August 20, 1953 |
The first Redstone missile was test-fired by the Army at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Redstone rocket was later used as a launch vehicle for two manned suborbital flights and research and development flights. |
June 11, 1957 |
The Atlas’ first launch attempt took place at Cape Canaveral, Florida. However, the rocket exploded shortly after launch at an altitude of around 3 km. |
November 1957 |
Maxime A. Faget gave a lecture on manned orbital flights. The concept included the use of existing ballistic missiles for propulsion, solid-propellant retrorockets for reentry initiation, and a reentry capsule. This concept was considered the fastest and safest approach for the first manned flights into orbit. |
January 16, 1958 |
Paul E. Purser and Maxime A. Faget designed a solid-propellant rocket for the research and development phase of a manned satellite vehicle project. This launch vehicle was later named Little Joe and was used to test the Mercury capsules. |
July 29, 1958 |
Founding of NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). |
November 26, 1958 |
The manned satellite program was officially named Project Mercury. |
December 17, 1958 |
Dr. T. Keith Glennan referred to the manned satellite project as Project Mercury for the first time in a political speech. |
January 26, 1959 |
NASA has completed contract negotiations with McDonnell for the design and development of the Mercury capsule. |
January 1959 |
Development of the Mercury pressure suit began. |
August 21, 1959 |
Launch of Mercury-Little-Joe 1 |
September 9, 1959 |
Launch of Mercury-Big-Joe 1 |
October 4, 1959 |
Launch of Mercury-Little-Joe 6 |
November 4, 1959 |
Launch of Mercury-Little-Joe 1A |
December 4, 1959 |
Launch of Mercury-Little-Joe 2 with the rhesus monkey Sam |
January 21, 1960 |
Launch of Mercury-Little-Joe 1B with the rhesus monkey Miss Sam |
July 29, 1960 |
Launch of Mercury-Atlas 1 |
November 8, 1960 |
Launch of Mercury-Little-Joe 5 |
November 21, 1960 |
Launch of Mercury-Redstone 1 |
December 12, 1960 |
Launch of Mercury-Redstone 1A |
January 31, 1961 |
Launch of Mercury-Redstone 2 with the chimpanzee Ham, who became the first monkey in space with this flight |
February 21, 1961 |
Launch Mercury-Atlas 2 |
March 18, 1961 |
Launch of Mercury-Little-Joe 5A |
March 24, 1961 |
Launch of Mercury-Redstone BD |
April 25, 1961 |
Launch of Mercury-Atlas 3 |
April 28, 1961 |
Launch of Mercury-Little-Joe 5B |
May 5, 1961 |
Launch of Mercury-Redstone 3 “Freedom 7” with Alan Shepard, with this suborbital flight he became the first American in space |
July 21, 1961 |
Launch of Mercury-Redstone 4 “Liberty Bell 7” with Gus Grissom, the second American in space, capsule sank after splashdown |
September 13, 1961 |
Launch of Mercury-Atlas 4 for the first successful orbit of the Earth in this program |
November 29, 1961 |
Launch of Mercury-Atlas 5 with the chimpanzee Enos for the first successful orbit of the earth by a chimpanzee |
February 20, 1962 |
Launch of Mercury-Atlas 6 “Friendship 7” with John Glenn, who became the first American to orbit the Earth |
May 24, 1962 |
Launch of Mercury-Atlas 7 “Aurora 7” with Scott Carpenter for the second successful manned orbital space flight |
October 3, 1962 |
Launch of Mercury-Atlas 8 “Sigma 7” with Walter Schirra |
May 15, 1963 |
Launch of Mercury-Atlas 9 “Faith 7” with Gordon Cooper for the last flight in this program and first landing the following day |
June 12, 1963 |
Official end of Project Mercury |