NATIONAL AERONAUVICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

WASHINGTON 25. D. C.

PROJECT MERCURY BACKGROUND

P ~ o j e c i ;krcur,y,the initial manned space flight program of the

T\';d:ional kronaut?'.(:cand Space Administration , had its beginning in
October of' 1958.
The purpose of Project Mercury is to investigate man's capabilities
in the space environment. Immediate technical objectives include
ur&inhabited, animal inhabited, and manned suborbital ballistic flights
pr,:paratorjr to manned earth-orbital flights.
The prime contract f o r developing the Mercury spacrcraft was
awarded McDonnell Aircraft Company of St. Louis, Missouri, three-
and-a-half months following initiation of the project. Space Task
Grol].n, the special management element of the Goddard Space Flight
Center exercising supervision and technical direction of Project
Mercury, works closely with McDonnell and has succeeded in
compressing development time in an unprecedented manner.
In the initial planning, it was decided (a) that the simplest
arid most reliable technical approach would be used, (b) new
developments would be kept to a minimum and (c) the flight t e s t
program would be based on a progressive buildup of tests.
Managenient adopted a philosophy of simultaneous research,
design, manufacture, training, and test which reduced systems
development time and permitted the successful test flight of a
production version Mercury spacecraft less than a year and a
half rollowing award of the McDonnell contract.
In further demonstration of the effectiveness of the "con-
currency" concept it is anticipated that orbital flight will be
achieved within three years of initiation of the Mercury program.
It is significant that development of comparably complex missile
systems and high performance aircraft generally requires from
five t o ten years.
SPACECRAFT SYSTEMS
The Mercury spacecraft is designed to withstand any known
combination of acceleration, heat and aerodynamic loads that
ci:;ht occur during boost or reentry, as well as land or water landing.
 - 2 -

The craft has an extremely blunt leading face covered with

beryllium heat shield. Its on-board 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
As in the case of new research aircraft, orbital flight of the
manned spacecraft will be attempted only after extensive vehicle
testing.
Project Mercury includes ground testing, development and
qualification flight testing, as well as astronaut training. In
addition t o 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:
Big Joe -- September 9 , 1959 -- From the Atlantic Mis-sile Range,
t o test the structural integrity and heating of a research model of
the Mercury spacecraft boosted by an Atlas.
Little Joe I -- October 4, 1959 -- From NASAIs 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, t o
evaluate critical l o w - a l t i t u d e 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, 1.960 ----FromWallops Station, to
check escape system under high airloads. Rhesus monkey Miss Sam
was aboard.
In addition, two production versions, built by McDonnell Air-
craft Company, have been test flown.
May 9, 1959, a McDonnell-built spacecraft underwent a test of
its 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 to qualify the spacecraft under maximum airloads
and afterbody heating during reentry, A system manfunction prevented
attainment of flight objectives,

* . - . -. - . . . ~ -. ... . . . . , .. . .. __ . .. . .~. , * . . . . . ___I...

 NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND S P A C E JUMiU"STRATPON
WASHINGTON 25, D o c o

ANNEX 1, ITEM 2
m-l FLIGHT TEST PROFILE

Purpose of t h e Mercury-Redstone aeries i s t o q u a l i f y a p r o d u c -

t i o n - l i n e s p a c e c r a f t w i t h i t s many i n t e r r e l a t e d s y s t e m s in a s p a c e
e n v i r o n m e n t , Later Redstone f l i g h t s w i l l be u s e d t o t r a i n t h e
a s t r o n a u t s f o r o r b i t a l m i s s i o n s by s u b j e c t i n g them t o r o c k e t - b o o s t e d
f l i g h t a a d p e r i o d s of" w e i g h t l e s s c e a s .

