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Mercury -- February 1962
Astronaut John H. Glenn Jr., …
7/16/08
Description Astronaut John H. Glenn Jr., NASA flight surgeon William Douglas and equipment specialist Joseph W. Schmidt leave crew quarters prior to the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission. Glenn is in his pressure suit and is carrying the portable ventilation unit.
Date 7/16/08
Mercury -- September 1962
Astronaut Walter M. "Wally" …
7/16/08
Description Astronaut Walter M. "Wally" Schirra Jr., pilot of the Mercury-Atlas 8 Earth-orbital spaceflight, goes through a suiting-up exercise at Cape Canaveral several weeks prior to his scheduled Oct. 3, 1962 flight.
Date 7/16/08
Mercury -- May 1963
Mercury astronaut L. Gordon …
7/16/08
Description Mercury astronaut L. Gordon Cooper Jr. is wearing a spacesuit during Mercury-Atlas 9 prelaunch activities.
Date 7/16/08
Mercury-Atlas 9
Technicians were performing …
4/10/09
Description Technicians were performing pre-launch testing of the Mercury-Atlas 9 (MA9) on Launch Pad 14 at Cape Canaveral when this photo was taken on May 14, 1963. A day later on May 15, Gordon Cooper successfully piloted this his 'Faith 7' spacecraft for more than 34 hours and 22 orbits. Cooper's flight stretched the capabilities of the Mercury capsule to the limits. His 34-hour flight lasted more than three times the longest U.S. human space flight until that time, and far exceeded the initial design capability of the capsule. Image Credit: NASA
Date 4/10/09
NASA TV's This Week @NASA, F …
* President Obama spoke with …
02/19/10
Description * President Obama spoke with the crews of space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station from the Roosevelt Room of the White House. * New findings by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory in the Andromeda galaxy have provided a major advance in understanding a type of supernova believed critical to studying dark energy. * The telescope aboard NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, was successfully activated during a January 15 test flight of almost six hours. * A new NASA Web site can help our future explorers and leaders better understand the how's and why's of climate change and what they can do to make our planet more habitable. * Scott Carpenter: ''Godspeed John Glenn'' Forty-eight years ago, Mercury astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth when an Atlas rocket successfully carried his Friendship 7 capsule into space.
Date 02/19/10
Brahms Crater
title Brahms Crater
date 03.30.1974
description Thirty years ago, NASA's Mariner 10 spacecraft made the first of three passes by Mercury, sending back intriguing images of the planet's battered terrain. NASA will launch the world's second probe to Mercury - named MESSENGER - this summer.This image of the crater was taken on the first flyby. Note the central peak. North is up. (Mariner 10, Atlas of Mercury, Fig. 3-2) This crater (98 km diameter) illustrates the narrow hummocky rim facies, radial ridges, and surrounding extensive field of secondary craters. The well-developed interior terraces and central peaks are typical for mercurian craters in this size range. Note that the smaller craters in the foreground (25-km diameter) also are terraced. This image(FDS 80)was taken during the spacecraft's first encounter with Mercury. The Mariner 10 mission, managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA's Office of Space Science, explored Venus in February 1974 on the way to three encounters with Mercury-in March and September 1974 and in March 1975. The spacecraft took more than 7,000 photos of Mercury, Venus, the Earth and the Moon. *Image Credi*: NASA
Moons of the Solar System
title Moons of the Solar System
