Mercury-Atlas 1 (MA-1) was the first attempt to launch a Mercury capsule and occurred on July 29, 1960 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The spacecraft was unmanned and carried no launch escape system. The Atlas rocket suffered a structural failure 58 seconds after launch at an altitude of approximately 30,000 feet (9.1 km) and 11,000 feet (3.4 km) down range. All telemetry signals suddenly ceased as the vehicle was passing through Max Q. Because the day was rainy and overcast, the booster was out of sight from 26 seconds after launch, and it was impossible to see what happened.

The mission was to conduct a suborbital test flight and reentry of the spacecraft. The capsule carried live separation rockets, but dummy retrorockets. Several other systems were not installed, including the cabin pressurization system and the astronaut couch. A number of Mercury engineers had voiced their objection to the launch because the weather would prevent observation of the flight. Some witnesses claimed to have heard an explosion, but this could not be verified. The capsule continued transmitting until it impacted the ocean, approximately 6 miles downrange. Salvage brought the capsule, Atlas booster engines and LOX vent valve to the surface from the ocean floor. The engines showed no sign of damage except some deformation from impact with the ocean, but the vent valve and a still-attached segment of piping had noticeable fatigue cracks.

Mission typeTest flight
Operator NASA
Mission duration3 minutes, 18 seconds
Launch failure
Distance travelled 9.7 kilometres (6 mi)
Apogee13.0 kilometres (8.1 mi)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft Mercury No.4
Manufacturer McDonnell Aircraft
Launch mass1,154 kilograms (2,544 lb)
Start of mission
Launch dateJuly 29, 1960, 13:13 UTC
Rocket Atlas LV-3B 50-D
Launch site Cape Canaveral LC-14

Mission type Test flight
Operator NASA
Mission duration17 minutes, 56 seconds
Distance travelled 2,305 kilometres (1,432 mi)
Apogee183 kilometres (114 mi)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft Mercury No.6
Manufacturer McDonnell Aircraft
Launch mass1,154 kilograms (2,544 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date February 21, 1961, 14:10 UTC
RocketAtlas LV-3B 67-D
Launch site Cape Canaveral LC-14
End of mission
Landing date February 21, 1961, 14:28 UTC

Mission typeTest flight
Operator NASA
Mission duration 7 minutes, 19 seconds
Failed to orbit
Distance travelled1.8 kilometres (1.1 mi)
Apogee7.2 kilometres (4.5 mi)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft Mercury No.8
Manufacturer McDonnell Aircraft
Launch mass1,179 kilograms (2,599 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date April 25, 1961, 16:15 UTC
Rocket Atlas LV-3B 100-D
Launch site Cape Canaveral LC-14
End of mission
Landing date April 25, 1961, 16:23 UTC

Mission typeTest flight
Operator NASA
Harvard designation 1961 Alpha Alpha 1
COSPAR ID1961-025A
SATCAT no.183
Mission duration1 hour, 49 minutes, 20 seconds
Distance travelled41,919 kilometers (26,047 mi)
Orbits completed1
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft Mercury No.8
Manufacturer McDonnell Aircraft
Launch mass1,224.7 kilograms (2,700 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date September 13, 1961, 14:04:16 UTC
Rocket Atlas LV-3B 88-D
Launch site Cape Canaveral LC-14
End of mission
Recovered by USS Decatur
Landing date September 13, 1961, 15:53:36 UTC
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude149 kilometers (80 nmi)
Apogee altitude240 kilometers (130 nmi)
Inclination 32.5 degrees
Period 88.38 minutes
Epoch September 13, 1961

Mission typeTest flight
OperatorNASA
Harvard designation1961 Alpha Iota 1
COSPAR ID1961-033A
SATCAT no.208
Mission duration3 hours, 20 minutes, 59 seconds
Distance travelled 81,902 kilometers (50,892 mi)
Orbits completed 2
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft Mercury No.9
Manufacturer McDonnell Aircraft
Launch mass 1,331 kilograms (2,934 lb)
Crew
Crew size1
Members Enos
Callsign Mercury-Atlas 5
Start of mission
Launch date November 29, 1961, 15:07:57 UTC
Rocket Atlas LV-3B 93-D
Launch siteCape Canaveral LC-14
End of mission
Recovered byUSS Stormes
Landing date November 29, 1961, 18:28:56 UTC
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude158 kilometers (85 nmi)
Apogee altitude237 kilometers (128 nmi)
Inclination 32.5 degrees
Period 88.44 min
Epoch November 29, 1961