I n t h i s MR-1 (Mercury Redstone One) t e s t , the Mercury s p a c e c ~ a f t

w i l l n o t be manned, n o r w i l l it c o n t a i n any a n i m a l s OF b i o l o g i c a l
specimens.
The b l u e - g r a y c r a f t , which weighs a b o u t one tono w i l l f o l l o w a
b a l l i s t i c a r c p e a k i n g a t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 130 s t a t u t e miles and splash-
i n g a b o u t 220 s t a t u t e miles downrange i n r o u g h l y 16 m i n u t e s . A t burn-
o u t 9 t h e cone-shaped spacecraft will be movlng a t a s p e e d of 8 1 f t t I . e
o v e r 4,000 s t a t u t e m91.e~a n hour,
The f l i g h t w i l l p r o v i d e six G a c c e l e r a t i o n d u r i n g t h e b o o s t
p h a s e , a b o u t f i v e a n d a half m i n u t e s o f z e r o G ( w e i g h t l e s s n e s s ) a f t e r
b o o s t e r and s p a c e c r a f t are separated and as much as a n 'eleven G
deceleration during re-entry,
I n r a p i d sequence a t 35 miles a l t i t u d e a b o u t 140 s e c o n d s afdes
l i f t - o f f , (1) t h e b o o s t e r w i l l b u r n o u t ; ( 2 ) t h e e s c a p e t o w e r a t o p
t h e s p a c e c r a f t w i l l be j e t t i s o n e d av?d ( 3 ) three p o s i g r a d e r o c k e t s a t
t h e base of t h e s p a c e c r a f t wfll be f i r e d t o push t h e craft ahead a n d
away from t h e booaster,
I m m e d i a t e l y follow%srg s e p a r a t i o n , a n a u t o m a t i c s t a b i l i z a t i o n and
c o n t r o l s y s t e m (ASCS) fs u s e d t o remove a n y i r r e g u l a r s p a c e c s a f t
m o t i o n s which might r e s u l t frJorn t h e s e p a r a t i o n a c t i o n . The c o n t r o l
s y s t e m w i l l s t e a d y t h e ~ a p s u P e ~attitude
8 by r e l e a s i n g p u l s e s of
hydrogen p e r o x i d e gas t h r o u g h j e t s a t t h e neck and base of t h e c r a f t ,

About five S ~ C O R ~a S f t e r separat1%on,ASCS will swing the s p a c e -

c r a f t a r o u n d t o t h e normal h e a t - s h $ e l d - f o m a r d p o s i t i o n .
A s t h e c r a f t nea'?r"st h e peak ef % & a a-scfng f l i g h t , r e a e t f o n
c o n t r o l j e t s wlA.3. shove t h e blunt %ace up 35 degrees above t h e
h o r i z o n t a l p l a n e . Then as t h e c r a f t h i t s peak a l t i t u d e , three
r e t r o r o c k e t s a t t a c h e d t o t h e heat s h i e l d w i l l be f i r e d i n r a p i d
succession.IWrg f7 the d t r e c ~ o nof f l i g h t 3 the ~ e t r in o ~olabital f l f g h t s
would a c t as brakes, s l o w i n g t h e spa~ecraft s l i g h t l y and t h u s l e t % % n g
g r a v i t y assert i t s e l f by pulEfng &he @raft back t o w a r d E a r t h ,
It s h o u l d be emphasized that awhile the r e t ~ o sare n o t needed t o -
p e r f o r m Mercury R e d s t o n e M$ss%ons, t h e y will be e x e r c i s e d as a p a r t of
t h e o v e r a l l s y s t e m s qualification program.
 - 2 -

After t h e r & r o package 2s f f r e d , it w i l l be j e t t i s o n e d from

