission, Cooper orbited Earth 22 times in approximately 34 hours. His groundbreaking mission proved that astronauts could live and work in space for extended periods, paving the way for the future Gemini and Apollo missions. Credit: Retro Space HD #WeBelieveInAstronauts #NationalAstronautDay #Trailblazers #Icons #Heroes | Nati