Everything you never knew you wanted to know about the Mercury Project

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Structure

Fig IP-1

The Mercury spacecraft instrument panel consisted of several sections:

• The main instrument panel this was the portion of the instrument panel which was "normal" to the astronaut's line of sight. It actually was comprised of two sections. The center section which was to the left of and above the periscope display, and a right section which was to the right of the center section. These sections could be separated to allow the astronaut to egress the capsule via the forward escape hatch
• The left console adjoined the main instrument panel and was at an angle to it.
• The right console was not connected to the main instrument panel but was located below the main hatch.

In Fig IP-1 Gordon Cooper is shown holding a portion of the left console. The main instrument panel is to the right. Note the three dimensional nature of the instrument panel. The framing behind the main panel can be seen. Notice also that the periscope was not part of the instrument panel itself. The instrument panel was mounted on the periscope, or on a pedestal in capsules which lacked the periscope.

This figure also shows the compartment in which the earth path indicator would be mounted in capsules so equipped. Also take note of the upper section of the main and right sections which was angled.

Coloring

Fig IP-2 - From December 1960 Capsule Specification

Fig IP-3 - From Capsule 16 Specification

Fig IP-4 - From Capsule 15 Specification

The various sections of the instrument panel were color coded to aid the astronaut in grouping the various instruments and switches as to function. Fig IP-2 comes from the Mercury Manned Orbital Capsule Detailed Specification. It calls out the various colors. I've added the color call-outs in a larger type face for readability.

• Tan XA-262
• Light Brown XA-263
• Dark Brown XA-264
• Light Grey XA-265
• Light Blue XA-266
• Light Green XA-267
• Medium Green XA-268
• Dark Green XA-269

It's not known how these XA colors map to known colors. See XA Color Specification

Fig IP-3 is the same diagram as it appears in the Mercury Capsule No. 16 Configuration Specification This appears to be pretty much the same as the original diagram, although a call out of Tan XA-262 has been added for the lower left panel of the main instrument panel specification. I believe that this might be a clarification rather than a change.

Fig IP-4 is the diagram from the Mercury Capsule No. 15A Configuration Specification The color scheme has remained much the same.

Variations

Fig IP-4 also shows that spacecraft 15 has an additional panel mounted in place of the periscope display. This spacecraft was to have been used for an endurance mission. It's instrument panel differed from those used in the six manned capsules. Unfortunately it's is also the model which was used for the instrument panel in the Atomic City Mercury Kit. This is a good seque into a discussion of how the instrument panels of the various Mercury spacecraft differed.

Sorting out the differences between the instrument panels of the various instances of the Mercury spacecraft requires a bit of an odyssey through the various capsule specifications, editions of SEDR-104, and of SEDR-109.

December 1959 SEDR-104

Spacecraft 5, 18, 19, and 20 December 1959

Fig IP-5 12/59 Spec Capsule Main IP

Fig IP-6 12/59 Spec Left Console

Fig IP-7 12/59 Spec Right Console

Fig IP-5 is from the December 1959 Edition of SEDR-104 and shows the contemporary configuration of the specification capsules from that specification which were spacecraft 18, spacecraft 19, and spacecraft 20.

Note that the specification of capsules 18, 19, and 20 were updated in subsequent editions of SEDR-104 and will be discussed below. See Spacecraft 18 and 19 November 1961, Spacecraft 19 February 1962, Spacecraft 18 February 1962, and Spacecraft 20 December 1962

Spacecraft 5 was a test capsule in this edition of SEDR-104, and no changes were called out for this capsule as to its instrument panels. Figs IP-6 and IP-7 show the left and right console of the specification capsules from this edition of SEDR-104.

Spacecraft 2, 3, and 4 December 1959

Fig IP-8 12/59 Main IP of Capsules 2,3, and 4

Fig IP-9 12/59 Left Console of Capsules 2,3, and 4

Fig IP-10 12/59 Right Console of Capsules 2,3, and 4

Fig IP-8 shows the main instrument panel diagram for spacecraft 2, spacecraft 3, and spacecraft 4 which were test capsules in this edition. Fig IP-9 and IP-10 show the left and right consoles for these capsules.

August 1960 SEDR-109

Fig IP-11 Capsule 7 Main Instrument Panel

Fig IP-12 Capsule 7 Left Console

Fig IP-13 Capsule 7 Right Console

On August 15, 1960 SEDR-109-7 Flight Operations Manual for Spacecraft 7 was issued. This document and the post-mission report is the only technical documentation which I've found for spacecraft 7. This particular spacecraft is important since it was the first manned capsule, known as Freedom 7 flown by Alan Shepard on the MR-3 mission.

The day after this document was issued a design engineering inspection of spacecraft 7 was held. A number of requests for changes in the control panel area were made by the astronauts to facilitate pilot operation. It appears that these changes were not applied to Capsule 7 but only to later capsules. The instrument panel diagrams which appear in the post mission report are very similar to Fig's IP-11 and IP-12.

Spacecraft 7 August 1960

Note that Spacecraft 7 did not have an earth path indicator, in its place was a descent gauge, a squib arming switch, and the reset button for the satellite clock. The major difference between the diagrams in the post mission report and those in the flight operations manual appears to be that the separate panel for these devices is not indicated. Note also that the satellite clock is quite different from that in the other manned capsules, for example the analog clock is centered horizontally and there is a single 5 digit "seconds from launch" counter.

