NEWS R E L E A S E

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

1520 H S T R E E T , N O R T H W E S T ' WASHINGTON 2 5 , D. C .
TELEPHONES: DUDLEY 2 - 6 3 2 5 . EXECUTIVE 3 - 3 2 6 0

FOR RELEASE: December 19, - _ 1960 L

RELEASE NO. 60-322 ll:l7 a . m .

SUCCESSFUL TEST OF MR-1

Cape Canaveral, F l o r i d a - P r o j e c t Mercury s p a c e c r a f t was launched

on a modified Redstone b o o s t e r i n a s u b o r b i t a l b a l l i s t i c t r a j e c t o r y
a t ll:l5 a.m. EST here today.
The t e s t , conducted b y t h e National Aeronautics and Space
Administration i s designed t o q u a l i f y t h e production v e r s i o n of t h e
s p a c e c r a f t i n t h e environment of s p a c e . The c r a f t i s n o t manned, nor doea
i t c a r r y any animals o r b i o l o g i c a l specimens.
ll:32 a . m .
Cape Canaveral, F l o r i d a - Preliminary data i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e
P r o j e c t Mercury s p a c e c r a f t launched a t ll:l5 a . m . EST h e r e today
appeared t o f l y t h e preplanned s u b o r b i t a l b a l l i s t i c t r a j e c t o r y and
impacted approximately 235 s t a t u t e m i l e s downrange, Recovery s h i p s
a r e now being d i r e c t e d t o t h e impact a r e a ,
A l l Mercury Capsule systems appeared t o o p e r a t e p r o p e r l y .

Cape Canaveral, F l o r i d a - A P r o j e c t Mercury s p a c e c r a f t , launched

h e r e a t ll:l5 % , m e EST today, was s u c c e s s f u l l y recovered by a h e l i -
c o p t e r from t h e USS Valley Forge approximately 235 s t a t u t e m i l e s down
t h e A t l a n t i c M i s s i l e Range a t ll:46 a , m . EST,

Manufactured by t h e McDonnell A i r c r a f t Corporation, t h e space-

c r a f t was similar t o t h o s e which w i l l c a r r y f i r s t an animal and
l a t e r a man i n t o o r b i t around t h e e a r t h . I n t h i s t e s t , t h e c r a f t
was c a r r i e d t o a n a l t i t u d e of about 135 s t a t u t e m i l e s and t o a
speed of approximately 4,200 miles p e r hour by i t s Redstone b o o s t e r .
The t e s t was conducted t o q u a l i f y a production v e r s i o n of t h e
Mercury c r a f t , and its systems, durfng s u b o r b i t a l f l i g h t i n t o t h e
space environment,
The s p a c e c r a f t w i l l b e r e t u r n e d t o NASA research f a c i l i t i e s
f o r p o s t f l i g h t examination and a n a l y s i s of t e s t data.
The s p a c e c r a f t w a s p l a c e d on t h e c a r r i e r deck a t 1 2 ~ 0 3p . m .
 NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
WASW1NOTON 25, 0 . C.
RELEASE 'NO. 60-322-1 HOLD FOR RELEASE
UNTIL LAUNCmD

MR-1 FLIGHT TEST PROFILE

Purpose of the Mercury-Redstone series is to qualify a

production spacecraft with its many interrelated systems in a
space environment. Later Redstone flights will be used to train the
astronauts f o r orbital missions by subjecting them to rocket-boosted
flight and periods of weightlessness.
These broad objectives of the Mercury-Redstone series are
generally understood by the public -- perhaps so well understood
that the technical hurdles inherent in such a development program
may be obscured or at least minimized to an unrealistic degree.
For example, take the several attempts at launching the first
Mercury-Redstone.
On November 7, 1960, a Mercury-Redstone attempt was "scrubbed"
22 minutes before launch time. Reason: A valve in the spacecraft's
reaction control jet system, which controls the attitude of the
spacecraft in flight, was not functioning properly. Within a few
days, the trouble had been remedied.
In another attempt two weeks later, the countdown proceeded
with a minimum of delay. Then, milliseconds after ignition, the
booster rose about an inch off the pad and shut itself down.
Whereupon the escape rocket and tower-jettison rocket atop the
spacecraft, acting on the booster cutoff signal, ignited and carried

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the escape tower structure off the capsule just as they would have
done following normal booster cutoff at some 35 miles altitude.
(See Mercury-Redstione Press Conference of November 25, 1960, at
NASA, Washington,) Immediately, the spacecraft s parachutes were
deployed as they are designed to do when their controls sense
thick atmosphere.
In other words, the spacecraft did exactly what it was built
to do under the circumstances. But what about the premature engine
cutoff?
The trouble was traced to a plug which grounds the booster
electrically. The plug had disengaged a fraction of a second too
soon. The Redstone engine sensed something was wrong and shut itself
down. The solution? A relatively simple one: Make the ground
connection cable a few inches longer to insure that it disengages
last in sequence with several other pad-to-booster connectidns.
Another change in the MR-1 system grew out of the November 21
experience. In todays flight;, a timer device has been interposed
between the engine and the escape-tower jettison rockets t o prevent
a similar engine cutoff signal getting through to the tower until
the booster has neared the end of its normal burning time. However,
the circuitry is such that an abort -- wherein the escape rocket
would pull the spacecraft free of the booster in case of booster
malfunction -- can be commanded from the ground by pushing a
Mayday button.

