... rcury engineers ere true pioneers. Nothing that they ere doing has ever been done before. The engineers had to build a space capsule that protects humans in space from the vacuum, the freezing cold temperatures, the radiation of space that has just been discovered, and the astronauts had to survive the heat of the reentry into the atmosphere during hich the spacecraft ould be flying very fast. The engineers found that the ideal shape for the spacecraft as bullet-like. They put strong heat shields on the front side so that the astronaut could survive the reentry. The Mercury capsules ere driven into space by to different propulsion systems. At first the astronauts ere boosted into space by Redstone Rockets hich ere only good for sub-orbital flights. Later the more poerful Atlas-D rockets ere used. The Atlas-D as a modified ballistic missile. Its skin as extra thin to safe eight, so that it had to be pressurized from ithin.Compared ith todays standards the Mercury capsules ere very small. They had about 12,000m3 of Volume hich is just the right size for one person to squeeze in. The internal controls ere poered ith batteries. Inside there ere 120 controls, and 90 sitches and levers. Despite that great number of instruments Mercury as only able change its orientation in space.2.2. Mission HistoryOut of a group of 110 military pilots, seven ere chosen to become Americas first Astronauts, the Mercury Seven. They all gave their spacecraft a name hich ended ith a 7 to emphasize the teamork among them. Before they could go on their mission tests on animals, and even a breathing robot ere conducted. On May 5, 1961, a Redstone, that as given the name Freedom 7, as ready to take off. It took Allan B. Shepard Jr. on a 15 minute space ride that as atched by 45 million Americans on TV. He had the experience of eightlessness for five minutes hile he as traveling in a height of 187km.Nine months later it as John H. Glenns turn to make the first trip ith an Atlas-D, hich he had named Friendship 7. Glenn remained in the orbit for almost five hours, circling Earth three times. After experiencing a sunrise and a sunset in space he returned safely to Earth as a national hero. The primary objective of the Mercury Project as thus fulfilled. Other Mercury missions folloed, most noticeably Faith 7 the last one hich started in May 1963. It as supposed to be an endurance test. L. Gordon Cooper spent 34 hours in space and rounded Earth 22 times. On board he slept, and made some great pictures of the Earth. He as also the first person to launch a satellite in space.2.3. The Importance of MercuryThe Mercury Project ansered many of the basic questions about space flight. It has proven that is possible to build rockets that are strong enough to launch humans into space, and that they could survive there. The engineers gained much experience and learned about the difficulties of preparing a rocket. It also shoed that a global communications netork as necessary to make the missions more secure. The program as so successful that the last scheduled mission could be canceled. President Kennedy announced in 1961 that the United States ould reach the Moon before the end of the decade. By 1963 most of the Mercury engineers had already been orking on NASAs other projects Gemini and Apollo.3. Tins in space Gemini3.1. Just another step on the ay to the MoonAfter the success of Mercury the Gemini Program as shoing the Gemini Program as introduced to the public on January 3, 1962. At this time Apollo had already been called into life. To the public it as not as interesting as Mercury or Apollo since it as not real pioneering anymore. It as a mere preparation for the Apollo program. The Gemini Program had three main objectives. The first as to accomplish space fights of to eeks in duration. The lunar missions ould later take the same time. So NASA had to demonstrate the man and mach ... Download