Mercury Space Programs!

Mercury was focused on human spaceflight and occurred in the 1960s (1961).

On May 5, 1961, Mercury Redstone 3 was piloted by Alan Shepard.

It was called Mercury Redstone 3 because it was lofted by a Redstone rocket and freedom. 7 means the number signifying the seven Mercury astronauts.

Mercury-Redstone 4: Liberty Bell 7.

launched on July 21, 1961, with Virgil I. Grissom

After its suborbital flight, Liberty Bell 7 sank in the Atlantic Ocean. The capsule was recovered from the ocean floor in 1999.

The flight went as expected until just after splashdown, when the hatch cover, designed to release explosively in the event of an emergency, accidentally blew. Grissom was at risk of drowning but was recovered safely via a U.S. Navy helicopter. 

Mercury-Atlas 6: Friendship 7

On February 20, 1962, an Atlas launch vehicle propelled a Mercury spacecraft into Earth orbit and enabled astronaut John Glenn to circle Earth three times.

On May 24, 1962, M. Scott Carpenter completed the fourth crewed space flight of Project Mercury, circling Earth three times and performing experiments in orbit.

Mercury-Atlas 8: Sigma 7

Mercury Atlas 8 (MA-8 Sigma 7) was the third manned orbital flight of the Mercury program. The objectives of MA-8 were to evaluate the performance of the man-spacecraft system in a six-pass orbital mission; evaluate the effects of an extended orbital space flight on the astronaut; obtain additional astronaut evaluation of the operational suitability of the spacecraft and support systems for manned orbital flights; evaluate the performance of spacecraft systems replaced or modified as a result of the previous three-pass orbital missions; and evaluate the performance of and exercise further the Mercury Worldwide Network and mission support forces and establish their suitability for extended manned flight.

Launched Oct. 3, 1962, with Walter M. Schirra.

Mercury-Atlas 9: Faith 7

launched May 15, 1963, with L. Gordon Cooper, Jr.

landed on May 16, 1963,

Mercury-Atlas 9: Faith 7 was the last crewed mission of Project Mercury.

L. Gordon Cooper, Jr. completed 22 orbits around the Earth, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.

AND THAT’S IT FOR THE MERCURY SPACE PROGRAM!