posted 03-21-2021 12:26 PM               

Space Cover #602: Politicians in Space

Politicians, for better or worse, have been in the news lately, but back in 1985 and 1986, and again in 1995, three politicians were in the news for good reasons. First, Republican Senator Jake Garn became the first politician while in office to fly in space on STS-51D and then in 1986, Democrat Representative Bill Nelson, also while in office, followed him in space on STS-61C.

By far the best known politician to fly in space was John Glenn, who, while still in office, flew on STS-95, 36 years after becoming the first American to orbit the earth on Mercury-Atlas 6.

Of course, other politicians have flown in space, but all flew after leaving office or not attaining office.

Jack Swigert was elected to Congress from Colorado in 1982 but passed away before taking office. Jack Lousma failed in his bid to become a US Senator from Michigan. Jack Schmitt served one term as a US Senator from New Mexico, and Mark Kelly is now serving as a Senator from Arizona. Another shuttle astronaut, Jose Hernandez, failed in his attempt for Congress in California.

These politician/astronauts are all from the US, but many former space travelers from other countries have become politicians, with Valentina Tereshkova one example from Russia. But probably Glenn, Garn and Nelson are the only politicians to fly in space while still in office.

Shown here are autographed covers marking their flights: Garn STS-51-D; Nelson STS-61C; and Glenn autographed a Prime Recovery Ship cover for MA-6.

posted 03-23-2021 07:46 AM               

There was another Apollo astronaut, Al Worden, that ran for the U.S. Congress (Florida) and lost in 1982.

It's also interesting to note that former shuttle astronaut Mark Kelly, after a tight race last year for the U.S. Senate in Arizona, defeated his Republican rival, a former Air Force fighter pilot which had became the first American woman to fly in combat and the first to command a fighter squadron.

A little known fact about Gordon Cooper is that he had at one time seriously considered, or was talked into it, in possibly becoming a U.S. Senate candidate, but I don't know what had become of that consideration or why it had been dropped.