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 * Category 1 – Mercury & Gemini **
 * Mercury PROGRAM || NASA Past ||
 * Gemini PROGRAM || NASA Past ||

NASA PAST Missions http://www.nasa.gov/missions/past/index.html

Many of the Apollo personnel had worked through both the Mercury and Gemini flights.

The //__**Gemini Program**__// was a necessary intermediate step between Project Mercury and the Apollo Program, and had four objectives: 1) To subject astronauts to long duration flights- a requirement for projected later trips to the moon or deeper space; 2) to develop effective methods of rendezvous and docking with other orbiting vehicles, and to maneuver the docked vehicles in space; 3) to perfect methods of reentry and landing the spacecraft at a pre-selected land-landing point; 4) to gain additional information concerning the effects of weightlessness on crew members and to record the physiological reactions of crew members during long duration flights.

Initiated in 1958, completed in 1963, Project Mercury was the United States' first man-in-space program. The objectives of the program, which made six manned flights from 1961 to 1963:
 * To orbit a manned spacecraft around Earth
 * To investigate man's ability to function in space
 * To recover both man and spacecraft safely


 * __MERCURY:__**


 * Introduction**

//(Excerpt 1*)// The actual beginning of the effort that resulted in manned space flight cannot be pinpointed although it is known that the thought has been in the mind of man throughout recorded history. It was only in the last decade, however, that technology had developed to the point where man could actually transform his ideas into hardware to achieve space flight. Specific studies and tests conducted by government and industry culminating in 1958 indicated the feasibility of manned space flight. Implementation was initiated to establish a national manned space-flight project, later named Project Mercury, on October 7, 1958. The life of Project Mercury was about 4 2/3 years, from the time of its official go-ahead to the completion of the 34-hour orbital mission of Astronaut Cooper. During this period, much has been learned about man's capabilities in the space environment and his capabilities in earthbound activities which enabled the successful accomplishment of the objectives of the Mercury Project in this relatively short period. It is the purpose of this paper to review the more significant facets of the project beginning with the objectives of the project and the guidelines which were established to govern the activity. As in any form of human endeavor, there are certain signs which serve as the outward indication of activity and progress. For the Mercury Project, these signs were the major full-scale flight tests.

These tests will be reviewed with particular emphasis on schedule, the individual mission objectives, and the results from each mission. Then, the organization with which management directed the activities of Project Mercury will be explained, particularly with respect to those internal interfaces between major segments of NASA and those external interfaces with contractors and other governmental departments.

The resources expended during the project will be explained with discussions on manpower and cost. In addition, the major results of the project will be discussed as will those areas which presented severe obstacles to technical progress.

//* 1. These are excerpts from a NASA book entitled, NASA SP-45, "Mercury Project Summary, Including Results of the Fourth Manned Orbital Flight, May 15 and 16, 1963. The publication date is October 1963.//

Unmanned Missions:


 * [|LJ-1] Little Joe 1
 * [|BJ-1] Big Joe 1
 * [|LJ-6] Little Joe 6
 * [|LJ-1A] Little Joe 1A
 * [|LJ-2] Little Joe 2
 * [|LJ-1B] Little Joe 1B
 * [|BA-1] Beach Abort
 * [|MA-1] Mercury-Atlas 1
 * [|LJ-5] Little Joe 5
 * [|MR-1] Mercury-Redstone 1
 * [|MR-1A] Mercury-Redstone 1A
 * [|MR-2] Mercury-Redstone 2
 * [|MA-2] Mercury-Atlas 2
 * [|LJ-5A] Little Joe 5A
 * [|MR-BD] Mercury-BD
 * [|MA-3] Mercury-Atlas 3
 * [|LJ-5B] Little Joe 5B
 * [|MA-4] Mercury-Atlas 4
 * [|MS-1] Mercury-Scout 1
 * [|MA-5] Mercury-Atlas 5

Manned Missions:

Mercury, America's first human space flight program, introduced the nation to its first astronauts. There were six total flights with six astronauts flown. Total flight time for these missions was 53 hours, 55 minutes and 27 seconds.

