Little Joe 5B

Little Joe 5B

Little Joe 5B prepared for launch, Wallops Island
Mission type Abort test
Operator NASA
Mission duration 5 minutes, 25 seconds
Distance travelled 14 kilometres (9 mi)
Apogee 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft Mercury No.14
Manufacturer McDonnell Aircraft
Launch mass 1,141 kilograms (2,515 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date April 28, 1961, 14:03 (1961-04-28UTC14:03Z) UTC
Rocket Little Joe
Launch site Wallops LA-4
End of mission
Landing date April 28, 1961, 14:08 (1961-04-28UTC14:09Z) UTC

Project Mercury
Abort Tests
← Little Joe 5A

Little Joe 5B was an unmanned Launch Escape System test of the Mercury spacecraft, conducted as part of the U.S. Mercury program. The mission used production Mercury spacecraft # 14A. The mission was launched April 28, 1961, from Wallops Island, Virginia. The Little Joe 5B flew to an apogee of 2.8 miles (4.5 km) and a range of 9 miles (14 km). The mission lasted 5 minutes 25 seconds. Maximum speed was 1,780 mph (2865 km/h) and acceleration was 10 g (98 m/s²). The mission was a success and Mercury spacecraft # 14A was recovered.[1]

Mercury spacecraft # 14A used in the Little Joe 5B mission, is currently displayed at the Virginia Air and Space Center in Hampton.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Loyd S. Swenson Jr., James M. Grimwood, Charles C. Alexander (1966). "This New Ocean: A History of Project Mercury - NASA SP-4201". NASA Special Publication-4201 in the NASA History Series. p. 9. Archived from the original on 2009-04-07. Retrieved 26 June 2013. |chapter= ignored (help)

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