t h e base of t h e heat s h i e l d and ASCS will or4ent t h e c r a f t in a
heat-shield-down p o s i t i o n f o r t h e plunge back t o E a r t h . A s t h e
c r a f t encounters atmospheric friction at roughly 50 t o 45 miles
a l t i t u d e , ASCS w i l l work t o c o r r e c t any s p a c e c r a f t o s c i l l a t i o n s o r
pendulum motions which might begin during r e - e n t r y , The c o n t r o l
system a l s o w i l l s t a r t t h e c r a f t t u r n i n g on i t s v e r t i c a l a x i s i n
a slow t o p - l i k e motion t o reduce landing p o i n t d i s p e r s i o n s ,
A t 42,000 f e e t , a prdessure-sensitive awdltch w i l l deploy a
six-foot-wide dmgue parachute which is t o h e l p curb t h e speed of
t h e s p a c e c r a f t which by t h i s p o i n t should be moving a t something l i k e
600 miles a n h o w . Then a t 10,000 f e e t , t h e antenna c a n i s t e r atop
t h e capsule will he mortared o f f , unfurPfng a 63-fost-wide main chute,
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
and a n explosive device c a l l e d a SOFAR bomb, set t o explode 2,500 f e e t
underwater, w i l l be r e l e a s e d ,
Upon touchdown, 8 switch jettisons t h e chute t o a v o i d dragging
t h e s p a c e c r a f t i n t h e wind. A% t h e same %%me, v a r i o u s recovery a i d s
go t o work. These i n c l u d e sea-marking dye materials, r a d i o beacons,
and a h i g h - i n t e n s i t y f l a s h i n g l i g h t ,
The conic s p a e e e r a f t mea8u1-1~08s i x feet across its b l u n t base arid
s t a n d s n i n e f e e t h i g h , With escape tower i n p l a c e on t o p t h e c r a f t ,
t h e o v e r a l l l e n g t h fPom t h e ba?e of t h e heat s h i e l d t o t h e t i p o f t h e
t o w e r ' s aerodynamic s p i k e i s ~ 4 - feet;,
$
Mounted on t o p of t h e metal escape tower is a s o l f d - p r o p e l l a n t
escape rocket w i t h t h r e e nozzles p o i n t e d down and away from t h e
s p a c e c r a f t . 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 off t h e boosteer and put 250 f e e t between t h e two i n
one second. The peak of such an escape maneuve~% a about; 2,600 f e e t ,
followed by t h e nox*mal landing ~ e q u e ~ eby e parachute. Should trouble
develop i n t h e b o o s t e r during t h e b c ~ s tphase, t h e escape m n e u v e ~9s
e s s e n t i a l l y t h e sane, however, the separation d%s"sanee w i t h i n one
second i s 125 f e e t i n s t e a d of 250 f e e t ,
I n t h i s , as 1n a l l Mercury Redstone and MereurPy Atlas f l i g h t s ,
t h e b o o s t e r i s equfpped w i t h an a b o ~ tsensing mechanism. I n t h i s
f i r s t Mercury Redstone t e s t flight, however, t h e aboyt-sensing
system w i l l r i d e "open loop, II That i s 9 it w i l l be wired t o sense
t r o u b l e i n t h e b o o s t e r but 9% w i l l nor, be able t o a u t o m a t i c a l l y
t r i g g e r t h e escape r*ocket a s i n l a t e r f l i g h t s , The reason f o r having
it on an "open b o p ' ' basis is t o l e t engineers monitor i t s operation
very c l o s e l y i n t h i s f i r s t t e s t o f t h e Redstone system; in l a t e r
f l i g h t s i t w i l l be s e t to t r i g g e r t h e emape rocket automatically,
should a n i m p e n d i n g launch v e h i c l e failure be i n d i c a t e d .
 - 3 -
In this test, an escape o r abor% command can be initiated by
the launch director in the blockhouse, the Range Safeey Officer in
AMR Central Control or by the flight djirector in. Mercury Control
Center.
Within the double-walled nickel-alloy spacecraft shell is a
pressurized cabin, flight instrument panel, several cameras, recovery
aids, communications equipment and devices t o monitor capsule and
system stress and performance.
The cornmication system for MR-1 includes two telemetry trans-
mitters which are completely redundant, each providing four channels
to send information back to ground statforas. Six of these channels
will transmit continuous spacecraft attitude information -- pitch,
roll and yaw, the three axial motions possible in such a, craft. The
other two channels will send datz measurements from 90 different
points throughout the spacecraft monitoring structural heating,
cabin temperatures, pressures, noise and vibration, In addition,
on board recorders will record all this information for post-flight
analysis. The spacecraft a l s o %s equipped with two separate command
receivers either of whic?l is capable of (1) signaling an a b o r t or
( 2) firing the retrorockets.
Additional communications include two radar tracking beacons
which will be used as the primary tmcking 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 re-entry 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 t o temperatures
of around 3,000 degrees F. In the Redstone flights, however, heat
shield temperatures will hit only 200 degrees F. because of the
greatly reduced spacecraft speed: 17,400 mph for Atlas flights
against 4,000 mph for the Redstone.
In the Redstone flights, temperatures on the spacecraft's
corrugated metal "shingles" forming the conic afterbody will run
considerably higher -- 600 degrees F. 9.s estimated --than those
on the beryllium shield surface (200 degr>eesP.),
Looking out one spacecraft port will be a 70mm camera designed
t o record what a man would see from that vantage point, Also a
16mm 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.
 - 4 -
Overall c o n t r o l f o r t h e MR-1 t e s t w i l l be e x e r c i s e d by the
Mercury Operations D i r e c t o r i n t h e Mercury Control Center. D e t a i l e d
f l i g h t c o n t r o l w i l l be t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of the F l i g h t D i r e c t o r and
a staff of flight c o n t r o l l e r s o p e r a t i n g from consoles i n Mercury
Control Center.
 NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE AOMlNlSTRATlON
WASfflWOTON 25, O . C .

