We're not sure what John Glenn will make of it, but NASA's Image of the Day is currently showing (http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_832.html) a rather unflattering 1960 snap of the seven original Mercury astronauts:

(http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_832.html)

Well, it's hardly the sort of space apparel available to the modern space jockey, but things were a bit more belt-and-braces back in the 60s. So much so, that it appears Alan Shepard has been doing a bit of hands-on maintenance of the launch vehicle.

Oh, all right then: the picture in question is, as the blurb explains, the chaps a bit the worse for wear after survival training in Nevada. Nice one. ®

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