description All the planetary moons in our solar system are shown here at their correct relative size and true color. Their diversity of size and appearance is testament to the unique and fascinating geologic history that each of these bodies has undergone. Two of the moons are larger than the planet Mercury, and eight of them are larger than Pluto. Earth's Moon is the fifth largest of the set, with a diameter of 3476 kilometers (2160 miles). Most of the moons are thought to have formed from a disk of debris left over from formation of the planet they orbit. However Triton, Neptune's largest moon, and several of the smallest moons, including the moons of Mars, are thought to be captured planetesimals that formed elsewhere in the solar system. Earth's Moon is thought to have formed from the debris ejected from a roughly Mars-sized object colliding with the early Earth, perhaps a unique event in the history of the solar system. The moons are organized on the diagram by the planet they orbit (top to bottom with increasing distance from the Sun) and their position relative to the planet (left to right with increasing distance from the planet). Below is a listing of the names of all the moons and the planets they orbit. Most moons are named for mythological characters associated with the character the planet is named for. While most of the planets are named for Roman characters (with the exceptions of Pluto and Uranus), most of the moon have names from Greek mythology. For example, Phobos and Deimos are the sons of Ares, the Greek version of Mars. Jupiter?s moons are all named for lovers and other close associates of Zeus (Jupiter). Saturn?s moons are named for Titans, the race that included Cronos (Saturn), Zeus? father. Neptune?s moons are named for mythological characters associated with water, and Charon was the ferryman of the dead who brought people to Pluto?s realm. By tradition, the discoverer of a moon gets to name it (now subject to approval by the International Astronomical Union). The son of the discoverer of the first two moons of Uranus (Sir William Herschel) decided to name Uranus? moons not for mythological characters, but instead for the king and queen of fairies in Shakespear?s A Midsummer Night?s Dream . This began a tradition whereby all uranian satellites are named for fairy characters in English drama. To read more about the names of the planets and their satellites, go to the U.S. Geological Survey?s nomenclature guide at http://wwwflag.wr.usgs.gov/USGSFlag/Space/nomen/append7.html . *Earth* Moon *Mars * Phobos, Deimos *Jupiter* Metis, Adrastea, Amalthea, Thebe, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Leda, Himalia, Lysithea, Elara, Ananke, Carme, Pasiphae, Sinope *Saturn * Pan, Atlas, Prometheus, Pandora, Epimetheus, Janus, Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Calypso, Telesto, Dione, Helene, Rhea, Titan, Hyperion, Iapetus, Phoebe *Uranus * Cordelia, Ophelia, Bianca, Cressida, Desdemona, Juliet, Portia, Rosalind, Belinda, Puck, Miranda,, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, Oberon *Neptune* Naiad, Thalassa, Despina, Galatea, Larissa, Proteus, Triton, Nereid *Pluto * Charon *Image Credit*: Image processing by Tim Parker (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) and Paul Schenk and Robert Herrick (Lunar and Planetary Institute), based on NASA images.
MA-1 Capsule Reassembled Aft …
Title MA-1 Capsule Reassembled After Explosion
Full Description The main objectives of Mercury Atlas-1's (MA-1) were to recover the capsule and test the integrity of the Mercury capsule structure and afterbody shingles. About one minute after liftoff MA-1 exploded and the remaining debris landed 7 miles off the Florida shore. The debris was collected and engineers attempted to reassemble MA-1 to determine the cause of the explosion.
Date 07/29/1960
NASA Center Johnson Space Center
Aerial View of Launch Comple …
Title Aerial View of Launch Complex 14
Full Description Aerial view of Launch Complex 14 with Missile Row visible to the right. Mercury-Atlas 9 (MA-9), visible on Pad 14, is scheduled to carry astronaut Gordon Cooper for the fourth manned orbital mission.
Date 5/7/1963
NASA Center Kennedy Space Center
Mercury 8 in Hanger
Title Mercury 8 in Hanger
Full Description Personnel in Hangar S at Cape Canaveral, Florida prepare Wally Schirra's Mercury 8 capsule nicknamed "Sigma 7" for delivery to the launch pad to be mated to the Atlas launch vehicle.
Date 09/10/1962
NASA Center Johnson Space Center
Mercury Astronaut Gordon Coo …
Title Mercury Astronaut Gordon Cooper Jr.
Full Description Mercury Astronaut L. Gordon Cooper Jr., in his pressure suit with helmet during Mercury-Atlas 9 prelaunch activities.
