365 Days #51 - Metropolitan Life Presents: Sigma 7 (mp3s)

MP3:
1 Sigma 7 - Side 1 (7:00)
2 Sigma 7 - Side 2 (6:57)

"A Man’s Reach Must Exceed His Grasp, Or What’s A Heaven For?"

The Mercury-Atlas 8 mission took place on Oct. 3rd, 1962.  Walter "Wally" Schirra orbited Earth six times over the course of nine hours in the Sigma 7 spacecraft.  Within about a month (judging from the date written on the front cover of the copy pictured/linked below) Metropolitan Life Insurance released a 7" recording of communications made during the mission.  John Glenn makes a guest appearance.

Forty-three years later I found a copy of the record, along with Caprice Capers, Triumph of Man and Happy All the Time, at a neighborhood yard sale.

Back Cover Notes:
"Astronaut Walter M. Schirra is the son of stunt flier parents. He's always been intrigued with speed. The 39-year-old Commander, speaking from space, makes this recording a memorable audio-adventure. Your Metropolitan man, also an articulate spokesman, has some down-to-earth facts your family should hear soon. Meanwhile, enjoy these gripping, historic moments with our compliments."

- Contributed by: Andrew Lander

Images: Front Cover, Back Cover

Media: 7" Single
Album: Sigma 7
Catalog: ZSV 85794
Credits: National Aeronautics & Space Administration, Project Mercury.  Narration by Lt. Col. John A. Powers, in Mercury Control.  This recording was made by Nelson Doubleday Inc. and Vox Productions, Inc. on location in Cape Canaveral specially for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.  Produced by Ward Botsford.
Date: 1962

Comments

[dj hojo]

Outstanding! I just joined a music project dedicated to the Murcury missions and this material is invaluable to us! Thank you!

http://www.myspace.com/mercuryproject

[Scott Mercer]

Triumph of Man rules hard. My folks bought it at the 1965 World's Fair and it was hanging around our house when I was a kid ten years later. I played it many times on the fold-up record player and think it's still the best industrial/documentary record I've ever heard, perhaps second only to Attilio Minneo's Man in Space.

[sroden]

for those of you interested in space flight vinyl, i posted a rare yuri gagarin in space 7" on my blog several months ago and it's still up for download if you are interested here

[pea hix]

i saw a stack of about 30 of these at a garage sale this morning...