The sixth column of the table shows the originally scheduled January 1959) launch date. This early schedule represented optimistic planning in that it assumed a trouble-free preparation and flight program. As the program progressed, some flights were eliminated, others added, and objectives expanded, based on experience gained.
Mission | Pilot | Date m/d/y | S/C No. | L/V No. | 'Orig.' scheduled in January 1959 | Orbits/period min:sec | Weightless time hr:min:sec | Flight duration hr:min:sec | Apogee/perigee, st. miles | Range, max., st. miles | Velocity max.- spa., fix. mph | Max. q, psf | Max. g | Primary objective | Results SC/LV |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
L/J-1 | ----- | 8/21/59 | BP | ----- | 7/59 | ----- | ----- | 0:00:20 | 0.4 | 0.5 | ----- | ----- | ----- | Max. q abort and escape | F |
Big Joe | ----- | 9/9/59 | BP | 10-D | 8/59 | ----- | ----- | 0:13:00 | 95 | 1,496 | 14,857 | 675 | 12 | Ablation heatshield | S/F |
LJ-6 | ----- | 10/4/59 | BP | ----- | Insert | ----- | ----- | 0:05:10 | 37 | 79 | 3,075 | 3,400 | 5.9 | Capsule aerodynamics and integrity | P |
LJ-1A | ----- | 11/4/59 | BP | ----- | Insert | ----- | ----- | 0:08:11 | 9 | 11 | 2,022 | 168 | 16.9 | Max. q abort and escape | P |
LJ-2 | 'Sam' monkey | 12/4/59 | BP | ----- | 9/59 | ----- | 3:13 | 0:11:06 | 53 | 194 | 4,466 | 2,150 | 14.8 | Primate escape at high altitude | S |
LJ-1B | 'Miss Sam' | 1/21/60 | BP | ----- | 11/59 | ----- | 0:28 | 0:08:35 | 9 | 12 | 2,022 | 1,070 | 4.5 | Max. q abort and escape | S |
Beach abort | ----- | 5/9/60 | 1 | ----- | Insert | ----- | ----- | 0:01:16 | 0.5 | 1 | 976 | ----- | ----- | Off-the-pad escape | S |
MA-1 | ----- | 7/29/60 | 4 | 50-D | 11/59 | ----- | ----- | 0:03:18 | 8.1 | 6 | 1,701 | ----- | ----- | Qualify S/C-Atlas combination | F |
LJ-5 | ----- | 11/8/60 | 3 | ----- | 12/59 | ----- | ----- | 0:02:22 | 10.1 | 14 | 1,785 | 1,420 | 6 | Qualify MAC S/C at max. q | F |
MR-1 | ----- | 11/21/60 | 2 | MR-1 | 10/59 | ----- | ----- | 0:00:02 | 0 | ----- | ----- | ----- | ----- | Qualify S/C-Redstone combination | F |
MR-1A | ----- | 12/19/60 | 2A | MR-3 | Insert | ----- | 5:30 | 0:15:45 | 130.7 | 235 | 4,909 | 560 | 12.4 | Qualify systems for suborbital | S |
MR-2 | 'Ham' chimp | 1/31/61 | 5 | MR-2 | 12/59 | ----- | 6:40 | 0:16:39 | 157 | 422 | 5,857 | 575 | 14.7 | Primate suborbital and auto abort | S/P |
MA-2 | ----- | 2/21/61 | 6 | 67-D | 1/60 | ----- | ----- | 0:17:56 | 114 | 1,432 | 13,227 | 991 | 15.9 | Qualify MA interface | S |
LJ-5A | ----- | 3/18/61 | 14 | ----- | Insert | ----- | ----- | 0:23:48 | 7.7 | 18 | 1,783 | 1,580 | 8 | Max. q escape and impact | P |
MR-BD | ----- | 3/24/61 | BP | MR-5 | Insert | ----- | ----- | 0:08:23 | 113.5 | 307 | 5,123 | 580 | 11 | Perfect MR booster | S |
MA-3 | Robot | 4/25/61 | 8 | 100-D | 2/60 | ----- | ----- | 0:07:19 | 4.5 | 0 | 1,177 | 880 | 11 | Quick test of S/C-Atlas orbit | F |
LJ-5B | ----- | 4/28/61 | 14A | ----- | Insert | ----- | ----- | 0:05:25 | 2.8 | 9 | 1,780 | 1,920 | 10 | Max. q escape and sequence | S/P |
MR-3 | Shepard: Freedom 7 | 5/5/61 | 7 | MR-7 | 1/60 | ----- | 5:16 | 0:15:28 | 116.5 | 303 | 5,134 | 580 | 11 | Evaluate man-in-space | S |
MR-4 | Grissom: Liberty Bell 7 | 7/21/61 | 11 | MR-8 | 2/60 | ----- | 5:18 | 0:15:37 | 118.3 | 302 | 5,168 | 610 | 11.1 | Corroborate man-in-space | P/S |
MA-4 | Robot | 9/13/61 | 8A | 88-D | 3/60 | 1/88:19 | 1:32:28 | 1:49:20 | 142.1/98.9 | 26,047 | 17,526 | 975 | 7.7 | S/C environmental control in orbit | P |
MS-1 | ----- | 11/1/61 | NA | Insert | ----- | ----- | 0:00:43 | ----- | ----- | ----- | ----- | ----- | ----- | ----- | F |
MA-5 | 'Enos' chimp | 11/29/61 | 9 | 93-D | 3/60 | 2/88:26 | 3:04:38 | 3:20:59 | 147.4/99.5 | 50,892 | 17,530 | 1,012 | 7.7 | Primate test of ECS in orbit | P/S |
MA-6 | Glenn: Friendship 7 | 2/20/62 | 13 | 109-D | 4/60 | 3/88:29 | 4:48:27 | 4:55:23 | 162.2/100 | 75,679 | 17,544 | 982 | 7.7 | Evaluate man-in-orbit | S |
MA-7 | Carpenter: Aurora 7 | 5/24/62 | 18 | 117-D | 5/60 | 3/88:32 | 4:39:32 | 4:56:05 | 166.8/99.9 | 76,021 | 17,549 | 967 | 7.8 | Corroborate man-in-orbit | S |
MA-8 | Schirra: Sigma 7 | 10/3/62 | 16 | 113-D | 6/60 | 6/88:55 | 8:56:22 | 9:13:11 | 175.8/100 | 143,983 | 17,558 | 964 | 8.1 | Man-machine in orbit for 9 hours | S |
MA-9 | Cooper: Faith 7 | 5/15/63 | 20 | 130-D | 8/60 | 22.5/88:45 | 34:03:30 | 34:19:49 | 156.9/100.3 | 546,167 | 17,547 | 974 | 7.6 | Manned 1-day mission in orbit | S |