"I noted with sadness the passing of Scott Carpenter. As a member of Project Mercury, Scott Carpenter was a pioneer of the space program, one of the first seven Americans selected to enter space, and the second American to orbit the Earth. The missions carried out by Scott Carpenter and the Mercury astronauts remind us of the perilous risks and profound rewards of space exploration. These heroes serve as an inspiration to all of us.
"Scott Carpenter always advocated for a robust space program. He once said when referring to the Mercury 7, 'We stand here waiting to be outdone.' I believe that the best way we can honor his legacy is to continue to invest in our space program and build on that legacy of exploration." - Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson
Congresswoman Johnson is the Ranking Member of the House Committee On Science, Space & Technology
