Missiona |
Spacecraftb |
Launch date |
Flight duration c hr:min:sec |
Occupant |
Basic test objective d |
Summary of results e |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||
LJ-1 | BP | Aug. 21, 1959 | 00:00:20 | - |
Max. dynamic pressure abort; evaluate launch escape and recovery systems. |
Object. not met; inadvertent abort initiated during countdown. |
Big Joe | BP | Sept. 9, 1959 | 00:13:00 | - |
Ballistic flight; evaluate heat-protection concept, aerodynamic shape, and recovery system. |
Successful. |
LJ-6 | BP | Oct. 4, 1959 | 00:05:10 | - |
Ballistic flight; qualify launch-vehicle structure; evaluate command system. |
Successful. |
LJ-1A | BP | Nov. 4, 1959 | 00:08:11 | - |
Max. dynamic pressure abort; same as LJ-1. |
Primary object. not met; escape motor ignition was late during reduced pressure region. |
LJ-2 | BP | Dec. 4, 1959 | 00:11:06 | Rhesus monkey |
High-altitude abort; evaluate launch, abort, and recovery dynamics on S/C; recovery. |
Successful. |
LJ-1B | BP | Jan. 21, 1960 | 00:08:35 | Rhesus monkey |
Max. dynamic pressure abort; same as LJ-1A; evaluate launch and abort. |
Successful. |
Beach abort | S/C 1 | May 9, 1960 | 00:01:16 | - |
Off-the-pad abort; qualify structure and launch escape system for simulated pad abort. |
Successful; expended rocket motor and tower not separated as quickly as expected. |
MA-1 | S/C 4 | July 29, 1960 | 00:03:18 | - |
Ballistic flight; S/C-launch vehicle compatibility; thermal loads in critical abort. |
Object. not met; mission failed at about 60 sec. after lift-off; S/C not recovered. |
LJ-5 | S/C 3 | Nov. 8, 1960 | 00:02:22 | - |
Max. dynamic pressure abort; qualify launch escape system and structure. |
Object. not met; S/C did not separate from launch vehicle. |
MR-1 | S/C 2 | Nov. 21, 1960 | 00:00:00 | Simulated man |
Suborbital flight; qualify S/C-launch-vehicle compatibility, posigrades, ASCS. |
Test object. not met; launch vehicle shutdown at lift-off; S/C landing system correctly deployed. |
MR-1A | S/C 2 | Dec. 19, 1960 | 00:15:45 | Simulated man |
Suborbital flight; same as MR-1. |
Successful; cutoff overspeed caused overshoot. |
MR-2 | S/C 5 | Feb. 21, 1961 | 00:16:39 | Chimpanzee |
Suborbital flight; qualify ECS, landing bag. |
Successful; launch vehicle failed to shutdown until fuel depletion, S/C overshot by 130 miles. |
MA-2 | S/C 6 | Feb. 21, 1961 | 00:17:56 | - |
Ballistic flight; same as MA-1. |
Successful. |
LJ-5A | S/C 14 | Mar. 18, 1961 | 00:23:48 | - |
Max. dynamic pressure abort; same as LJ-5. |
Object. not met; escape rocket ignited early; S/C recovered intact. |
MR-BD | BP | Mar. 24, 1961 | 00:08:23 | - |
Suborbital flight; evaluate modifications to correct MR-1 and MR-2 malfunctions. |
Successful. |
MA-3 | S/C 8 | Apr. 25, 1961 | 00:07:19 | Simulated man |
One-pass orbital flight; evaluate all S/C systems, network, recovery forces. |
Object. not met; launch vehicle failed to follow roll program; S/C escape system operated. |
LJ-5B | S/C 14A | Apr. 28, 1961 | 00:05:25 | - |
Max. dynamic pressure abort; same as LJ-5 and LJ-5A. |
Successful. |
MR-3 | S/C 7 | May 5, 1961 | 00:15:22 | Alan B. Shepard |
Suborbital flight; familiarize man with space flight; evaluate response and S/C control. |
Successful; first American astronaut in space. |
MR-4 | S/C 11 | July 21, 1961 | 00:15:37 | Virgil I. Grissom |
Suborbital flight; same as MR-3. |
Successful; premature hatch release caused S/C to take water and sink; astronaut recovered. |
MA-4 | S/C 8A | Sept. 13, 1961 | 01:49:20 | Simulated man. |
One-pass orbital flight; same as MA-3. |
Successful; open circuit in control system caused S/C to land 75 miles uprange; S/C recovered. |
MA-5 | S/C 9 | Nov. 29, 1961 | 03:20:59 | Chimpanzee |
Three-pass orbital flight; qualify all systems, network, for orbital flight recovery. |
Successful; control system malfunction terminated flight after two passes. |
MA-6 | S/C 13 | Feb. 20, 1962 | 04:55:23 | John H. Glenn Jr. |
Three-pass orbital flight; evaluate effects and performance of astronaut in space; astronaut's evaluation of S/C and support. |
Successful; first American to orbit earth; control system malfunction required manual retrofire and reentry; erroneous T/M signal, retropack retained through reentry; S/C landed 40 miles uprange. |
MA-7 | S/C 18 | May 24, 1962 | 04:56:05 | M. Scott Carpenter |
Three-pass orbital flight; same as MA-6; evaluate S/C modifications and network. |
Successful; horizon scanner circuit malfunction required manual retrofire; yaw error caused S/C to land 250 miles downrange, recovery in 3 hours. |
MA-8 | S/C 16 | Oct. 3, 1962 | 09:13:11 | Walter M. Schirra |
Six-pass orbital flight; same as MA-6 and MA-7 except for extended duration. |
Successful; partially blocked ECS coolant valve delayed stabilization suit temperature until 2nd pass; S/C landed 4 1/2 miles from primary recovery ship. |
MA-9 | S/C 20 | May 15, 1963 | 34:19:49 | L. Gordon Cooper Jr. |
Twenty-two pass orbital flight; evaluate effects on man up to 1 day in space; verify man as primary S/C system. |
Successful; short circuit late in flight disabled ASCS, inverters, prompted manual retrofire and reentry; S/C landed 4 1/2 miles from ship. |