Spacecraft: [|FREEDOM 7] Mission Date: May 5, 1961 Astronaut: Alan B. Shepard, Jr. Flight Summary: 15 minutes, 28 seconds -- Suborbital flight that successfully put the first American in space.
 * Mercury-Redstone 3**

Spacecraft: [|LIBERTY BELL 7] Mission Date: July 21, 1961 Astronaut: Virgil I. Grissom Flight Summary: 15 minutes, 37 seconds -- Suborbital flight, successful flight but the spacecraft sank shortly after splashdown.
 * Mercury-Redstone 4**

Spacecraft: [|FRIENDSHIP 7] Mission Date: February 20, 1962 Astronaut: John H. Glenn, Jr. Flight Summary: 4 hours, 55 minutes, 23 seconds -- Three-orbit flight that placed the first American into orbit.
 * Mercury-Atlas 6**

Spacecraft: [|AURORA 7] Mission Date: May 24, 1962 Astronaut: Scott M. Carpenter Flight Summary: 4 hours, 56 minutes, 5 seconds -- Confirmed the success of the Mercury-Atlas 6 by duplicating the flight.
 * Mercury-Atlas 7**

Spacecraft: [|SIGMA 7] Mission Date: October 3, 1962 Astronaut: Walter M. Schirra Flight Summary: 9 hours, 13 minutes, 11 seconds -- Six-orbit engineering test flight.
 * Mercury-Atlas 8**

Spacecraft: [|FAITH 7] Mission Date: May 15-16, 1963 Astronaut: L. Gordon Cooper, Jr. Flight Summary: 34 hours, 19 minutes, 49 seconds -- The last Mercury mission; completed 22 orbits to evaluate effects of one day in space.
 * Mercury-Atlas 9**


 * __GEMINI:__**

PROJECT GEMINI

The second U.S. manned space program was announced in January 1962. Its two-man crew gave it its name, Gemini, for the third constellation of the Zodiac and its twin stars, Castor and Pollux. Gemini involved 12 flights, including two unmanned flight tests of the equipment. Like Mercury's, its major objectives were clear-cut:

up to two weeks in duration;
 * To subject man and equipment to space flight

and to maneuver the docked combination by using the target vehicle's propulsion system;
 * To rendezvous and dock with orbiting vehicles

and landing at a preselected point on land. Its goals were also met, with the exception of a land landing, which was cancelled in 1964.
 * To perfect methods of entering the atmosphere

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The Gemini Program was conceived after it became evident to NASA officials that an intermediate step was required between Project Mercury and the Apollo Program. The major objectives assigned to Gemini were:

To subject two men and supporting equipment to long duration flights -- a requirement for projected later trips to the moon or deeper space.

To effect rendezvous and docking with other orbiting vehicles, and to maneuver the docked vehicles in space, using the propulsion system of the target vehicle for such maneuvers.

To perfect methods of reentry and landing the spacecraft at a pre-selected land-landing point.

To gain additional information concerning the effects of weightlessness on crew members and to record the physiological reactions of crew members during long duration flights.

Un-Manned Missions

 * GT-01 [|Gemini I]
 * GT-02 [|Gemini II]

Manned Missions

 * GT-03 [|Gemini 3]
 * GT-04 [|Gemini IV]
 * GT-05 [|Gemini V]
 * GT-07 [|Gemini VII]
 * GT-06 [|Gemini VI-A]
 * GT-08 [|Gemini VIII]
 * GT-09 [|Gemini IX-A]
 * GT-10 [|Gemini X]
 * GT-11 [|Gemini XI]
 * GT-12 [|Gemini XII]

=WES, YOU BETTER NOT SCREW THIS UP!!!!=

Mercury

SPACE MEN!!!!



Gemini 6



=Questions: )= 1. What was the first U.S. Spaceship? The first U.S. spaceship was a cone-shaped one-man capsule with a cylinder mounted on top.    2.What was America's first human spaceflight program?   Mercury, America's first human space flight program, introduced the nation to its first astronauts. There were six total flights with six astronauts flown. Total flight time for these missions was 53 hours, 55 minutes and 27 seconds. 3.Who was the first american in space? //**May 5, 1961:** Freedom 7//, the first piloted Mercury spacecraft (No. 7) carrying Astronaut Alan B. Shepard, Jr., was launched from Cape Canaveral by MercuryRedstone (MR3) launch vehicle, to an altitude of 115 nautical miles and a range of 302 miles. It was the first American space flight involving human beings. 4.What was the first space program? Mercury  5. How long did the Gemini program last?    March 23, 1965 -- Nov. 15, 1966)