Date 02/25/1963
NASA Center Johnson Space Center
Mercury-Atlas Rocket on the …
Title Mercury-Atlas Rocket on the Launch Pad
Full Description Pre-launch test of the Mercury-Atlas 9 (MA9) on Launch Pad 14 at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Date 5/14/1963
NASA Center Kennedy Space Center
Mercury-Atlas Test Launch
Title Mercury-Atlas Test Launch
Full Description A NASA Project Mercury spacecraft was test launched at 11:15 AM EST on April 25, 1961 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, in a test designed to qualify the Mercury Spacecraft and all systems, which must function during orbit and reentry from orbit. The Mercury-Atlas vehicle was destroyed by Range Safety Officer about 40 seconds after liftoff. The spacecraft was recovered and appeared to be in good condition. Atlas was designed to launch payloads into low Earth orbit, geosynchronous transfer orbit or geosynchronous orbit. NASA first launched Atlas as a space launch vehicle in 1958. Project SCORE, the first communications satellite that transmitted President Eisenhower's pre-recorded Christmas speech around the world, was launched on an Atlas. For all three robotic lunar exploration programs, Atlas was used. Atlas/ Centaur vehicles launched both Mariner and Pioneer planetary probes. The current operational Atlas II family has a 100% mission success rating. For more information about Atlas, please see Chapter 2 in Roger Launius and Dennis Jenkins' book To Reach the High Frontier published by The University Press of Kentucky in 2002.
Date 04/25/1961
NASA Center Kennedy Space Center
Astronaut Deke Slayton durin …
Title Astronaut Deke Slayton during World War II
Full Description This World War II photograph shows future Astronaut Donald "Deke" K. Slayton (on right) and 1st Lt. Ed Steinman (on left) beside a Douglas A-26 bomber in the Pacific Theater of Operations during the summer of 1945. While the exact location is unknown, the photograph was most likely taken on Okinawa. 1st Lt. Slayton was one of only two NASA astronauts to fly combat missions during World War II. Slayton was born in 1924 in Sparta, Wisconsin, and joined the Army Air Force soon after high school. He completed flight training in April 1943, and spent a year in Europe as a B-25 pilot with the 340th Bombardment Group, completing 56 combat missions. In 1944, he returned to the United States for a year before being assigned to Okinawa with the 319th Bombardment Group. As part of the first group to fly combat with the A-26 aircraft, he flew seven combat missions over Japan. Slayton logged more the 6,600 hours of flying time, including 5,100 in jet aircraft. He was named as one of the seven Mercury astronauts in April 1959 and was scheduled to pilot the Mercury- Atlas 7 mission, but a heart condition prevented him from flying. After years of work as the Coordinator of Astronaut Activities and Director of Flight Crew Operations, he was again declared fit to fly in March 1972. Three years later he participated in the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project as the Apollo docking module pilot. While he did not fly again, he continued to work for NASA until 1982 in a variety of capacities. He died on June 13, 1993.
Date 1945
NASA Center Headquarters
Astronaut John Glenn During …
Title Astronaut John Glenn During Mercury-Atlas 6 Pre-launch Activities
Full Description Astronaut John Glenn gives ready sign during Mercury-Atlas 6 pre- launch training activities.
Date 01/23/1962
NASA Center Kennedy Space Center
Big Joe Ready for Launch at …
Title Big Joe Ready for Launch at Cape Canaveral
Full Description Big Joe ready for launch at Cape Canaveral, FL. The objective of "Big Joe" was to test the ablating heatshield. The flight was both a success and failure ? the heatshield survived reentry and was in remarkably good condition when retrieved from the Atlantic. The Atlas-D booster, however, failed to stage and separated too late from the Mercury capsule.
Date 09/09/1959
NASA Center Headquarters
Carpenter Launch
Title Carpenter Launch
Full Description Scott Carpenter's Aurora 7 Mercury Atlas rocket lifts off from Pad 14, Cape Canaveral, Florida, on May 24, 1962.
Date 09/25/1962
NASA Center Johnson Space Center
Cooper
Title Cooper
Full Description Launch of Mercury Atlas 9 rocket with astronaut Gordon Cooper onboard from Launch Pad 14 at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Date 5/15/1963
NASA Center Kennedy Space Center
Cooper
Title Cooper
Full Description Mercury-Atlas 9 lifts off from Pad 14 at Cape Canaveral with astronaut L. Gordon Cooper aboard Faith 7 for the nation's longest manned orbital flight. Lift-off occurred at 8:04 a.m. EST, on May 15, 1963. And 34 hours, 20 minutes, 30 seconds, and 22 orbits later, Gordon Cooper was resting in his Faith 7 space capsule in the blue Pacific Ocean.
