Mercury

In-active Human Rated Unknown Crew Capacity: 1 Diameter: 1.8 m Height: 3.3 m

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

May 5, 1961

Human transportation to upper Earth atmosphere and low Earth orbit.

Flight Life

Between 15 minutes and 3 days.

Description

The Mercury spacecraft's principal designer was Maxime Faget, who started research for manned spaceflight during the time of the NACA. With 100 cubic feet (2.8 m3) of habitable volume, the capsule was just large enough for a single crew member. Inside were 120 controls: 55 electrical switches, 30 fuses and 35 mechanical levers. The heaviest spacecraft, Mercury-Atlas 9, weighed 3,000 pounds (1,400 kg) fully loaded. Its outer skin was made of René 41, a nickel alloy able to withstand high temperatures.

History

The Mercury spacecraft was the manned capsule used for suborbital and orbital launches during the Project Mercury, the first human spaceflight program of the United States, from 1958 through 1963.


National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Government
Administrator: Bill Nelson
NASA 1958

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. NASA have many launch facilities but most are inactive. The most commonly used pad will be LC-39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.


Falcon 9
Success
1 day, 14 hours ago
Dragon CRS-2 SpX-28
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Success
2 days, 17 hours ago
Starlink Group 6-4
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral, FL, USA

A batch of 22 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


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Success
1 week ago
Starlink Group 2-10
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A batch of satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


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Failure
1 week ago
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1 week, 1 day ago
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Fifth crewed flight to the Chinese space station.


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1 week, 2 days ago
IRNSS-1J (NVS-01)
Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad - Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India

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1 week, 4 days ago
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1 week, 4 days ago
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1 week, 5 days ago
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1 week, 5 days ago
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