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The booster in the November 21 attempt suffered some slight

damage and has been replaced in today's test. The spacecraft,
houlever, is the same one, refitted with a new tower and parachutes.
These, then, are the sorbof problems that crop up in a complex
development program like Mercury -- the M n d of "de-bugging"
necessary in every new piece of machinery and the reason why a
number of Redstone, Little Joe and Atlas-boosted flight tests were
built into the Mercury test program.
In today's test, the spacecraft will not be manned, nor will it
contain any animals o r biological specimens.
The blue-gray craft, which wefghs about 1 ton, is t o follow a
ballistic arc peaking at approximately 130 statute miles and splashing
about 220 statute miles downrange in roughly 16 minutes. At burnout,
the cone-shaped spacecraft should be moving at a speed of a little
over 4,000 statute miles an hour.
The flight is to provide 6g acceleration during the boost
phase, about 5* minutes of zero g (weightlessness) after booster
and spacecraft are separated and as much as an llg deceleration
during reentry.
In rapid sequence at 35 miles altitude about 140 seconds after
lift-off, (1) the booster burns out; ( 2 ) the escape tower jettisons
and (3) three posigrade rockets at the base of the spacecraft will
be fired to push the craft ahead and away from the booster,
Immediately following separation, an automatic stabilization
and control system (ASCS) removes any irregular spacecraft motions
which might result from the separation action. The control system

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will steady the capsule's attitude by releasing puises of hydrogen
peroxide gas through jets at the neck and base of the craft.
About 5 seconds after separation, ASCS will swing the space-
craft around t o the normal heat-shield-forward position.
As the craft nears the peak of its arcing flight, reaction
control jets will shove the blunt face up 3 5 O above the horizontal
plane. Then as the craft hits peak altitude, 3 retrorockets attached
to the heat shield will be fired in rapid succession,
Firing in the direction of flight, the retros in an orbital
flight would act as brakes, slowing the spacecraft slightly and
t h u s letting gravity assert itself, pulling the craft back toward
earth. It should be emphasized that while the retros are -
not
needed to perform Mercury-Redstone missions, they will be exercised
as a part of the over-all systems qualification program.
After the retropackage is fired, it will be jettisoned from
the base of the heat shield and ASCS will orient the craft in a
heat-shield-down position for the plunge back to earth, As the
craft encounters atmospheric friction at roughly 50 to 45 miles
altitude, ASCS will work to correct any spacecraft oscillations
or pendulum motions which might begin during reentry, The control
system also will start the craft turning on its vertical axis in
a slow top-like motion to reduce landing point dispersions,
At 21,000 feet, a pressure-sensitive switch will deploy a
6-foot-wide drogue parachute which is to help curb t h e speed of
the spacecraft which by this point should be moving at something
like 250 miles an hour. Then at 10,000 feet, the antenna canister
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a t o p t h e c a p s u l e w i l l be mortared o f f , u n f u r l i n g a 63-footrwide
main c h u t e , Simultaneously, radar chaff w i l l be s c a t t e r e d t o a i d
radar t r a c k i n g , a r a d i o beacon w i l l be a c t i v a t e d , and a n e x p l o s i v e
d e v i c e c a l l e d a SOFAR bomb, s e t t o explode 2,500 f e e t underwater,
w i l l be released.
Upon touchdown, a switch j e t t i s o n s t h e c h u t e t o avoid dragging
t h e s p a c e c r a f t i n t h e wind, a high i n t e n s i t y l i g h t s t a r t s f l a s h i n g ,
and sea-marking dye s p r e a d s around t h e s p a c e c r a f t .
The conic c r a f t measures 6 f e e t a c r o s s i t s b l u n t base and
s t a n d s 9 f e e t high. With escape tower i n p l a c e , t h e o v e r - a l l l e n g t h

from t h e base of the h e a t s h i e l d t o t h e t i p of t h e t o w e r ' s aero-