Date 5/15/1963
NASA Center Kennedy Space Center
First Mercury-Atlas Attempte …
Title First Mercury-Atlas Attempted Launch
Full Description An Atlas vehicle is shown as it is raised into its launch gantry. This Atlas attempted to launch a Mercury spacecraft (without any astronauts aboard) into orbital flight. The launch vehicle developed 360,000 pounds of thrust and burned RP-1, a kerosene-like fuel, and liquid oxygen. It was about 60 feet in length and 10 feet in diameter at the tank section. This was the first attempt by NASA to put a Mercury spacecraft into Earth orbit. Unfortunately, this Atlas exploded at launch. Atlas was designed to launch payloads into low Earth orbit, geosynchronous transfer orbit or geosynchronous orbit. NASA first launched Atlas as a space launch vehicle in 1958. Project SCORE, the first communications satellite that transmitted President Eisenhower's pre-recorded Christmas speech around the world, was launched on an Atlas. For all three robotic lunar exploration programs, Atlas was used. Atlas/ Centaur vehicles launched Mariner and Pioneer planetary probes. The current operational Atlas II family has a 100% mission success rating. For more information about Atlas, please see Chapter 2 in Roger Launius and Dennis Jenkins' book To Reach the High Frontier published by The University Press of Kentucky in 2002.
Date 04/23/1961
NASA Center Headquarters
Glenn at the Cape
Title Glenn at the Cape
Full Description Astronaut John H. Glenn Jr. in his silver Mercury spacesuit during pre- flight training activities at Cape Canaveral. On February 20, 1962 Glenn lifted off into space aboard his Mercury Atlas (MA-6) rocket and became the first American to orbit the Earth. After orbiting the Earth 3 times, Friendship 7 landed in the Atlantic Ocean 4 hours, 55 minutes and 23 seconds later, just East of Grand Turk Island in the Bahamas. Glenn and his capsule were recovered by the Navy Destroyer Noa, 21 minutes after splashdown.
Date 02/27/1964
NASA Center Johnson Space Center
Glenn Enters his Mercury Cap …
Title Glenn Enters his Mercury Capsule
Full Description Astronaut John H. Glenn Jr. enters his Mercury capsule, "Friendship 7" as he prepares for launch of the Mercury-Atlas rocket. On February 20, 1962 Glenn lifted off into space aboard his Mercury Atlas 6 (MA-6) rocket and became the first American to orbit the Earth. After orbiting the Earth 3 times, Friendship 7 landed in the Atlantic Ocean 4 hours, 55 minutes and 23 seconds later, just East of Grand Turk Island in the Bahamas. Glenn and his capsule were recovered by the Navy Destroyer Noa, 21 minutes after splashdown.
Date 02/20/1962
NASA Center Johnson Space Center
Glenn Suits-Up for Launch
Title Glenn Suits-Up for Launch
Full Description Astronaut John H. Glenn Jr. dons his silver Mercury pressure suit in preparation for launch. On February 20, 1962 Glenn lifted off into space aboard his Mercury Atlas (MA-6) rocket and became the first American to orbit the Earth. After orbiting the Earth 3 times, Friendship 7 landed in the Atlantic Ocean 4 hours, 55 minutes and 23 seconds later, just East of Grand Turk Island in the Bahamas. Glenn and his capsule were recovered by the Navy Destroyer Noa, 21 minutes after splashdown.
Date 02/20/1962
NASA Center Johnson Space Center
Gordon Cooper in Helmet and …
Title Gordon Cooper in Helmet and Pressure Suit
Full Description Astronaut L. Gordon Cooper in white room, waiting for Terminal Countdown Demonstrations Test (TCDT) activities to resume in preparation for his Mercury- Atlas 9 launch.
