Scott Carpenter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Scott Carpenter
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| Born |
Malcolm Scott Carpenter
May 1, 1925 Boulder, Colorado, U.S.
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| Died | October 10, 2013 (aged 88) Denver, Colorado, U.S.
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| Resting place | Ashes buried in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Colorado (BS) |
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| Awards | Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross NASA Distinguished Service Medal |
| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
| Rank | Commander, USN |
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Time in space
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4 hours 56 minutes |
| Selection | 1959 NASA Group 1 |
| Missions | Mercury-Atlas 7 |
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Mission insignia
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| Retirement | August 10, 1967 |
Malcolm Scott Carpenter (born May 1, 1925 – died October 10, 2013) was an American Navy officer, pilot, and engineer. He was a test pilot, an astronaut, and an aquanaut. Scott Carpenter was one of the first seven astronauts chosen by NASA for Project Mercury in April 1959. He was the second American to orbit the Earth and the fourth American to travel into space.
Carpenter joined the U.S. Navy in 1949. He became a Navy pilot, flying reconnaissance and anti-submarine missions during the Korean War and the Cold War. In 1954, he became a test pilot. He was later selected as one of the famous Mercury Seven astronauts. He flew the Mercury-Atlas 7 mission in his spacecraft, which he named Aurora 7. After his space mission, Carpenter joined the U.S. Navy's SEALAB project. He spent 28 days living on the ocean floor as an aquanaut. He retired from NASA in 1967 and from the Navy in 1969.
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Early Life and Education
Scott Carpenter was born in Boulder, Colorado, on May 1, 1925. His father was a research chemist. When he was young, Scott moved to New York City with his parents. Later, he returned to Boulder to live with his grandparents.
He went to University Hill Elementary School and Boulder High School. He played the clarinet and was a cheerleader. He was also a Boy Scout.
After high school, Carpenter wanted to become a Navy pilot. He joined the U.S. Navy's V-5 Aviation Cadet Training Program in 1943. The Navy sent him to college until they needed him for service. He studied at Colorado College and then had flight training. World War II ended before he finished his training.
In 1945, Carpenter went to the University of Colorado to study aeronautical engineering. He was in a car accident in 1946 and was badly hurt. He later received his Bachelor of Science degree from the university in 1962, after his space flight.
While at the University of Colorado, he met Rene Louise Price. They got married in September 1948.
On October 31, 1949, Carpenter joined the Navy's Direct Procurement Program. He went through flight training in Florida and Texas. He chose to fly multi-engine patrol aircraft, which were less dangerous than jet fighters. He earned his aviator wings on April 19, 1951.
He was assigned to Patrol Squadron 6 in Hawaii. He flew missions from Japan during the Korean War. He also flew surveillance missions along the coasts of the Soviet Union and China.
Carpenter was recommended for the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in Maryland. He became a test pilot in 1954. He flew many different types of planes, including jets. He worked as a test pilot until 1957. In 1958, he became an Air Intelligence Officer on the ship USS Hornet.
NASA Career
Joining the Mercury Seven
In 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite. This started the Space Race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. To catch up, the U.S. created NASA in 1958. One of NASA's first big projects was Project Mercury. Its goal was to send a person into orbit around Earth and bring them back safely.
NASA looked for military test pilots to become astronauts. They needed to be under 40 years old and shorter than 5 feet 11 inches. Scott Carpenter was chosen as one of the first seven astronauts.
On April 9, 1959, the names of the seven astronauts were announced: Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, Gus Grissom, Wally Schirra, Alan Shepard, and Deke Slayton. A few weeks later, they watched their first rocket launch, which exploded. This showed them how challenging their new job would be.
Flying Aurora 7
Carpenter and the other Mercury astronauts helped design the Mercury spacecraft. Carpenter specialized in the navigation equipment. He was the backup pilot for John Glenn's historic orbital flight in February 1962. During Glenn's launch, Carpenter was the capsule communicator (CAPCOM). He famously said, "Godspeed, John Glenn."
The next mission was planned for Deke Slayton, but he was grounded due to a heart condition. Carpenter was chosen to fly instead. His mission, Mercury-Atlas 7, was focused on scientific experiments.
On May 24, 1962, Carpenter launched into space. Forty million people watched on television. He completed five experiments and was the first American astronaut to eat solid food in space. He also figured out that the "fireflies" John Glenn had seen were actually tiny pieces of ice floating outside the spacecraft. Carpenter called them "frostflies."
During the flight, there were some problems. A part of the automatic control system, called the pitch horizon scanner (PHS), stopped working correctly. This caused the spacecraft to use too much fuel. When it was time to return to Earth, the PHS malfunctioned again. Carpenter had to control the spacecraft manually. Because of this, he landed about 250 miles (400 km) away from the planned splashdown spot.
