Project Mercury

The objectives of the Mercury Project, as stated at the time of project go-ahead, were as follows: Place a manned spacecraft in orbital flight around the earth. Investigate man 's performance capabilities and his ability to function in the environment of space. Recover the man and the spacecraft safely. After the objectives were established for the project, a number of guidelines were established to insure that the most expedient and safest approach for attainment of the objectives was followed

government to make sure the United States did not fall behind its communist rival. A new space program, Project Mercury, was initiated two years later, during President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s administration. Seven men were selected to take part in the program: Scott Carpenter, Leroy Gordon Cooper, John Glenn Jr., Virgil Grissom, Walter Schirra Jr., Alan Shepard Jr., and Donald Slayton. Project Mercury’s goals were to orbit a manned spacecraft around Earth, investigate the ability of astronauts to

first time, geologic samples were brought back to Earth in the form of 50 rocks and samples of lunar “Soil”. This scientific data was especially important, as it put the US farther ahead than most of the world in terms of knowledge. Although the Mercury Missions were one of the most important missions of the 50s and 60s, the Apollo Missions were undoubtedly the most

Since it is a U.S. government agency, NASA must be approved by Congress before starting a new project. The President often assigns a job to NASA such as when they landed on the moon and built space shuttles. Because any mission conducted by NASA is extremely expensive, Congress is also responsible for deciding whether they should fund the program

For many when they think of the space missions, the first thing that comes to mind is the astronauts themselves. However, that view glosses over all of the people that did the scientific work behind the scenes that enabled them to go on these missions and more importantly survive them. One such person was Margaret Hamilton, one of the lead software writers for the Apollo program. However, the road to Apollo 11 and thus Hamilton’s work is a long one, one that starts after the end of the Second World

in these last minute exams is used to analyze the effects of space travel on the astronauts. Only 7 missions in American history included biomedical objectives as a goal amongst each operations highest priorities. As of May 1961 to May 1963, Project Mercury was conducted to assess the ability for man to survive in an environment outside of earth. The endeavor completed four orbital missions and two sub-orbital flights, the longest of which lasted 34 hours. Although the returning health conditions

Hidden Figures Margot Lee Shetterly These are the women that helped NASA go to Mercury. Kimberly Lopez Katherine Johnsen, Katherine was born August 26, 1918. Katherine conducted technical work at NASA and its predecessor. She graduated highschool at the age of 14 years old. Later on Katherine was handpicked to be one of three black students to integrate West Virginia’s graduate schools. Katherine graduated from college at the age of 18. Katherine is known for calculating the trajectories

Hidden Figures: The Math Behind the Scenes Brianna K. Fetzer Benton High School Abstract In the movie Hidden Figures the producers and writers of the movie touch base on multiple points as well as teach valuable lessons. Katherine Johnson, played by Taraji P. Henson, is an outstanding american idol. In the 1960s blacks were not seen as equals nor were women yet she, being both black and a woman, out did her colleagues. Using Euler’s Method to solve a problem on a blackboard that her and her

animals were sent up in space including dogs, rats, rabbits, and even chimpanzees. One famous chimpanzee named Ham was sent up and paved the way for other astronauts to go up in space. Ham’s background, his expedition to space, and the design of the Mercury-Redstone rocket caused more people to want to travel in space. It is hard to believe that a chimpanzee could go up into space. This chimp was born on July 1957, in the French Camaroon, West Africa. Ham was only 3 years old and weighed 37 pounds when

Project Mercury was the first human spaceflight program of the united state running from 1958 through 1963. An early highlight of the Space Race, its goal was to put a man into Earth orbit and return him safely ideally before the Soviet Union. Taken over from the U.S. Air Force by the newly created civilian space agency NASA, it conducted twenty unmanned developmental flights (some using animals), and six successful flights by astronauts. The program, which took its name from the god of travel