On April 9, 1959, NASA formally announced the selection of the U.S.’ first seven astronauts for Project Mercury to the nation and the world. A.S.Ganesh talks about the rigorous procedure that led to the selection of Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, Gus Grissom, Wally Schirra, Alan Shepard, and Donald Slayton, and the successful careers that they had…