dynamic s p i k e i s 24* f e e t .
Mounted on t o p of t h e metal escape tower i s a s o l i d - p r o p e l l a n t
escape r o c k e t w i t h three n o z z l e s p o i n t e d down and away from t h e
spacecraft. I n a n off-the-pad a b o r t s i t u a t i o n , t h i s r o c k e t can
p u l l t h e s p a c e c r a f t o f f t h e b o o s t e r and put 250 f e e t between t h e
two i n 1 second. The peak of such a n escape maneuver i s about
2,600 f e e t , followed by t h e normal l a n d i n g sequence by p a r a c h u t e .
Should t r o u b l e develop i n t h e b o o s t e r d u r i n g t h e boost phase, t h e
escape maneuver i s e s s e n t i a l l y t h e same, however, t h e s e p a r a t i o n
d i s t a n c e w i t h i n 1 second may be as low a s 125 f e e t i n s t e a d of 250
i'eet *
I n t h i s , as i n a l l Mercury-Redstone and Mercury-Atlas f l i g h t s ,
t h e booster i s equipped w i t h a n a b o r t s e n s i n g mechanism. In this
Mercury-Redstone t e s t f l i g h t , however, t h e a b o r t s e n s i n g system w i l l
r i d e "open l o o p , " That i s , i t w i l l be wired t o s e n s e t r o u b l e i n t h e

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booster but it wlll not be able to automatically tpigger the escape
rocket as in later flights. The reason for having it on an "open
loop" basis is t o let engineers monitor its operation very closely
in this first test of the Redstone system; in later flights it will
be set to trigger the escape rocket automatically, should an
impending launch vehicle failure be indicated.
In this test, an escape or "Mayday" command can be initiated by
the launch director in the blockhouse, the Range Safety Officer in
AMR Central Control or by the flight director in Merccry Control
Center.
Within the double-walled nickel-alloy spacecraft shell is a
presurfzed cabin, flight instrument panel, several cameras, recovery
aids, communications equipment and devices to monitor capsule and
system stress and performance.
The communication system for MR-1 includes two telemetry trans-
mitters which are completely redundant, each providing four
channels to send information back to ground stations. S i x of
these channels will transmit continuous spacecraft attitude
information -- pitch, roll and yaw, the three axial motions possible
in such a craft. The o t h e r two channels will send data measurements
from 90 different points throughout the spacecraft monitoring
structural heating, cabin temperatures, pressures, noise and
vibration. In addition, onboard recorders will record all this
information for postflight analysis. The spacecraft also is
equipped with two separate command receivers, either of which is
capable of (1) signaling an abort or ( 2 ) firing the retrorockets.
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Additional communications include two 'radar tiaacking beacons
which will be used as the primary tracking means for position-fixing
during flight and a UHF recovery beacon which will go into operation
during parachute descent and can run for approximately 12 hours after
landing.
Powering these and other electronic systems will be silver-zinc
batteries.
The blunt end of spacecraft in this flight will be protected
from reentry heat by a beryllium shield. This differs from the
ablative plastic shield to be used in later Atlas-boosted flights.
In the Atlas flights, the shield will be subjected to temperatures
of around 3,000' F. In the Redstone flights, however, heat shield
temperatures are relatively insignificant due to the greatly reduced
spacecraft speed: 17,400 mph for Atlas flights against 4,000 rnph
for the Redstone.
A 16-ITU~
camera, installed to the left of where the pilot's
head would be, will record the functions of the cockpit instrument
display panel. There will be no astronaut couch in this capsule.
In its place will ride extra instrument boxes and ballast weights.
Over-all control for the MR-1 test will be exercised by the
Mercury Operations Director in the Mercury Control Center.
Detailed flight control will be the responsibility of the Flight
Director and a staff of flight controllers operating from consoles
in Mercury Control Center.
 NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
WASMINOTON 25. 0 . c.
RELEASE NO. 60-322-2 HOLD FOR RELEASE
UNTIL LAUNCHED
SPACE TASK GROUP FACT SHEET
I. BACKGROUND

The Space Task Group, a unit of the National Aeronautics and

Space Administration's Goddard Space Flight Center, is located at
Langley F i e l d , Virginia. The group came into existence in the Fall
of 1958 with specific responsibility for putting a manned satellite
into orbit with subsequent safe recovery to investigate man's
capabilities in a space environment. During the year preceding
formation of the task group, several members of the NASA Langley
Research Center staff had conducted experimental and theoretical
studies into problems of manned space flight.
Dr. T. Keith Qlennan, NASA Administrator, ordered that the task
group be organized, and the Langley Center released a number of
scientists to the group. These men formed its nucleus.

11. ORGANIZATION
The group is headed by a Project Director, Robert R. Gilruth,
who was an Assistant Director of the Langley Research Center before
he was appointed to his present post, Associate Project Director
f o r Research and Development is Charles J. Donlan. Mr. Walter C.
Williams is Associate Director for Operations and acts as Operations
Director during flight tests.

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Chief of the Operations Division is Charles W, Mathew. Maxime

A. Faget heads the Flight Systems Division, James A, Chamberlin is
Chief of the Engineering Division,
Scope of the Operations Division includes launching, flight
operations, recovery, ground support, and developmental testing.
The Flight Systems Division work involves heat shielding, structures,
navigation, rocket boosters, escape, life support, and systems integration.
Areas of the work within the Engineering Division are design
engineering, specifications, contract negotiation, and contract monitoring,
Continuous informational and operational liaison is maintained with
the Defense Department.