NOV7 1960
ANNEX 11, Item 3

Mercury Spacecraft Test Postponed

Cape Canaveral, Florida - A test launching of a Rehstoqe-boosted
Project Mercury spacecraft in a suborbital ballistic trajectory was
postponed here today by the National Aeronautics and Space
a t t i t u d e control d i f f i c u l t y
Administration because of (
The launching was to be conducted primarily to qualify a
production version o f the capsule and its systems in the environment
of space. The capsule was not t o carry a man, nor any animals or
biological specimens.
A new firing date has not been scheduled.
 NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
WASHINGTON 25, 0 . C.

ANNEX I, Item 4
SPACE TASK GROUP FACT SHEET
I. BACKGROUND
The Space Task Group, a unit of the National Aeronautics and
Space Administrationts Goddard Space Flight Center, is located at
Langley Field, 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 Glennan, NASA Administrator, ordered that the
task group be organized, and the Langley Center released a number
of scientists to the group. These men formed bts 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
for Research and Development is Charles J. Donlan. Mr, Walter C,
Williams is Associate Director f o r aerations and acts as Operations
Director during flight tests.
Chief of the Operatl,oazsDivision is Charles W. Mathews, Maxime
A, Faget heads the Plight 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.
 - 2 -
111, FACILLTIES AVAILABLE TO IMPLEMENT 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 will fabricate the apacecraft 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.
IV. FUTURE PROJECTS
Project Mercury is a basic steppingstone in development of
manned space exploration techniques. Because the project is
without precedent, no time schedule can be given for accomplishing
the required developmental programs. Logically, man's initial
orbital flight will be followed by research t o refine performance,
much the same as is done in aircraft research.
As man's capabilities in space are determined, it is expected
that t h e program will extend in the future to sending three men on
circumlunar and earth-orbiting flights (Project Apollo)

. . . .
 NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
WASHINOTON 25, D. C.

ANNEX I, Item 5

Marshall Center Contribution: Mercury-Redstone Booster

The Mercury-Redstone booster used in today's Project Mercury
launching was provided and launched f D r the Space Task Group by the
Marshall Space Flight Center, National Aeronautics and Space
Administration.
The vehicle is based upon the Army's Redstone which was designed
and developed by Marshall scientists and technicians prior to their
transfer to NASA. Extensive modifications were incorporated to adapt
the rocket to this special role, with major emphasis on increased
reliability. The Redstone booster has already achieved a significant
record of reliable flight in a launching history which extends over
the past seven years. Of the last 40 Redstones launched, only one
booster has failed.
Changes in the system f o r the Mercury mission include the
elongation of the tank section to increase fuel capacity, the design
of a new instrument compartment and adapter section to accorrynodate
the Mercury spacecraft, changes in engine and the control system in
the interest of simplicity, improved reliability and increased
performance, and the development of amission abort system to assure
safe-ty of the spacecraft and, on later launchings, its occupant.
The Mercury-Redstone is 83 feet in height, including the spacec
craft assembly, compared to the 69 feet of the ordinary Redstone.
ANNEX I, I t e m 5 (Conlt) -2- ' .' I

The body of t h e r o c k e t i s 70 i n c h e s i n d i a m e t e r . The l i f t - o f f w e i g h t

i s 66,000 pounds i n c l u d i n g t h e o n e - t o n Mercury s p a c e c r a f t .
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 f o l l o w i n g :
a. Tank S e c t i o n -- The r o c k e t ' s t a n k s e c t i o n was e l o n g a t e d by
a b o u t 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
will 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 b u r n i n g time by some
20 s e c o n d s . The Redstone b o o s t e r w a s s i m i l a r l y e l o n g a t e d f o r i t s r o l e

