Explore the Mercury Space Program History

Project Mercury

Questions for Reflection

What were the primary goals and objectives of Project Mercury in the early days of human space exploration?
How did Project Mercury pave the way for subsequent space missions and advancements in space technology?
What were the challenges and risks faced by the astronauts and the entire project team during Project Mercury?
How did Project Mercury contribute to our understanding of human capabilities in space and the effects of space travel on the human body?
What were the societal and cultural impacts of Project Mercury, both in the United States and internationally, in terms of inspiring and captivating the public's imagination about space exploration?

On July 29, 1958, less than one year after the launch of Sputnik 1, President Eisenhower signed the act to create the NASA, which began its operations two months later. The U.S. had been experimenting with rockets since the mid-1940s under the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). NASA absorbed the nearly 8,000 employees and $100 million annual budget of NACA as well as its research labs and test facilities.

The U.S. Air Force had created the Man in Space Soonest program to develop manned spacecraft designs. When NASA was started in 1958, the program was transferred to NASA and renamed Project Mercury.

Publicity Photo of Mercury Seven Astronauts & Missile (1959)

John Glenn wearing his pressure suit in preparation for Mercury Atlas 6 launch (January, 1962).

Project Mercury Main Instrument Panel Diagram (1959)

Replica source: "Memorandum on the Exchange of Visits with Russian Astronauts," October 21, 1959, National Archives, Records of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Record Group 255, National Archives Identifier 4662499, Online Text. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/4662499

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