Helmuth Stone Gallery
Lot 327
Chris Calle (American, B. 1961) "Walter Schirra - First Splashdown in the Pacific" Signed lower right. Mixed Media on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover of the Grenada 25th Anniversary of the Moon Landing stamps issued August 4, 1994. "Sigma means 'sum of' . . . the flight was the sum of the efforts and energies of a lot of people." So said astronaut Walter Schirra as he explained the significance of the name he had given his Mercury 8 spacecraft, Sigma 7. By crediting all those unsung heroes who work behind the scenes, Navy Commander Schirra revealed that he was fully aware of the teamwork involved in a successful space flight. Each mission improved upon its predecessor, thus it was the goal of Mercury 8 to avoid the excessive fuel consumption that had plagued Mercury 7. To accomplish this, Schirra had to refrain from spending fuel in maneuvering the capsule unless it was absolutely necessary. Shortly after Sigma 7 was in orbit, the commander switched off both the manual and automatic controls. "Drifting and dreaming," as he called it, Schirra circled the Earth in this manner for nearly three and a half hours. After completing the sixth revolution, the astronaut landed Sigma 7 within five miles of the carrier USS Kearsarge, positioned north of Midway Island. This splashdown marked America's first ever in the Pacific Ocean. To Schirra's credit, he still had 80 percent of his control fuel intact. Analyzing the flawless flight of Mercury 8, an engineer back at Cape Canaveral concluded, "Wally showed us today that we have come a long way." During the next few years America's space program would continue to advance by leaps and bounds. Image Size: 7.25 x 6.25 in. Overall Size: 11.5 x 11.25 in. Unframed. (B14798)
