Original Astronaut Scott Carpenter Dies

Friday, 11 October 2013 | by Pat's Picks

Scott Carpenter, the second American to orbit the Earth, died Thursday at the age of 88. The New York Times says Carpenter actually wasn’t NASA’s choice for its second Earth orbit - but he stepped in after Donald Slayton was grounded by heart irregularities. Carpenter’s death leaves John Glenn as the only surviving member of the Project Mercury team.

SOURCE: New York Times