Date 4/30/1963
NASA Center Kennedy Space Center
Unloading Atlas Launch Vehic …
Title Unloading Atlas Launch Vehicle
Full Description The Atlas launch vehicle is shown being unloaded at Cape Canaveral, Florida. This vehicle was expected to launch a Mercury spacecraft (without any astronauts aboard), built by McDonnell Aircraft Corp., into orbit. The Atlas attempted to place the Mercury spacecraft into its first orbital flight. The spacecraft was supposed to be launched in an orbital flight path and reentry was to be initiated about 90 minutes later as the craft neared the end of the first orbit. Unfortunately, this Atlas exploded at launch. Atlas was designed to launch payloads into low Earth orbit, geosynchronous transfer orbit or geosynchronous orbit. NASA first launched Atlas as a space launch vehicle in 1958. Project SCORE, the first communications satellite that transmitted President Eisenhower's pre-recorded Christmas speech around the world, was launched on an Atlas. For all three robotic lunar exploration programs, Atlas was used. Atlas/ Centaur vehicles launched both Mariner and Pioneer planetary probes. The current operational Atlas II family has a 100% mission success rating. For more information about Atlas, please see Chapter 2 in Roger Launius and Dennis Jenkins' book To Reach the High Frontier published by The University Press of Kentucky in 2002.
Date 04/23/1961
NASA Center Kennedy Space Center
John Glenn enters his Friend …
Title John Glenn enters his Friendship 7 capsule
Full Description Project Mercury astronaut John H. Glenn, Jr. enters his Mercury ?Friendship 7? capsule before launch on February 20, 1962. At 9:47 a.m. (EST), his Atlas launch vehicle lifted him into orbit for his flight lasting 4 hours, 55 minutes and 23 seconds. Onboard Friendship 7, Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth, and the third American to fly in space. A faulty signal indicating a problem with the heat shield forced NASA mission controllers to cut the flight to only three orbits, but Glenn returned to Earth safely.
Date 02/20/1967
NASA Center Johnson Space Center
John Glenn OK
Title John Glenn OK
Full Description Astronaut John Glenn and technicians inspect artwork that will be painted on the outside of his Mercury spacecraft. John Glenn nicknamed his capsule "Friendship 7". On February 20, 1962 astronaut John H. Glenn Jr. lifted off into space aboard his Mercury Atlas (MA-6) rocket and became the first American to orbit the Earth. After orbiting the Earth 3 times, Friendship 7 landed in the Atlantic Ocean 4 hours, 55 minutes and 23 seconds later, just East of Grand Turk Island in the Bahamas. Glenn and his capsule were recovered by the Navy Destroyer Noa, 21 minutes after splashdown.
Date 02/02/1962
NASA Center Johnson Space Center
Launch of Friendship 7
Title Launch of Friendship 7
Full Description Launch of Friendship 7, the first American manned orbital space flight. Astronaut John Glenn aboard, the Mercury-Atlas rocket is launched from Pad 14.
Date 2/20/1962
NASA Center Kennedy Space Center
Launch of Mercury-Atlas
Title Launch of Mercury-Atlas
Full Description In this Project Mercury test, a spacecraft booster by a modified Atlas was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Mercury capsule reached a peak altitude of 107 statute miles and landed 1.425 miles down range. Atlas was designed to launch payloads into low Earth orbit, geosynchronous transfer orbit or geosynchronous orbit. NASA first launched Atlas as a space launch vehicle in 1958. Project SCORE, the first communications satellite that transmitted President Eisenhower's pre-recorded Christmas speech around the world, was launched on an Atlas. For all three robotic lunar exploration programs, Atlas was used. Atlas/ Centaur vehicles launched both Mariner and Pioneer planetary probes. The current operational Atlas II family has a 100% mission success rating. For more information about Atlas, please see Chapter 2 in Roger Launius and Dennis Jenkins' book To Reach the High Frontier published by The University Press of Kentucky in 2002 (in which Dennis Jenkins notes on page 98 that "as a space launch vehicle there is no question that Atlas has made a mark for itself, and a great deal of money for its manufacturers").
Date 02/21/1961
NASA Center Kennedy Space Center
Mercury Atlas
Name of Image Mercury Atlas
Date of Image 1961-02-24
Full Description The launch of the Mercury Atlas (MA-2), an unmarned suborbital Mercury capsule test on February 24, 1961.
Atlas Big Joe
Name of Image Atlas Big Joe
Date of Image 1959-09-01
Full Description An Atlas launch vehicle carrying the Big Joe capsule leaves its launching pad on a 2,000-mile ballistic flight to the altitude of 100 miles. The Big Joe capsule is a boilerplate model of the marned orbital capsule under NASA's Project Mercury. The capsule was recovered and studied for the effect of re-entry heat and other flight stresses.
