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Author
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Topic: Origin of Project Mercury (Mercury 7) logo
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MOL
Member Posts: 167
From: Los Angeles, CA
Registered: Oct 2004
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posted 09-18-2019 02:31 PM
   
Does anyone know exactly when the “Mercury 7” logo first appeared and who came up with the logo? I am talking about the Greco-Roman Mercury symbol with the number 7 inside. Thank you. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 48975
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 09-18-2019 02:56 PM
I don't know if there are earlier uses, but it dates back to at least to Nov. 10, 1964 and the dedication of the Project Mercury monument at Cape Canaveral. |
MOL
Member Posts: 167
From: Los Angeles, CA
Registered: Oct 2004
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posted 09-18-2019 03:58 PM
Thanks - I was particularly curious if it was ever worn as a lapel pin by the astronauts for instance during the time of Project Mercury itself - through 1963. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 48975
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 09-18-2019 04:25 PM
I took a look at the post-flight images on Retro Space Images' Mercury discs and sure enough, from June 28, 1962, here is John Glenn wearing just such a pin: |
MOL
Member Posts: 167
From: Los Angeles, CA
Registered: Oct 2004
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posted 09-18-2019 04:57 PM
So cool - thank you Robert! |
Ronpur
Member Posts: 1254
From: Brandon, Fl
Registered: May 2012
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posted 10-19-2019 10:15 AM
I have seen an image of a decal on the Mercury-Atlas boosters that had the logo on it. I can't find it at the moment. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3650
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 10-19-2019 10:41 AM
General Dynamics had a very similar symbol with an "R" instead of the number 7 inside. The GD symbol is seen on the MA-6 Atlas booster in photo S62-00380 dated Feb 20, 1962. The "R" was for Rocketdyne.It says "Project Mercury General Dynamics Astronautics" around the edge. Gordon Cooper signed the symbol on his Atlas. Alan Shepard signed it too. |
thisismills
Member Posts: 475
From: Michigan
Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 10-19-2019 02:56 PM
Wally as the backup pilot appears to have signed Carpenter's Atlas 107D after production as well. These photos are from March 7th, 1962. 
Another angle of the Atlas, showing a Project Mercury sign up top with another version of the symbol.  This photo is from September 1959 when the Mercury astronauts (minus Slayton) visited the General Dynamics Convair plant in San Diego, CA. The inscription was certainly made at a later date and may actually be a layered photo on top of the earlier print. A photo taken of the inscription is partially revealed here on the lower right.  |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3650
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 10-19-2019 10:01 PM
Glenn is wearing the Mercury pin in his official portrait dated 1962.It looks like Glenn might be wearing the pin in this earlier February 23, 1962 photo with JFK taken at the Mercury Control Center at Cape Canaveral. Even earlier, Shepard is seen wearing the Mercury pin on his lapel during a visit to Washington in NASA photo MR-3-49 dated May 8, 1961. |
MOL
Member Posts: 167
From: Los Angeles, CA
Registered: Oct 2004
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posted 10-16-2020 09:14 PM
Alan Shepard was wearing his Mercury Seven pin on his jacket lapel when he arrived at Andrews Air Force Base on May 8, 1961. |
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