Walter M. Schirra

About the Author

Walter M. Schirra, a pioneering American astronaut and naval aviator, etched his name into history as one of NASA's original Mercury Seven, the first group of astronauts selected for spaceflight. Born in 1923 in New Jersey, Schirra's daring career spanned three landmark programs: he orbited Earth aboard Sigma 7 in Project Mercury, commanded the two-man Gemini 6A mission that achieved the first space rendezvous, and led Apollo 7, the inaugural crewed Apollo flight that tested the command module in Earth orbit. Retiring from NASA in 1969 as a rear admiral, Schirra later became a television commentator, bringing his sharp wit and insider perspective to the public. His memoir, We Seven: By the Astronauts Themselves, co-authored with fellow Mercury astronauts, offers an intimate glimpse into the triumphs and tensions of the early space race, blending technical insight with personal anecdotes from the men who pushed humanity's boundaries.