We don't know if people can tolerate going to Mars and back. We've got to spend more time at that international space station to learn how to take care of them physiologically. The three space pioneers were gathered at a reception in their honor Wednesday at the Astronaut Hall of Fame, a non-profit museum and foundation. Of the original seven Mercury astronauts, Gus Grissom died in the Apollo 1 fire and Alan Shepard and Deke Slayton died of leukemia and cancer, respectively. Glenn is the only one still directly involved with the space program, and that has been only since the retiring U.S. senator from Ohio was named to a shuttle crew earlier this year.
Some people get quite sick in space and it's quite normal.
He needs the flying time, I don't. I even gave up my pilot's license. Can't afford it. But that's not why all you members of the media are down here. We have a hero who accomplished something in the past and now at the culmination of his service to the nation is being given one last chance to revisit a great achievement.