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I11 FACILITIES AVAILABLE TO IMPUEMF,NT PROGRAM
The Space Task Group is calling on facilities of the NASA, the Armed
Services, universities, and industry in the Project Mercury Program,
Much basic and developmental research is being conducted at NASA
centers in aerodynamics, structures, guidance, stability and control and
flight support, The work of this group in connection with Project Mercury
is also providing the technical and managerial base upon which future
manned space flight programs may be built.
Human factors facilities in such fields as weightlessness and
high acceleration and deceleration are being furnished by the Department
of Defense.
Industrial resources w i l l fabricate the spacecraft and equip it
for its flight, The McDonnell Aircraft Corporation of St, Louis,
Missouri, was selected as prime contractor for the spacecraft in
January, 1959.

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IV, FUTURE PROJECTS

Project Mercury is a basic steppingstone in development of manned
space exploration bechniques, Because the project is without; precebnt,
no time sohedule can be given for accomplishing the required develop-
mental programs. Logically, man's initial orbital flight will be
followed by research t o refine performance, much the same a6 is done
in aircraft research,
As man's capabilities in space are determined, it is expected

that the program will extend in the future to sending three men on
circumlunar and earth-orbiting flights (Project A p o l l o ) ,
 NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
WASHINGTON 25, D. C.
RELEASE NO. 60-322-3 HOLD FOR RELEASE
UNTIL LAUNCKED

Marshall C e n t e r C o n t r i b u t i o n : Mercury-Redstone Booster

The Mercury-Redstone b o o s t e r used i n t o d a y ' s P r o j e c t Mercury launch-

i n g was provided and launched f o r the Space Task Group by the Marshall
Space F l i g h t Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration,
The v e h i c l e i s based upon t h e Amnyrs Redstone b o o s t e r which was
designed and developed by Marshall s c i e n t i s t s and t e c h n i c i a n s p r i o r t o
t h e i r t r a n s f e r t o NASA. Extensive m o d i f i c a t i o n s were i n c o r p o r a t e d t o
a d a p t the r o c k e t t o t h i s s p e c i a l r o l e , w i t h major emphasis on i n c r e a s e d

reliability. The Redstone b o o s t e r has a l r e a d y achieved a s i g n i f i c a n t

r e c o r d of r e l i a b l e f l i g h t i n a launching h i s t o r y which extends o v e r t h e
past 7 years.
Changes i n t h e system f o r the Mercury mission i n c l u d e the e l o n g a t i o n
of t h e tank s e c t i o n t o i n c r e a s e f u e l c a p a c i t y , t h e d e s i g n of a new i n -
strument compartment and a d a p t e r s e c t i o n t o accommodate t h e Mercury
s p a c e c r a f t , changes i n engine and the c o n t r o l system i n t h e i n t e r e s t
of s i m p l i c i t y , improved r e l i a b i l i t y and i n c r e a s e d performance, and t h e
development of a mission a b o r t system t o a s s u r e s a f e t y of t h e space-
c r a f t and, on l a t e r launchings, i t s occupant.
The Mercury-Redstone i s 83 f e e t i n h e i g h t , i n c l u d i n g t h e space-
c r a f t assembly, compared t o t h e 69 f e e t of t h e o r d i n a r y Redstone, The
body of t h e r o c k e t i s 70 i n c h e s i n diameter. The l i f t - o f f weight i s

66, 000 pounds i n c l u d i n g t h e one-ton Mercury s p a c e c r a f t .

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REDSTONE MODIFICATIONS
M o d i f i c a t i o n s t o t h e Redstone b o o s t e r i n c l u d e t h e following:
A. Tank S e c t i o n -- The r o c k e t ' s tank s e c t i o n was elongated by
about s i x f e e t t o i n c r e a s e t h e f u e l and l i q u i d oxygen c a p a c i t y . This
w i l l a l l o w f u e l s u f f i c i e n t t o i n c r e a s e t h e burning t i m e by some
20 seconds. $he Redstone b o o s t e r was s i m i l a r l y elongated f o r i t s
r o l e i n t h e launching of t h e e a r l y Explorer s a t e l l i t e s . That v e r s i o n
of' the r o c k e t was known as J u p i t e r C.
B. Epgine -- The engine used i n t o d a y ' s f l i g h t was o f t h e
l a t e s t Redstone engine d e s i g n (A7), modified f o r t h i s application,

Using a l c o h o l and l i q u i d oxygen, the t h r u s t l e v e l of t h e engine Bn

t h i s launching was 78,000 pounds. P r o v i s i o n s were b u i l t i n t o t h e
engine t o allow f o r the extra burning t i m e . There are major i m -
provements i n the peroxide system which d r i v e s the f u e l and l i q u i d
oxygen pumps and provides t h r u s t c o n t r o l . The s t a b i l i t y of the

u n i t was a l s o improved, and an a n t i - f i r e hazard p r o v i s i o n was added.