The flight lasted 4 hours and 56 minutes. Aurora 7 reached a height of 166 miles (267 km) and traveled at 17,532 miles per hour (28,215 km/h).
During his return, people on the ground were worried because they lost contact with him for a while. But Carpenter's rescue beacon was working, and recovery ships were on their way. Knowing it might take time for rescue, Carpenter got out of his spacecraft and into his life raft. About 36 minutes after landing, two aircraft spotted him. A helicopter picked him up three hours later and took him to the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid.
Later analysis showed that the PHS malfunction was a serious problem. However, Carpenter was able to control the spacecraft well despite the issue. This showed that human pilots could succeed even when automatic systems failed.
Exploring the Ocean
In 1963, Carpenter met Jacques Cousteau, a famous ocean explorer. Carpenter became interested in underwater research. He got permission from NASA to join the U.S. Navy's SEALAB project.
In 1965, for SEALAB II, Carpenter spent 28 days living on the ocean floor off the coast of California. He was injured during training and also stung by a scorpion fish. During SEALAB II, he had the first conversation between a spacecraft in outer space (Gordon Cooper on Gemini 5) and a habitat on the ocean floor.
Carpenter returned to NASA as an assistant to the Director of the Manned Spacecraft Center. He then joined the Navy's Deep Submergence Systems Project in 1967. He helped with SEALAB III.
After two surgeries on his arm, Carpenter could no longer fly in space or go on deep-sea missions. He spent the rest of his NASA career developing underwater training for astronauts. This training helped them prepare for spacewalks. He left NASA in 1967 and retired from the Navy in 1969.
After retiring, Carpenter started a company called Sea Sciences, Inc. It focused on using ocean resources and improving the environment. He also became a consultant for diving companies and the film industry. He wrote two science fiction books, The Steel Albatross (1991) and Deep Flight (1994). In 2003, he published his autobiography, For Spacious Skies, which he wrote with his daughter.
Personal Life
Scott Carpenter was married four times and had eight children. He married his first wife, Rene, in 1948. They had five children. They divorced in 1972. He then married Maria Roach and had two more children. His third wife was Barbara Curtin, and they had one son. In 1999, he married Patricia Barrett. They lived in Vail, Colorado.
In September 2013, Carpenter had a stroke. He passed away on October 10, 2013, at the age of 88. He was survived by his wife, four sons, two daughters, and several grandchildren. The Governor of Colorado ordered flags to be flown at half-mast. A memorial service was held in Boulder, attended by many fellow astronauts. His ashes were buried on his family's ranch. When asked about his legacy, he said, "I was an astronaut and an aquanaut."
Awards and Honors
Scott Carpenter received many awards and honors for his service and achievements:
U.S. Government Awards
- Navy Astronaut Wings
- Legion of Merit
- Distinguished Flying Cross
- NASA Distinguished Service Medal
- Navy Unit Commendation
- American Campaign Medal
- World War II Victory Medal
- China Service Medal
- National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
- Korean Service Medal with two battle stars
- United Nations Korea Medal
- Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Civilian Awards
- University of Colorado Recognition Medal
- Collier Trophy
- New York City Gold Medal of Honor
- Elisha Kent Kane Medal
- Numismatica Italiana Award
- Boy Scouts of America Silver Buffalo Award
In 1962, a park and pool in Boulder, Colorado, were named Scott Carpenter Park and Pool. The park has a 25-foot tall climbable metal rocket spaceship. Schools in Boulder, Westminster, Colorado, and Old Bridge, New Jersey, were also named after him or his spacecraft. The Scott Carpenter Space Analog Station, an underwater habitat, was named in his honor in the 1990s.
Carpenter was inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame in 2008 and the International Space Hall of Fame in 1981. He was also inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 1990, along with the other Mercury Seven astronauts. In 2017, he was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame.
Books by Scott Carpenter
- We Seven: By the Astronauts Themselves – written with the other Mercury Seven astronauts.
- For Spacious Skies: The Uncommon Journey of a Mercury Astronaut – his autobiography, co-written with his daughter Kristen Stoever.
- The Steel Albatross – a science fiction book.
- Deep Flight – a follow-up science fiction book to The Steel Albatross.
Images for kids
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Launch of Mercury-Atlas 7
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Carpenter is helped into his Aurora 7 spacecraft on May 24, 1962.
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Carpenter is picked up from the water after his splashdown.
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Patricia Carpenter receives the American flag, as John Glenn looks on.
Gold Medal of Honor
- Elisha Kent Kane Medal
- Numismatica Italiana Award
- Boy Scouts of America Silver Buffalo Award
- Mercury Seven
See also
In Spanish: Scott Carpenter para niños
