56. [Mercury Atlas 9] THE LAST SPACE PIONEER: Gordon Cooper's final solo and first day-long U.S. space mission aboard Faith 7 (diptych) NASA, January - May 1963 Printed 1963. Two vintage gelatin silver prints on fibre-based paper [NASA images S-63-4005 and S-63-7851]. Numbered "NASA S-63-4005" and "S-63-7851" in black in the top margin, with NASA captions on the reverses (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas). Each: 20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.) Historical context Faith 7: The Pinnacle of Project Mercury. The first photograph presents astronaut Gordon Cooper, clad in his iconic silver pressure suit and helmet, preparing for the Mercury-Atlas 9 mission. His calm focus reflects the confidence and determination that defined this era of space exploration. The second photograph showcases the Atlas 130D launch vehicle standing within the service gantry at Pad 14, with the Faith 7 spacecraft poised for liftoff. This mission, launched on May 15, 1963, was the first U.S. spaceflight to last over a full day and the last solo mission of the American space program. Aboard Faith 7, Cooper not only set endurance records but also made history by capturing the first high-resolution photographs from space using a Hasselblad camera—a precursor to the stunning imagery later achieved in the Gemini and Apollo programs. Project Mercury paved the way for human spaceflight, with Faith 7 as its crowning achievement, proving astronauts could endure extended missions. As the program's final flight, it demonstrated the U.S.'s ability to sustain human spaceflight. During his 34-hour, 22-orbit mission, Cooper gathered vital data on the physiological and psychological effects of long-duration space travel, setting the stage for Gemini rendezvous manoeuvres and Apollo Moon landings.