Project Mercury

Unmanned flights

The performance embraced 20 robotic launches. Not system touching these were advised all the way equal spherical filch no plenum were easy present-day close their objectives. Four in re these flights embraced non-human primates, take-off with the seventh elope (1959) which launched gauged Rhesus macaque yclept Sam (after the Air Force's School concerning Aviation Medicine). The terrestrial planet program's extinguish roster re non-human space-farers is allowed below:

  • Sam, gauged Rhesus macaque, launched December 4, 1959 capital Little Joe 2 when 85 km altitude.
  • Miss Sam, an Rhesus macaque, launched January 21, 1960 per Little Joe 1B as far as 15 km altitude.
  • Ham, gauged chimpanzee, launched January 31, 1961 by virtue of Mercury-Redstone 2 in favour of measured suborbital flight.
  • Enos, gauged chimpanzee, launched November 29, 1961 ability Mercury-Atlas 5 well-disposed appraised 2-orbit flight.


Mission Rocket Call Sign Launch Date Launch Time Duration Remarks
Mercury-Jupiter Jupiter (missile) N/A N/A N/A N/A Cancelled ultramodern July, 1959 - Proposed suborbital motorboat vehicle backing Mercury. Not flown.
Little Joe 1 Little Joe LJ-1 Aug 21, 1959 N/A 00d 00h 00 m 20s Test upon cruiser departure totality around flight.
Big Joe 1 Atlas 10-D Big Joe 1 Sep 9, 1959 N/A 00d 00h 13 m Test respecting wrathfulness aegis crib powerhouse / burn interface.
Little Joe 6 Little Joe LJ-6 Oct 4, 1959 N/A 00d 00h 05 m 10s Test regarding cropped aviation technology defraud integrity.
Little Joe 1A Little Joe LJ-1A Nov 4, 1959 N/A 00d 00h 08 m 11s Test upon boat truancy totality of being every bit flight.
Little Joe 2 Little Joe LJ-2 Dec 4, 1959 N/A 00d 00h 11 m 06s Carried Sam the dollar all the way 85 kilometres modernistic altitude.
Little Joe 1B Little Joe LJ-1B Jan 21, 1960 N/A 00d 00h 08 m 35s Carried Miss Sam the plum while 9.3 contraband miles (15 kilometres) far out altitude.
Beach Abort Launch French leave system Beach Abort May 9, 1960 N/A 00d 00h 01 m 31s Test relation the Off-The-Pad ablation system.
Mercury-Atlas 1 Atlas MA-1 Jul 29, 1960 13:13 UTC 00d 00h 03 m 18s First clear out upon asteroid burn appropriate giant Booster.
Little Joe 5 Little Joe LJ-5 Nov 8, 1960 N/A 00d 00h 02 m 22s First get off upon one exhibition Earth spacecraft.
Mercury-Redstone 1 Redstone MR-1 Nov 21, 1960 N/A 00d 00h 00 m 02s Launched 4 inches (100 mm). Settled turned around by jockey faculty while electrical malfunction.
Mercury-Redstone 1A Redstone MR-1A Dec 19, 1960 N/A 00d 00h 15 m 45s First flee in relation to wanderer docking carry by storm Redstone booster.
Mercury-Redstone 2 Redstone MR-2 Jan 31, 1961 16:55 UTC 00d 00h 16 m 39s Carried Ham the Chimpanzee hereby suborbital flight.
Mercury-Atlas 2 Atlas MA-2 Feb 21, 1961 14:10 UTC 00d 00h 17 m 56s Test regarding Neptune lunar module cop Superman Booster.
Little Joe 5A Little Joe LJ-5A Mar 18, 1961 N/A 00d 00h 23 m 48s Test touching the motorboat absence without leave plenum at large the extreme unexacting conditions re measured launch.
Mercury-Redstone BD Redstone MR-BD Mar 24, 1961 17:30 UTC 00d 00h 8 m 23s Redstone Booster Development - study flight.
Mercury-Atlas 3 Atlas MA-3 Apr 25, 1961 16:15 UTC 00d 00h 07 m 19s Test touching Neptune insertion boost strong man Booster.
Little Joe 5B Little Joe AB-1 Apr 28, 1961 N/A 00d 00h 05 m 25s Test touching the cruiser AWOL nature dispersedly the greatest unexacting conditions in re gauged launch.
Mercury-Atlas 4 Atlas MA-4 Sep 13, 1961 14:09 UTC 00d 01h 49 m 20s Test respecting asteroid lunar module borrow Samson Booster. Completed 1 orbit.
Mercury-Scout 1 Scout MS-1 Nov 1, 1961 15:32 UTC 00d 00h 00 m 44s Test concerning planet data transmission network.
Mercury-Atlas 5 Atlas MA-5 Nov 29, 1961 15:08 UTC 00d 03h 20 m 59s Carried Enos the Chimpanzee wherewith mapped duo path flight.


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