"Mercury Seven" NASA Astronauts Group Photo at McDonnell Aircraft, Signed by All....

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"Mercury Seven" NASA Astronauts Group Photo at McDonnell Aircraft, Signed by All. An 11.25" x 8.5" B&W glossy photo of the Group One astronauts standing in front of a full-size Mercury capsule model, apparently taken at the McDonnell Aircraft Engineering Campus in Hazelwood, Missouri, circa mid 1959. They are all in business suits and lined up in a row, each signing above their respective image: "M. Scott Carpenter", "L G. Cooper" (1927-2004), "John H. Glenn, Jr." who has added above "To Don with best wishes from/ the Mercury Astronauts-", "Virgil I. Grissom" (1926-1967), "Walter M Schirra Jr" (1923-2007), "Alan B Shepard Jr" (1923-1998), and "Donald K. Slayton" (1924-1993). Note the early forms of their signatures. The photo has a McDonnell Aircraft Corporation backstamp with the photo number "D4C-1855 B&W". In January 1959, McDonnell was chosen to be prime contractor for the Mercury spacecraft, and the contract for twelve spacecraft was awarded the next month. Not a common photo and particularly desirable with Glenn's inscription mentioning "the Mercury Astronauts". Fine condition with only light denting and crinkling; the Cooper signature is a bit light because the ink has beaded.