C. Instrument Compartment -- A new i n s t r u m e n t compartment
(upper s e c t i o n ) and s p a c e c r a f t a d a p t e r s e c t i o n were designed f o r
the Mercury f l i g h t s . The compartment i s a p r e s s u r i z e d cabin, l o -
c a t e d between t h e f u e l tanks and t h e s p a c e c r a f t , which c o n t a i n s t h e
s e n s i t i v e c o n t r o l system. Unlike the o r d i n a r y Redstone, this com-
partment does not s e p a r a t e from the b o o s t e r a f t e r burnout; rather i t
descends t o t h e e a r t h a t t a c h e d t o t h e p r o p u l s i o n u n i t .
D. Control System -- The Mercury-Redstone, as compared t o t h e
Redstone missile, has a w e l l - t e s t e d , less complex c o n t r o l system
which makes f o r a simpler and more r e l i a b l e o p e r a t i o n . The sysbem
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u s e s a n a u t o p i l o t which minimizes t h e d r i f t d u r i n g powered f l i g h t ,
Carbon vanes l o c a t e d i n t h e j e t exhaust of t h e p r o p u l s i o n u n i t
coupled w i t h a i r vanes are used as c o n t r o l s u r f a c e s t o m a i n t a i n
proper a t t i t u d e .
E. Abort system -- The a b o r t system, developed by tfa9 Marshall
Center, s e r v e s t o g i v e an advance warning of a p o s s i b l e impending
c a t a s t r o p h i c development -- an e l e c t r i c s i g n a l which c a u s e s t h e
f o l l o w i n g a c t i o n s , i n sequence: t e r m i n a t i o n of the taivst o f booster,
s e p a r a t i o n of t h e s p a c e c r a f t from the b o o s t e r , and a c z l v a t i o n of t h e
s p a c e c r a f t ' s escape r o c k e t which p r o p e l s t h e s p a c e c r a f t t o a d i s t a n c e
of s e v e r a l hundred f e e t w i t h i n 1 second. The a b o r t system s e n s e s
and i s a c t i v a t e d by such c o n d i t i o n s as: unacceptable d e v i a t i o n s i n
the programed a t t i t u d e of the r o c k e t , e x c e s s i v e t u r n i n g rates; loss
of thrust, c r i t i c a l i r r e g u l a r i t i e s of t h r u s t , or loss of' e l e c t r i c a l
power. I n a d d i t i o n t o the automatic a c t i v a t i o n when such condi-
t i o n s occur, the escape system c o u l d , i n a manned mission, be a c t i -
vated by t h e p i l o t i n t h e s p a c e c r a f t , and manually, i n t h e launching
blockhouse and a t t h e NASA Mercury Control Center. I n today's te,t,
i t w i l l n o t be connected t o t h e s p a c e c r a f t ' s escape r o c k e t ; i n s t e a d
i t w i l l send s i g n a l s t o ground r e c e i v e r s , so t h a t i t s o p e r a t i o n
can be monitored.
F. Instrumentation -- Instruments are i n s t a l l e d i n t h e r o c k e t
t o provide and t e l e m e t e r abo& 50 measurements surveying a l l a s p e c t s
of b o o s t e r behavior d u r i n g f l i g h t , such as a t t i t u d e , v i b r a t i o n ,
a c c e l e r a t i o n , temperature, p r e s s u r e and t h r u s t l e v e l . These measure-

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ments are i n a d d i t i o n t o t h e many channels of i n f o m a t i o n w h i c h w i l l
be telemetered from t h e s p a c e c r a f t i t s e l f d u r i n g f l i g h t , Several
t r a c k i n g s i g n a l s are a l s o telemetered by t h e b o o s t e r .
RELIA33ILITP PROGRAM
S p e c i a l emphasis on r e l i a b i l i t y has been placed i n the Mercury-
Redstone program. Most of the r e l i a b i l i t y e f f o r t was c e n t e r e d on
new components -- t h o s e w h i c h ' a r e p e c u l i a r t o the Mercury-Redstone,
T h i s program was conducted by the Marshall Center and the C h r y s l e r
Corporation. R e l i a b i l i t y tests w e r e conducted on i n d i v i d u a l com-
ponents, subsystems and systems. Tests c o n d i t i o n s i n c l u d e d e x c e s s i v e
v i b r a t i o n s and extreme temperatures. Engineers of the Chrysler
Corporation designed and o p e r a t e d a s p e c i a l "rock and r o l l " t e s t device
which s u b j e c t e d the e n t i r e instrument compartment of t h e Mercury-
Redstone r o c k e t t o environmental stress. T h i s l a t t e r phase was de-
voted primarily t o checking out the abort system t o a s s u r e that i t
would pperate p r o p e r l y on demand and could n o t be a c t i v a t e d a c c i -
dentally.
TESTING AT MARSHALL
Marshall Center personnel r a n s t r u c t u r a l tests on the new
Redstone-Mercury c o n f i g u r a t i o n which a s s u r e the s t r u c t u r a l i n t e g r i t y
of the v e h i c l e . Units o f the r o c k e t were submitted t o c o n s i d e r a b l y
h i g h e r stresses and strains t h a n w i l l Se encountered i n f l i g h t .

