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Aviation History
1963
1963 - 1778.PDF
11GHT International, 3 October 1963 SPACECRAFT LOG 15 May 1963 MERCURY-ATLAS 9 1963-15 US National Aeronautics and Space Administration CAPE CANAVERAL Major objectives Orbit and recover manned spacecraft to study effects of about one day's orbital flight on astronaut; verify that man can function in space as primary spacecraft system; check performance of astronaut and spacecraft modified for one-day mission. Major results Objective of 22 orbits achieved and spacecraft and astronaut recovered. Flight programme LAUNCH TIME 1.04 p.m. GMT. LAUNCH VEHICLE AtkS D130. LIFT-OFF WEIGHT Approximately 260,0001b. DIMENSIONS 93ft high, including spacecraft and escape system; 16ft (max) base diameter. PROGRAMME Place manned spacecraft in Earth orbit and recover in pre-planned area after 22 orbits. PROGRAMME RESULTS Objectives achieved. ORBITAL DATA perigee 100 miles inclination 32.55° apogee 156.1 miles period 88.7min velocity 17,500 m.p.h. (average) Payload and instrumentation DIMENSIONS 9ft 6in high, 6ft base diameter. WEIGHT Approximately: 4,0001b (lift-off), 3,0001b (in orbit), 2,4601b (recovery). SHAPE Cone frustum with cylindrical top. INSTRUMENTATION Life support, aeromedical monitoring and attitude control systems; telemetry; cameras; drag balloon, flashing beacon, radiation measurement, and HF antenna experi ments. TRANSMITTERS HF and UHF transmitters; radio recovery beacons. POWER SUPPLY One 1,500 Watt-hour battery and five 3,000 Watt-hour batteries. Additional data Spacecraft Faith 7 carrying Maj Leroy Gordon Cooper Jr, USAF, splashed-down into the Pacific about 80 miles south-east of Midway Island at 11.24 p.m. GMT on May 16 within two miles of the carrier USS Kearsarge, and both capsule and occupant were recovered by the carrier at 12.00 midnight GMT. Entire mission exceptionally smooth and accurate, with near-perfect insertion into orbit; booster cutoff at 131sec (202,553ft, 44 miles, 10,300ft/ sec); booster jettison at 134 sec (213,289ft, 48 miles, 10,400ft/sec); tower jettison at 154sec (289,399ft, 76 miles, ll,100ft/sec); sus- tainer and vernier cutoff at 305sec (528,400ft, 437 miles, 25,700ft/ sec); spacecraft separation at 306sec (528,400ft, 441 miles, 25,750 ft/sec); technical problems with two electrical connectors in the amplifier calibrator (where electrical signals are converted into commands) forced Maj Cooper to fly manually during re-entry and down to recovery, which he did with extreme accuracy; correction of these problems involves tighter control of moisture within the spacecraft and better protection of electrics against such moisture. Information source: NASA
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