Stumbling Toward the Light

It is with surpassing sadness that I note the passing of former NASA astronaut Wally Schirra, 5th US citizen in space and the only one to have flown on the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs, at 84, as reported by CNN here. (Thanks to redaxe for the pointer.) He was one of that legendary "Right Stuff" bunch first chosen for space flight, along with Cooper, Carpenter, Glenn, Shepard, Grissom and Slayton. Godspeed, Mr. Schirra, and a grateful nation and human race thank you for your service.