No Contest: The Coolest Astronaut Photograph Ever

John Glenn, 50 years ago today, taking his ease on the deck of USS Noa, which plucked him from the Atlantic after he rode a rocket into space and coasted through a long lovely arc before plunging through fire back into the Earth’s atmosphere and smashing into the ocean.

That is all. Oh: And the shoes.

Photo courtesy NASA.

NB: See Alexis Madrigal‘s thoughtful, pitch-perfect reconstruction of what Glenn looked at from space.

Also: Science comedian Brian Malow’s quick vid on Glenn, Sally Ride, and other high-flying pioneers.

5 responses

  1. For what it’s worth he didn’t just “coast through a long lovely arc” he orbited the Earth 3 times.  But your point stands.  TOTALLY awesome picture and person.  Makes me want to go buy some new shoes.  (Alan Shepard coasted a long lovely arc)

  2. Is this cool compared to other astronaut photos, or cool compared to anything else? If the latter, you need to get out more.

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