Fifty years on...

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by August

Virgil Grissom?

Originally Posted by jimbuna

Rgr that:

Virgil Gus Grissom (1926-1967) first flew into space in July 1961, on the second suborbital Mercury mission. It was officially called Mercury-Redstone 4, but the spacecraft was more popularly known as Liberty Bell 7. In March 1965, he piloted the first manned flight for the Gemini program, Gemini 3 (nicknamed the Molly Brown), and orbited Earth three times with co-pilot John Young (1930-). Grissom thus became the first man to fly into space twice.

Nope

Joseph Albert Walker

X-15 pilot

19 July 63 reached an altitude of 106km
22 Aug 63 reached an altitude of 108 km

Under Air Force rules any flight above 80.5 km qualifies the pilot for Astronaut wings and the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) defines space travel as an altitude exceeding 100km aka the Karman line.

[August]

Well every now and then I learn something worth remembering on this forum. Thanks Platapus!

[Platapus]

Here is another brain teaser

Who was the last American to orbit the earth as the only occupant of the spacecraft (solo)?

Think carefully

[Torplexed]

Originally Posted by Platapus

Here is another brain teaser

Who was the last American to orbit the earth as the only occupant of the spacecraft (solo)?

Think carefully

Guess I'll be the sacrificial lamb and go with the usual choice of Gordon Cooper.

[Growler]

Originally Posted by Platapus

Here is another brain teaser

Who was the last American to orbit the earth as the only occupant of the spacecraft (solo)?

Think carefully

Apollo 17 CM pilot Ron Evans, who, while in the command module orbiting the moon, was also in orbit around the Earth.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Growler

Apollo 17 CM pilot Ron Evans, who, while in the command module orbiting the moon, was also in orbit around the Earth.

Clever

But I am thinking of a man only in Earth Orbit.

But clever thinking!!

[Growler]

Originally Posted by Platapus

Clever

But I am thinking of a man only in Earth Orbit.

But clever thinking!!

Well, you did say, "Think carefully."

[Torplexed]

Didn't American astronaut Michael Foale have to stay alone in the Mir space station or the attached Soyuz capsule for his safety while the Russians outside in their space suits did repairs to it's exterior?

[razark]

Originally Posted by Growler

Apollo 17 CM pilot Ron Evans, who, while in the command module orbiting the moon, was also in orbit around the Earth.

If we're going with tricky answers, either Dale Gardner or Joseph Allen. They were the last two astronauts to operate the MMU on STS-51-A.

Edit:
Or, if you don't want to count the MMU/spacesuit as a spacecraft, Command Module Pilot David Scott, on Apollo 9?

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by razark

If we're going with tricky answers, either Dale Gardner or Joseph Allen. They were the last two astronauts to operate the MMU on STS-51-A.

Edit:
Or, if you don't want to count the MMU/spacesuit as a spacecraft, Command Module Pilot David Scott, on Apollo 9?

Wow I would say you win on several levels with that answer. But yes, Dave Scott was the answer I was looking for.

You sure do know your useless space trivia!

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Platapus

Nope

Joseph Albert Walker

X-15 pilot

19 July 63 reached an altitude of 106km
22 Aug 63 reached an altitude of 108 km

Under Air Force rules any flight above 80.5 km qualifies the pilot for Astronaut wings and the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) defines space travel as an altitude exceeding 100km aka the Karman line.

Cheat!!