I n a d d i t i o n t o the acceptance f i r i n g of the engines, the

Marshall Center i s s t a t i c f i r i n g each completed b o o s t e r of the
Mercury s e r i e s , p r i o r t o t h e i r shipment t o the launch s i d e . During

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 - 5 -
these static f i r i n g s a d e t a i l e d measuring program g i v e s assurance of
proper performance of t h e engine. The Center also c a p t i v e - f i r e d a
complete Mercury-Redstone c o n f i g u r a t i o n , i n c l u d i n g a research model
of t h e s p a c e c r a f t .
I n a g r u e l i n g s u r v i v a l t e s t , one of t h e Mercury-Redstone en-
g i n e s was r e p e a t e d l y c a p t i v e - f i r e d f o r a total d u r a t i o n of about
15 times the normal burning t i m e of the rocket.
I n a f i n a l t e s t program, t h e Mercury s p a c e c r a f t ' which' was
launched today was shipped t o the Marshall Center f o r e x t e n s i v e
c o m p a t i b i l i t y tests w i t h t h e b o o s t e r under c o n t r o l l e d , l a b o r a t o r y
Conditions. These checks i n c l u d e d e l e c t r i c a l and mechanical areas,
and a *long s e r i e s of checks t o exclude t h e p o s s i b i l i t ' y of r a d i o
frequency i n t e r f e r e n c e between t h e s p a c e c r a f t and b o o s t e r systems.
T h i s skquence of checkouts i n c l u d e d a simulated countdown, launch
and f l i g h t , u s i n g the same checkout and f i r i n g p a n e l s whlch w i l l
be used a t Canaveral f o r t h e a c t u a l checkout and launch o p e r a t i o n s .
UROPYNAMLCS AND TRAJECTORY
I n t h e b a s i c d e s i g n of t h e Mercury-Redstone v e h i c l e , the
Marshall Center conducted s p e c i a l s t u d i e s , t h e o r e t i c a l l y and by
means of wind-tunnel models, on the aerodynamic behavior of the new
vehicle. The Center a l s o prepared t h e t r a j e c t o r i e s t o be flown i n
the Mercury-Redstone s e r i e s and c a l c u l a t e d t h e s a f e t y c o n d i t i o n s
under which t h e r o c k e t c o u l d be f i r e d a t t h e A t l a n t i c Missile Range.
LAUNCH AND FLIGHT SEQUENCE
The Mercury-Redstone takes o f f v e r t i c a l l y . During the f i r s t
f e w seconds of burning t i m e , the r o c k e t begens t o t i l t i n t o a

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.- .. ~ .
 -6-
pmdetermined tra3satory. The roaket engine operates f o r about 140
seoonds shutting down at approldmateZy 35 statute miles altitude.
Shortly after outoff, thb Mercury spaceoraft is separated Prom the
booster (oomblned tank and engine seotions plus the instrument corn-
RWb8nt) br the lgnltlon of explosive bolts which relea8e the eon-
meting olainp ring. This I s immediately followed by the firing of
three Srairll eolid propellant roaketa on the baere of the -spdueeraft,
The separation oaours ad 8& altitude of about 50 statute miles.
Both th;o roaket body and the spacecbafjt continue on 8eparate ballfstic
trejsotorierr, The sgaoecraft a 1 1 land at about 220htatu6e miles,
hav$ngrmaehsd~s
c numinnm altitude of about 130 statute rttkles. *-. The
rooket body should U t t&e sea some 20 miles beyond the spaaecraft.
,..: .
S)IwssTwuL PAR%%CIPAPIQM
i
llhmlredb of lndus~rialfabricators and supplier8 are bontri-
buting to the Meroury-Redstone program,
I

The farst C m of the eight roelcets to be providedfor Projest

Weroury br %he Harshall Center werkvassembled at the %ebter. MSFC
also fabrioate8 many of the cromponents; major struotural6Qmponents
were nknWadturcgd by the Reynold6 Metals Company, Sheffield, Alerbm,
The r%MlTS$k rooketa in the series are being fum;terhed t6 &8hsll
by the OhrJialer Corporation ldissile Mvision, Detroit,
Ohryeler Wrgoration also conducted a major r e l i a b i l i t y pro-
gram under eontract to MSFC.
The Rookstdyne Division of North Ameriom Av&ation Corporation,
Qanoga Park, California, mamrfactured the engines f o r the rockets,