i n t h e l a u n c h i n g of t h e e a r l y E x p l o r e r s a t e l l i t e s . That v e r s i o n of
t h e r o c k e t was known as J u p i t e r - C .
b. Engine -- The e n g i n e used i n t o d a y ' s f l i g h t was of t h e
l a t e s t Redstone e n g i n e d e s i g n (A7), modified f o r t h i s a p p l i c a t i o n .
U s i n g alcohol and l i q u i d oxygen, t h e t h r u s t l e v e l of t h e e n g i n e i n t h i s
l a u n c h i n g 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 e n g i n e t o
a l l o w for t h e e x t r a b u r n i n g t i m e . There a r e m a j o r improvements i n t h e
p e r o x i d e system which d r i v e s t h e f u e l and l i q u i d oxygen pumps and
provides t h r u s t control. The s t a b i l i t y of t h e u n i t was a l s o improved,

and a n a n t i - f i r e h a z a r d p r o v i s i o n w a s a d d e d .
c. I n s t r u m e n t Compartment -- A new i n s t r u m e n t compartment ( u p p e r

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 d e s i g n e d f o r t h e Mercury

flights. The compartment i s a p r e s s u r i z e d c a b i n , l o c a t e d between
t h e f u e l t a n k s 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. U n l i k e t h e o r d i n a r y Redstone, t h i s compartment d o e s

n o t s e p a r a t e from t h e b o o s t e r a f t e r b u r n o u t ; r a t h e r i t d e s c e n d s t o
t h e earth attached t o the propulsion u n i t .
, ANNEX I, Item 5 (Conft)
- 3 -
d. Control System -- The Mercury-Redstone, as compared to the
Redstone missile, has a well-tested, less complex control system which
makes for a simpler and more reliable operation. The system uses an
auto-pilot which minimizes the drift during powered flight. Carbon
vanes located in the jet exhaust of the propulsion unit coupled with
air vanes are used as control surfaces to maintain proper attitude.
e. Abort; system -- The abort system, developed by the Marshall
Center, serves to give an advance warning of a possible impending
catastrophic development -- an electric signal which causes the
following actions, in sequence: termination of the thrust of booster,
separation of the spacecraft from the booster, and activation of the
spacecraft's escape rocket which propels the spacecraft to a distance
o f several hundred feet within one second. The abort system senses
and is activated by such conditions as: unacceptable deviations in
the programed attitude of the rocket, excessive turning rates, loss
of thrust, critical irregularities of thrust, or l o s s of electrical
power. In addition to the automatic activation when such conditions
occur, the escape system could, in a manned mipsion, be activated by
the pilot in the spacecraft, and manually, in the launching blockhouse
and at the NASA Mercury Control Center. In this first test of this
system, it will not be connected to the spacecraft's escape rocket;
instead it will send signals to ground receivers, so that its operation
can be mon.itored.
f. Instrumentation -- Instruments are installed in the rocket
to provide and telemeter about 50 measurements surveying all aspects
o f booster behavior during flight, such as attitude, Vibration,
acceleration, temperature, pressure and thrust level. These

,. . ....I" -. .. -. ... . . _._"

.. .. , .. _ I , .. . .. . . _- .-... .. . *. .
* ANNEX I, Item 5 (Con'd)
-4 -
measurements are in additaon to the many channels of information
which will be telemetered from the spacecraft itself during flight.
Several tracking signals are also telemetered by the booster.
RELIABILITY PROGRAM
,Special emphasis on reliability has been placed in the Mercury-
Redstone program. Most of the reliability effort was centered on new
components -- those which are peculiar to the Mercury-Redstone. This
program was conducted by the Marshall Center and the Chrysler
Corporation. Reliability tests were conducted on individual Components,
subsystems and systems. Test conditdons included excessive vibrations
and extreme temperatures. Engineers Qf the Chrysler Corporation
designed and operated a special "rock and roll!' test device which
subjected the entire instrument compartment of the Mercury-Redstone
rocket to environmental stress. This l'atter phase was devoted
primarily to checking out the abort system to assure that it would
operate properly on demand and could not be activated accidentally.
TESTING AT MARSHALL
Marshall Center personnel ran structural tests on the new
Redstone-Mercury configuration which assure the structural integrity
of the vehicle. Units of the rocket were submitted to considerably
higher stresses and strains than will be encountered in flight.
In addition to the acceptance firing of the engines, the Marshall
Center is static firing each completed booster of the Mercury series,
prior to their shipment to the launch site. During these static
firings a detailed measuring program gives assurance of proper
'ANNEX I Ikem 5 ( C o n l d )
-5-
p e r f o r m a n c e of t h e e n g i n e . The C e n t e r a l s o c a p t i v e - f i r e d a c o m p l e t e

