^Lot 138 Mercury 7

Original 1959 NASA newsletter cover detailing progress on the Mercury program, 8 x 10.5, vertically signed in ink or ballpoint on the cover by all seven original Mercury astronauts, each next to his respective photo, and all signing with their less common ‘formal’ signatures: “M. Scott Carpenter,” “Leroy G. Cooper, Jr.,” “John H. Glenn, Jr.,” “Virgil I. Grissom,” “Walter M. Schirra,Jr.,” “Alan B. Shepard, Jr.,” and “Donald K. Slayton.” The cover also reveals an artist’s rendition of the cramped quarters that awaited the astronauts in their capsule. A bit of light contrast to small portions of a couple of signatures, a central horizontal fold, scattered creasing and toning, dampstaining to edges, a few small edge tears, and some light mounting remnants, otherwise very good condition. Dated April 1959, this newsletter was one of the first introductions of Project Mercury and its seven original astronauts to staff members at Langley Field, Virginia.