I
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. -.
.. ,

- 7 -
Major components of the control system were produced by the
Ford Instrument Company, Long Island City, New York, and Sperry-
Farragut Company, Bristol, Tennessee, divisions of Spesry-Rand
Corporation.
KEY PERSONNEL
Dr. Wernher von Braun, as director of the Marshall Centerp has
overall supervision of the Center's contribution to the Merdury pso-
, -
gram,
Dr. J. P. Kuettner is the Center's Mercury-Redstone project
manager and i s responsible for coordinating the efforts of the ten
Marshall technical divisions in this program. PUS assistant is
Earl Butler. Dr, Kuettner is also a member of the Mercury-Redstone
Flight Safety Review Board. Butler serves as the coordinator f o r
the progect's Design Panel.
Dr. Kurt #. Debus directs the NASA launch OperatiQnS Directorate,
a part of the Marshall Center, which launched the rocket, Dr. Debus
also is chairman of the Mercury-Redstone Flight Operations Panel,
composed of representatives of the NASA Space Task Group, McDonnell
Aircraft and Marshall. In this latter capacity he is assisted by
mi1 PI Bertram.
The deputy director of the Aeroballistics Division, Dr, R. F.
Hoelker, is a member of the Mercury-Wedstone Aeroballistics Panel.
. . .

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

WASWINOTON 25, D. C.

RELEASE NO. 60-322-4 HOLD FOR REmASE

UNTIL LAUNCHED
RECOVERY FORCES FACT SHEET

The Mercury c a p s u l e used i n P r o j e c t Mercury T e s t MR-1 w i l l be

recovered by a Task Forceg commanded by Rear Admiral F. V, H. H i l l e s ,
c o n s i s t i n g o f u n i t s of t h e Destroyer Force, Amphibious Force, Naval
A i r Force, S e r v i c e Force, F l e e t Marine Force, and t h e A i r Force
Missile T e s t Center. Admiral H i l l e s , Commander Destroyer F l o t i l l a
FOUR and Commander P r o j e c t Mercury Recovery Force w i l l e x e r c i s e
command o f the Recovery Force from the A t l a n t i c Missile Range Mercury
Control Center a t Cape Canaveral.
The Task Force comprises s e v e r a l Task Groups, each under an
i n d i v i d u a l Commander. One Task Group c o n s i s t s of numerous l a n d
v e h i c l e s and small c r a f t from t h e A i r Force M i s s i l e T e s t Center,
and h e l i c o p t e r s o f Marine A i r c r a f t Group 26 from New River, North
Carolina. T h i s Task Group w i l l be under t h e command of L t . Col.
Harry E. Cannon, USAF, of t h e AFMTC.
Another Task Group c o n s i s t s of t h e USS ESCAPE (APS-6) commanded
by L t . Comdr. Richard C . Ashman.

The l a r g e s t Task Group, r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e h i g h - p r o b a b i l i t y

l a n d i n g area downrange, c o n s i s t s o f a t o t a l o f seven s h i p s and

e i g h t a i r c r a f t under t h e command of C a p t a i n C . McKellar, Jr.,
Commander Destroyer Squadron FOURTEEN. He w i l l f l y his pennant on
t h e USS LAWE (DD-763), commanded by Comdr. E. Le Sumrall. Other

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ships in the group are:

USS POWER (DD-839), commanded by Comdr. J. H. Jorgenson
USS HANK (DD-TOZ), commanded by Cmdr. M. H. Ostrander
USS MURRAY (DDE-576), commanded by Comdr. R. F. Monger
USS TURNER (DDR-834), commanded by Comdr. G. E. Lockee
USS R, K. HUNTINGTON (DO-781.)~
commanded by Comdr, M. T. Williams
USS CASA GRANDE (LSD-l3), commanded by Comdr. J, B, Meehan
(The CASA GRANDE will have embarked 3 helicopters of Marine
Aircraft Group 26.)
The Air Recovery Element of the Task Group consists o f 4 P2V
aircraft of P a t r o l Squadron SIXTEEN based at Jacksonville, Florida,
commanded by Comdr. Ralph F. Bishop, and four aircraft of the Air
Force Missile Test Center.
All helicopters in the force are based at New River, North
Carolina, as units of Marine Aircraft Group 26, which is commanded by
Col, Paul T. Johnston, USMC.

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 NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
WASWINOlON 25, O . C .