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 r e s e a r c h model of t h e
spacecraft.
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 e n 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 t o t a l d u r ' a t i o n of a b o u t 15 times
t h e n o r p a l b u r n i n g t i m e of t h e r o c k e t .
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
t o d a y was s h i p p e d t o t h e Marshall C e n t e r 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
t e s t s with t h e booster under controlled, laboratory conditions. These
c h e c k s i n c l u d e d e l e c t r i c a l and m e c h a n i c a l areas, and a l o n g s e r i e s of
c h e c k s t o e x c l u d e t h e p o s s i b i l i t y of r a d i o f r e q u e n c y 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 s y s t e m s . T h i s s e q u e n c e o f check-
o u t s i n c l u d e d a s i m u l a t e d countdown, l a u n c h and f l i g h t , u s i n g t h e same
c h e c k o u t and f i r i n g p a n e l s which w i l l be u s e d a t C a n a v e r a l f o r t h e
a c t u a l c h e c k o u t and l a u n c h o p e r a t i o n s .
AERODYNAMICS AND TRAJECTORY
I n t h e b a s i c d e s i g n of t h e Mercury-Redston v e h b c l e , t h e M a r s h a l l
C e n t e r 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 t u n n e l models, on t h e aerodynamic b e h a v i o r of t h e new v e h i c l e .
The C e n t e r a l s o p r e p a r e d t h e t r a j e c t o r i e s t o be f l o w n i n t h e 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 o n s u n d e r 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 t a k e s o f f v e r t i c a l l y . During t h e f i r s t
few s e c o n d s of b u r n i n g t i m e , t h e r o c k e t b e g i n s to t i l t i n t o a
 ANNEX I Item 5 ( C o n t d )
-6-
* predetermined t r a j e c t o r y . The r o c k e t e n g i n e o p e r a t e s f o r a b o u t

140 s e c o n d s . S h o r t l y a f t e r c u t o f f , t h e Mercury s p a c e c r a f t i s
s e p a r a t e d from t h e b o o s t e r (combined t a n k and e n g i n e s e c t i o n s p l u s
t h e i n s t r u m e n t compartment) by t h e i g n i t i o n of e x p l o s i v e b o l t s which

release t h e c o n n e c t i n g clamp r i n g . T h i s i s i m m e d i a t e l y f o l l o w e d by
t h e f i r i n g of t h r e e small s o l i d p r o p e l l a n t r o c k e t s on t h e b a s e of t h e
spacecraft.

The s e p a r a t i o n o c c u r s a t a n a l t i t u d e of: a b o u t 50 s t a t u t e m i l e s ,
B o t h t h e r o c k e t body and t h e s p a c e c r a f t c o n t i n u e on s e p a r a t e
ballistic trajectories. The s p a c e c r a f t w i l l l a n d a t a b o u t 200 s t a t u t e
miles, h a v i n g r e a c h e d a maximum a l t i t u d e of a b o u t 120 s t a t u t e m i l e s .
The r o c k e t body s h o u l d h i t t h e 'Eea some 20 m i l e s beyond t h e s p a c e c r a f t .
INDUSTRIAL PARTICIPATION
Hundreds of i n d u s t r i a l f a b r i c a t o r s and s u p p l i e r s a r e cont;-rlbuting
t o t h e Mercury-Redstone program.
The f i r s t two of t h e e i g h t r o c k e t s t o be p r o v i d e d for P r o j e c t
Mercury by t h e Marshall C e n t e r were assembled a t t h e C e n t e r . MSFC
also f a b r i c a t e d many of t h e components; m a j o r s t r u c t u r a l components
were m a n u f a c t u r e d by t h e Reynolds Metals Company, S h e f f i e l d , Alabama.
The f i n a l s i x r o c k e t s i n t h e s e r i e s a r e b e i n g f u r n i s h e d t o Marshall
by t h e C h r y s l e r C o r p o r a t i o n Missile D i v i s o n , D e t r o i t .