The Launch of the MA-6, Frie …
Name of Image The Launch of the MA-6, Friendship 7
Date of Image 1962-02-20
Full Description The launch of the MA-6, Friendship 7, on February 20, 1962. Boosted by the Mercury-Atlas vehicle, a modified Atlas Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), Friendship 7 was the first U.S. marned orbital flight and carried Astronaut John H. Glenn into orbit. Astronaut Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth.
Astronaut Scott Carpenter
Name of Image Astronaut Scott Carpenter
Date of Image 1959-04-27
Full Description Astronaut Scott Carpenter, one of the original seven astronauts for Mercury Project selected by NASA on April 27, 1959. Boosted by the Mercury-Atlas vehicle, the MA-7 mission made the second marned orbital flight by the United States, and carried Astronaut Carpenter aboard Aurora 7 spacecraft to orbit the Earth three times.
Astronaut John H. Glenn
Name of Image Astronaut John H. Glenn
Date of Image 1959-04-27
Full Description Astronaut John H. Glenn, one of the original seven astronauts for Mercury Project selected by NASA on April 27, 1959. The MA-6 mission, boosted by the Mercury-Atlas vehicle, was the first manned orbital launch by the United States, and carried Astronaut Glenn aboard the Friendship 7 spacecraft to orbit the Earth.
Astronaut L. Gordon Cooper
Name of Image Astronaut L. Gordon Cooper
Date of Image 1959-04-27
Full Description Astronaut L. Gordon Cooper, Jr., one of the original seven astronauts for Mercury Project selected by NASA on April 27, 1959. The MA-9 mission, boosted by the Mercury-Atlas launch vehicle, was the last flight of the Mercury Project. The Faith 7 spacecraft orbited the Earth 22 times in 1-1/2 days.
Astronaut Walter M. Schirra
Name of Image Astronaut Walter M. Schirra
Date of Image 1959-04-27
Full Description Astronaut Walter M. "Wally" Schirra, one of the original seven astronauts for Mercury Project selected by NASA on April 27, 1959. The MA-8 (Mercury-Atlas) mission with Sigma 7 spacecraft was the third marned orbital flight by the United States, and made the six orbits in 9-1/4 hours.
Astronaut John Glenn Enters …
Name of Image Astronaut John Glenn Enters Friendship 7
Date of Image 1962-02-20
Full Description Astronaut John Glenn enters the Mercury spacecraft, Friendship 7, prior to the launch of MA-6 on February 20, 1961 and became the first American who orbited the Earth. The MA-6 mission was the first manned orbital flight boosted by the Mercury-Atlas vehicle, a modified Atlas ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile), lasted for five hours, and orbited the Earth three times.
Launch of Atlas-Centaur, Mar …
Name of Image Launch of Atlas-Centaur, Mariner X
Date of Image 1973-11-03
Full Description The launch of the Atlas-Centaur carrying the Mariner X spacecraft on November 3, 1973. This mission was for the exploration of the planets Venus and Mercury.
Titan, Gemini 12, liftoff
Name of Image Titan, Gemini 12, liftoff
Date of Image 1966-11-11
Full Description The Gemini 12 astronauts James Lovell and Edwin Aldrin lifted off aboard a Titan launch vehicle from the Kennedy Space Center on November 11, 1966. an hour and a half after their Agena target vehicle was orbited by an Atlas rocket. The Gemini Program was an intermediate step between Project Mercury and the Apollo Program. The major objectives were to subject are two men and supporting equipment to long duration flights, to effect rendezvous and docking with other orbiting vehicle, and to perfect methods of reentry, and landing the spacecraft.
Atlas-Agena, Gemini 12, laun …
Name of Image Atlas-Agena, Gemini 12, launch
Date of Image 1966-11-11
Full Description The launch of an Atlas-Agena booster carrying the target vehicle for the Gemini 12 mission on November 11, 1966. The Gemini Program was the intermediate step between the Project Mercury and the Apollo Program. Major objectives of the Gemini Program were to subject two men and supporting equipment to long duration flights, and to effect rendezvous and docking with other orbiting vehicles.