RELEASE NO, 60-322-5 HOLD FOR RELEASE

UNTIL LAUNCHED
PROJECT MERCURY BACKGROUND

P r o j e c t Mercury, the i n i t i a l manned space f l i g h t program o f t h e

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, had i t s beginning i n
October o f 1958.
The purpose of P r o j e c t Mercury i s t o i n v e s t i g a t e m a n s c a p a b i l -
i t i e s i n the space environment. Immediate t e c h n i c a l o b j e c t i v e s i n c l u d e
uninhabited, a n i m a l i n h a b i t e d , and manned s u b o r b i t a l b a l l i s t i c f l i g h t s
p r e p a r a t o r y t o manned e a r t h - o r b i t a l f l i g h t s .
The prime c o n t r a c t for developing t h e Mercury s p a c e c r a f t w a s
awarded McDonnell A i r c r a f t Company o f S t . Louis, Missouri, 3* months
following i n i t i a t i o n of t h e p r o j e c t . Space Task Group, t h e s p e c i a l
management element o f t h e Goddard Space F l i g h t Center e x e r c i s i n g super-
v i s i o n and t e c h n i c a l d i r e c t i o n o f P r o j e c t Mercury, works c l o s e l y w i t h
McDonnell and has succeeded i n compressing development t i m e i n a n un-
precedented manner.
I n t h e i n i t i a l p l a n n i n g , i t w a s decided t h a t : ( a ) the s i m p l e s t
and most r e l i a b l e t e c h n i c a l approach would be used, ( b ) new develop-
ments would be k e p t t o a minimum and ( c ) the f l i g h t t e s t program would
be based on a p r o g r e s s i v e b u i l d u p o f t e s t s .
Management adopted a philosophy o f simultaneous r e s e a r c h , design,
manufacture, t r a i n i n g , and t e s t which reduced systems development time
and permitted t h e s u c c e s s f i l t e s t f l i g h t o f a production v e r s i o n Mercury

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 - 2 -

spacecraft less than 1* years following award of the McDonnell contract,

In mrther demonstration of the effectiveness of the "concurrency"
concept barring unforeseen technical problems, it is anticipated that
orbital flight will be achieved within 3 years o f initiation of the
Mercury program. It is significant that development of comparably
complex missile systems and high performance aircraft generally requires
considerably longer lead times,

SPACECRAFT SYSTEMS
The Mercury spacecraft is designed to withstand any known com-
bination of acceleration, heat and aerodynamic loads that might occur
during boost o r reentry, as well as land or water landing.
The craft has an extremely blunt leading face covered with a
beryllium heat shield. Its onboard systems include: environmental
(life support) and attitude controls, retrorockets to initiate descent
from orbit, an escape device which provides complete escape capability
during the boosted portion of flight, communications, landing system,
and recovery aids.

TESTS TO DATE
A s in the case of new research aircraft, orbital flight of the
manned spacecraft will be attempted only after extensive vehicle testing,
Project Mercury included ground testing, development and quali-
fication flight testing, as well as astronaut training, In addition to
numerous wind-tunnel and air drop tests, the following rocket-boosted
Mercury test flights of Research and Development models have provided
a wealth of information:

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 - 3 -

Big Joe -- September 9, 1959 -- From the Atlantic Missile Range,

to test the structural integrity and heating of a research model o f
the Mercury spacecraft boosted by an Atlas.
Little Joe I -- October 4, 1959 -- From NASA's Wallops Station,
Va., to test integration of booster and spacecraft, utilizing a
250,000-pound thrust booster vehicle consisting of eight solid
rockets.
Little Joe I1 -- November 4, 1959 -- From Wallops Station, to
evaluate critical low-altitude abort conditions.
Little Joe I11 -- December 4, 1959 -- From Wallops Station, t o
check performance of the escape system at high altitude, Rhesus
monkey Sam was aboard.
Little Joe IV -- January 21, 1960 -- From Wallops Station, to
check escape system under high airloads. Rhesus monkey Miss Sam was
aboard.
In addition, three production versions, built by McDonnell
Aircraft Company, have been test flown.
May 9, 1959, a McDonnell-built spacecraft underwent a test of
i t s escape system in an off-the-pad abort situation. This test was
conducted at Wallops Station and only the craft and its escape
rocket system were used,
July 29, 1960, a Mercury spacecraft test flight was conducted
at Cape Canaveral, Florida, utilizing an Atlas booster. The purpose
of the test was t o qualify the spacecraft under m a x i m u m airloads and
afterbody heating during reentry, A system malfunction prevented
attainment of flight objectives,

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Nov. 8 , 1960 0- L i t t l e Joe V - From Wallops Station to qualify

production hardware In an abort under most severe launch conditions
anticipated daring an Atlas-boosted launch. A booster-spacecraft

separation prevented attainment of flight obJectives. This test will

be repeated,
NOV. 21, 1960 - Mercury-Redstone - From Cape Canaveral to q u a l i w
hardware, A ground plug disconnected a fraction of a second too soon,
causing engine cutoff which jettisoned the spacecraft esca,pe tower,
The booster rose approximately one Inch from the pad, then settled back,
dausing 8ome booster damage. The spacecraft, however, was reusable.

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l._
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