Mission typeTest flight
Operator NASA
Harvard designation1962 Gamma 1
COSPAR ID1962-003A
SATCAT no.240
Mission duration 4 hours, 55 minutes, 23 seconds
Distance travelled 65,763 nautical miles (121,793 kilometers)
Orbits completed3
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft Mercury No.13
Manufacturer McDonnell Aircraft
Launch mass2,981 pounds (1,352 kg)[2]
Crew
Crew size1
MembersJohn H. Glenn, Jr
Call sign Friendship 7
Start of mission
Launch date February 20, 1962, 14:47:39 UTC
Rocket Atlas LV-3B 109-D
Launch site Cape Canaveral LC-14
End of mission
Recovered by USS Noa
Landing date February 20, 1962, 19:43:02 UTC
Landing site North Atlantic Ocean
21°20′N 68°40′W
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Perigee altitude 80 nautical miles (150 kilometers)
Apogee altitude134 nautical miles (248 kilometers)
Inclination 32.5 degrees
Period 88.47 minutes
Epoch February 20, 1962

Operator NASA
Harvard designation1962 Tau 1
COSPAR ID1962-019A
SATCAT no.295
Mission duration 4 hours, 56 minutes, 5 seconds
Distance travelled 122,344 kilometers (76,021 mi)
Orbits completed3
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft Mercury No.18
Manufacturer McDonnell Aircraft
Launch mass 1,350.0 kilograms (2,976.2 lb)
Crew
Crew size1
Members: M. Scott Carpenter
Call sign Aurora 7
Start of mission
Launch date May 24, 1962, 12:45:16 UTC
Rocket Atlas LV-3B 107-D
Launch site Cape Canaveral LC-14
End of mission
Recovered by USS Intrepid
Landing date May 24, 1962, 17:41:21 UTC
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Low Earth orbit
Perigee altitude 154 kilometers (83 nmi)
Apogee altitude 259 kilometers (140 nmi)
Inclination 32.5 degrees
Period 88.63 minutes
Epoch May 24, 1962

Operator NASA
Harvard designation 1962 Beta Delta 1
COSPAR ID1962-052A
SATCAT no.433
Mission duration 09:13:15
Orbits completed 6
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft Mercury No.16
Manufacturer McDonnell Aircraft
Launch mass 1,964 kilograms (4,329 lb)
Landing mass 1,110 kilograms (2,440 lb)
Dry mass 1,242–1,374 kilograms (2,739–3,029 lb)
Crew
Crew size1
Members: Walter M. Schirra Jr.
Call sign Sigma 7
Start of mission
Launch date October 3, 1962, 12:15:12 UTC
Rocket Atlas LV-3B 113-D
Launch site Cape Canaveral LC-14
End of mission
Recovered by USS Kearsarge
Landing date October 3, 1962, 21:28:22 UTC
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Perigee altitude 156 kilometers (84 nmi)
Apogee altitude 285 kilometers (154 nmi)
Inclination 32.5 degrees
Period 88.91 minutes
Epoch October 3, 1962

Operator NASA
COSPAR ID1963-015A
SATCAT no.576
Mission duration 34 hours, 19 minutes, 49 seconds
Distance travelled 878,971 kilometers (474,606 nautical miles)
Orbits completed 22
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft Mercury No.20
Manufacturer McDonnell Aircraft
Launch mass 1,360 kilograms (3,000 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date May 15, 1963, 13:04:13 UTC
Rocket Atlas LV-3B 130-D
Launch siteCape Canaveral LC-14
End of mission
Recovered by USS Kearsarge
Landing date May 16, 1963, 23:24:02 UTC
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Low Earth orbit
Perigee altitude 163 kilometers (88 nautical miles)
Apogee altitude 265 kilometers (143 nautical miles)
Inclination 32.5 degrees
Period 88.77 minutes
Epoch May 15, 1963