C h r y s l e r C o r p o r a t i o n a l s o c o n d u c t e d a m a j o r r e l i a b i l i t y program

under c o n t r a c t t o MSFC.
The Rocketdyne D i v i s b n o f N o r t h American A v i a t i o n C o r p o r a t i o n ,
Canoga Park, C a l i f o r n i a , m a n u f a c t u r e d t h e e n g i n e s f o r t h e r o c k e t s .
. . -

.ANNEX I Item 5(Con1d)

-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 Sperry-Rand
Corporation.
KEY PERSONNEL
D r . Wernher von Braun, as director of the Marshall Center, has
overall supervision of the Center's contribution to the Mercury
program.
Dr. J. P. Kuettner is the Center's Mercury-Redstone project
manager and is responsible for coordinating the efforts of the ten
Marshall technical divisions in thisprogram. His assistant is
Earl Butler. Dr Kuettner is also a member of the Mercury-Redstone
Flight Safety Review Board. Butler serves as the coordinator for-'
the project ' s Design Panel.
Dr. Kurt H. Debus directs the NASA Launch Operations 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 representative of the NASA Space Task Group, McDonnell
Aircraft and Marshall. In thks latter capacity he is assisted by
Emil P. B e r t r a m .
The deputy director of the Aeroballistics Division,
D r . R.F. Hoelker, is a member of the Mercury-Redstone Aeroballistics
Panel.

.. .- .. .. . -
 NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
WASWINOTON 25, 6 . C.

ANNEX I, Item 6

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

r e c o v e r e d by a Task F o r c e , commanded by Rear Admiral F. V. H. H i l l e s ,
c o n s i s t i n g of u n i t s o f t h e D e s t r o y e r F o r c e , Amphibious F o r c e , Naval
A i r F o r c e , S e r v i c e F o r c e , F l e e t Marine F o r c e , and t h e A i r F o r c e
Missile Test Center. Admiral H i l l e s , Commander D e s t r o y e r F l o t i l l a
FOUR and Commander P r o j e c t Mercury Recovery F o r c e w i l l e x e r c i s e
command of t h e Recovery F o r c e from t h e A t l a n t i c Missile Range Mercury
C o n t r o l C e n t e r a Cape C a n a v e r a l .
The Task F o r c e comprises s e v e r a l Task Groups, each u n d e r a n
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 s m a l l c r a f t from t h e A i r F o r c e M i s s i l e T e s t C e n t e r , and
h e l i c o p t e r s of Marine A i r c r a f t Group 26 from New R i v e r , North
Carolina. T h i s Task Group w i l l be u n d e r t h e command of

L t . C o l . 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 LCDR Richard C . Ashman.
The l a r g e s t Task Group, r e s p o n s i b l e for 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 a r e a downrange, c o n s i s t s of a t o t a l of s e v e n s h i p s and e i g h t

a i r c r a f t u n d e r t h e command of C a p t a i n C . McKellar, J r . , Commander

D e s t r o y e r Squadron FOURTEEN. He w i l l f l y h i s pennant on t h e USS LAWE
(DD-763), commanded by C d r . E.L. Swnrall. O t h e r s h i p s i n t h e group
ANNEX I, Item 6 (Con'd)
-2-

are:
USS POWER (DD-839), commanded by Cdr. J . H. J o r g e n s o n
USS HANK (DD-TOZ), commanded by Cdr. M. H. O s t r a n d e r

USS MURRAY (DDE-576), commanded by Cdr. R , F. Monger

USS TURNER ( D D R - 8 3 4 ) , commanded by C d r . G. E. Lockee

US$ R. K. HIJNTINGTON (D0-'781), comnlanded by Cdr. M. T , W i l l i a m s

USS CASA GRANDE (LSD-13), commanded by Cdr. J . B. Meehan (The CASA

GRANDE w i l l have embarked 3 h e l i c o p t e r s of Marine A i r c r a f t Group 2 6 . )
-
The A i r Recovery Element of t h e Task 'Group c o n s i s t s of 4 P2V
a i r c r a f t of P a t r o l Squadron SIXTEEN based a t J a c k s o n v i l l e , F l o r i d a ,
commanded by Cdr. Ralph F. Bishop, and f o u r a i r c r a f t of t h e A i r F o r c e

Missile T e s t Center.
A l l h e l i c o p t e r s i n t h e f o r c e a r e based a t New R i v e r , North

C a r o l i n a , as u n i t s of Marine A i r c r a f t Group 26, which i s commanded

by Col. P a u l T. J o h n s t o n , USMC.