Appendix D

Flight Data Summary

The information in this revised flight data summary is taken from various sources according to the authors' best estimate of reliability. The basic format was made by Jack C. Heberlig for the NASA-MSC newspaper issue of "Mercury Program Summary," October 3-4, 1963, then republished as MSC Fact Sheet No. 201 and in Mercury Project Summary, NASA SP-45, pages 50-51. But in expanding this chart, converting it to commonly understood units, and judging each rnission's success or failure in the light of the overall program objectives, the authors have returned to the primary classified postlaunch memorandum reports for most of the figures herein.

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

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