Astronaut Glenn in the Frien …
Name of Image Astronaut Glenn in the Friendship 7
Date of Image 1962-02-20
Full Description Astronaut John Glenn in the Friendship 7 capsule during the first manned orbital flight, the MA-6 mission. Boosted by the Mercury-Atlas vehicle, a modified Atlas (intercontinental ballistic missile), the MA-6 mission lasted for 5 hours and orbited the Earth three times.
Astronaut John Glenn Enters …
Name of Image Astronaut John Glenn Enters Friendship 7
Date of Image 1962-02-20
Full Description Astronaut John Glenn enters the Mercury spacecraft, Friendship 7, prior to the launch of MA-6 on February 20, 1961 and became the first American who orbited the Earth. The MA-6 mission was the first manned orbital flight boosted by the Mercury-Atlas vehicle, a modified Atlas ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile), lasted for five hours, and orbited the Earth three times.
The Recovery Operation of th …
Name of Image The Recovery Operation of the Faith 7
Date of Image 1963-05-16
Full Description The recovery operation of the Faith 7 spacecraft after the completion of the 1-1/2 day orbital flight (MA-9 mission) with Astronaut Gordon Cooper. Navy frogmen attach the flotation collar to the spacecraft. The MA-9 mission was the last flight of the Mercury Project and launched on May 15, 1963 boosted by The Mercury-Atlas launch vehicle.
Early Rocketry Models
Name of Image Early Rocketry Models
Date of Image 1967-10-18
Full Description Photographed are models of early rocketry: The Atlas Mercury, Atlas Centaur, and Atlas Agena.
Early Rocketry Models
Name of Image Early Rocketry Models
Date of Image 1967-10-18
Full Description Photographed are models of early rocketry: The Atlas Mercury, Saturn C-1, and Saturn C-5.
Early Rocketry Models
Name of Image Early Rocketry Models
Date of Image 1967-10-17
Full Description Photographed are models of early rocketry: The Atlas Mercury, Redstone Mercury, and Saturn C-1.
Atlas Mercury Model
Name of Image Atlas Mercury Model
Date of Image 1962-12-08
Full Description Photographed is a model of early rocketry, the Atlas Mercury.
Mercury-Atlas 3 liftoff
Title Mercury-Atlas 3 liftoff
Description A NASA project Mercury spacecraft was launched at 11:15 AM on April 25, 1961 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The vehicle was destroyed by the Range Safety Officer about 40 seconds after liftoff.
Date 04.25.1961
Mercury-Atlas 3 liftoff and …
Title Mercury-Atlas 3 liftoff and separation of capsule
Description These four views were taken by an Igor camera during lift off of Mercury-Atlas 3. Forty seconds after the Atlas left the pad, the vehicle was destroyed by the Range Safety Officer. The Mercury spacecraft separated and was recovered off the Cape Shore.
Date 04.25.1961
Apollo
Title Apollo
Description An early lunar excursion model was designed on a Friday afternoon in early 1961 by John D. Bird and Ralph W. Stone, Jr., of Langley Research Center for project. Courtney G. Brooks, James M. Grimwood, and Loyd S. Swenson, Jr. wrote in Chariots For Apollo: A History of Manned Lunar Spacecraft: "From December 1960 to the summer of 1961, Langley continued its analyses of lunar-orbit rendezvous as it applied to a manned lunar landing. Bird and Stone among others, studied hardware concepts and procedures, ascent trajectories between the landing site and lunar orbit, and final rendezvous and docking maneuvers. Their findings were distributed in technical reports throughout NASA and in papers presented to professional organizations and space flight societies. In the spring of 1961, these Langley engineers compiled a paper proposing a three-phase plan for developing rendezvous capabilities that would ultimately lead to manned lunar landings: (1) MORAD (Manned Orbital Rendezvous and docking), using a Mercury capsule to prove the feasibility of manned rendezvous and to establish confidence in the techniques, (2) ARP (Apollo Rendezvous Phase), using Atlas, Agena, and Saturn vehicles to develop a variety of rendezvous capabilities in earth orbit, and (3) MALLIR (Manned Lunar Landing Involving Rendezvous), employing Saturn and Apollo components to place men on the moon." (p. 69)
Date 10.04.1961
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