11 Oct 2013

US astronaut Scott Carpenter dies

11:41 am on 11 October 2013

US astronaut Scott Carpenter, one of the last surviving members of America's original space programme, has died at the age of 88.

In 1962 he became the second American to orbit the earth, piloting the Aurora 7 spacecraft through three revolutions of the earth.

After retiring in 1969 he took up oceanographic activities, the BBC reports.

Mr Carpenter was selected in April 1959 as one of the original seven Mercury astronauts and underwent training with NASA, specialising in communication and navigation.

He was the backup pilot for John Glenn during preparation for the first US manned orbital space flight in February 1962, and gave the historic send-off to his teammate: "Godspeed, John Glenn.''

During his own flight, Scott Carpenter's capsule landed 288 miles away from where it was meant to, leaving NASA and the nation waiting anxiously to see if he had survived.

The Navy recovered him from the Caribbean, floating in his life-raft with his feet propped up.

After retiring in 1969 he took up oceanographic activities.

His wife, Patty Barrett, said her husband had suffered complications following a stroke in September and died in a Denver hospice.

John Glenn, who flew the first orbital mission, is the last surviving member of the Mercury team.