February 1961 SEDR-104

I don't have a copy of this edition

August 1961 SEDR-104

I don't have a copy of this edition

November 1961 SEDR-104

Spacecraft 10, 13, 16, 18, and 19 November 1961

Fig IP-14

Fig IP-15 11/61 Right and Left Consoles

Fig IP-16 11/61 Right Console

Fig IP-14 is from the November 1961 edition of SEDR-104 and shows the contemporary configuration of the specification capsules from that specification which were spacecraft 18, and spacecraft 19, note that all of these capsules specifications were updated in subsequent editions of SEDR-104 and will be discussed below. Spacecraft 5 was a test capsule in this edition of SEDR-104, and no changes were called out for this capsule as to its instrument panels. Figs IP-15 shows the left and right console of the specification capsules from this edition of SEDR-104. Fig IP-16 is the right console alone at a larger image size.

For revisions see

• Spacecraft 13 February 1962
• Spacecraft 16 and 19 February 1962
• Spacecraft 16 May 1962
• Spacecraft 19 May 1962
• Spacecraft 18 February 1962
• Spacecraft 18 May 1962

Spacecraft 8 November 1961

Fig IP-17 Main IP of Capsule 8

Fig IP-18 Left Console Capsule 8

Fig IP-19 12/59 Right Console of Capsule 8

Figs IP-17-19 show the main instrument panel diagrams for spacecraft 8 which was a test capsule in this edition. Some variation of the earth path indicator seems to be installed in the usual place of the satellite clock. In the usual place of the EPI is some undentified equipment which comprises a toggle switch and something which looks like an electrical bus bar or load.

Spacecraft 9 November 1961

Fig IP-20 Main IP of Capsule 9

Fig IP-20a Photo of SC9?

This edition of SEDR-104 said that spacecraft 9 had an instrument panel like the specification capsule, but it did give a separate diagram which is shown here as Fig IP-20. It seems to feature the same equipment shown in the EPI location in Capsule 8, but the satellite clock is in its normal place. Fig IP20a is a photo which I believe to be SC9 which shows something of a dark color in the EPI location.

The right console of Capsule 9 was updated in the February 1962 revision.

see Spacecraft 9 February 1962
.

January 1962 Configuration Specification of Spacecraft 16

The only diagram relevant to the instrument panel in this document is shown in Fig IP-3.

February 1962 Revision of SEDR-104

Fig IP-21 Main IP combined Feb 1962

Fig IP-22 Left Console Capsules 9, 13, 16, 18, and 19

The February 1962 edition of SEDR-104 was a revision of the November 1961 edition.

Fig IP-21 is the spec capsule main instrument panel diagram from the February 1962 edition of SEDR-104. It combines features from different capsules and highlights the differences. I've produced edited versions of this diagram to show each individual capsule which are shown below. Fig IP-22 shows the left console for spacecraft 9, 13, 16, 18, and 19.
The right console diagrams are shown or referred to in the individual spacecraft descriptions below.

Spacecraft 9 February 1962

Fig IP-23 Feb 1960 Capsule 9 Right Console

This edition revised the right console diagram for spacecraft 9 the revision is shown as Fig IP-23. The main panel and left console for this capsule presumably still correspond to Figs IP-20 and IP-15 respectively from the prior edition.

Spacecraft 13 February 1962

Fig IP-24 Feb 1960 Capsule 13 Main IP

Fig IP-25 Feb 1960 Capsule 13 Right Console

Fig IP-24 shows the main instrument panel for spacecraft 13 from this edition of SEDR-104. Fig IP-25 shows the right console.

The left console diagram shown in Fig IP-22 attempts to show several variations. The call-outs on this diagram are confusing. The label on the inset to the lower left indicates that it applies to Capsules 10, 13, 16, and 18, while there is also a label on the PHOTO LIGHTS toggle switch on the main panel drawing which indicates that this was only on Capsule 13. The diagram in Results of the First U.S. Manned Orbital Space Flight indicate that capsule 13's left console was as shown in the inset.

Spacecraft 16 and 19 February 1962

Fig IP-26 Feb 1960 Capsules 16&19 Main IP

Fig IP-27 Feb 1960 Capsules 16&19 Right Console

Fig IP-26 shows the main instrument panel for spacecraft 16 and spacecraft 19 from this edition of SEDR-104. Fig IP-27 shows the right console. The left console remains unchanged from Fig IP-22 in the November 1961 edition. For revisions see

• Spacecraft 16 May 1962
• Spacecraft 19 May 1962

Spacecraft 18 February 1962

Fig IP-28 Feb 1960 Capsule 18 Main IP

Fig IP-29 Feb 1960 Capsule 18 Right Console

Fig IP-28 shows the main instrument panel for spacecraft 18 from this edition of SEDR-104. Fig IP-29 shows the right console. The left console remains unchanged from Fig IP-15 in the November 1961 edition. For revisions see Spacecraft 18 May 1962

May 1962 Edition of SEDR-104

Fig IP-30 May 1962 Main Inst Panel

Fig IP-31 May 1962 Left Console

Figs IP-30 and IP-31 are the Main Instrument Panel and Left Console diagrams for the specification capsule for this edition which is spacecraft 19. This edition also says that spacecraft 13 is the same as the specification capsule, but we know that it had already flown and it's instrument panels differed from what is shown here.

Spacecraft 16 May 1962

Fig IP-32 May 1962 Right Console Capsule 16

This edition implies that spacecraft 16 had a main instrument panel and left console as shown in Fig IP-30 and IP-31. Fig IP-32 shows the diagram of its right console.

Spacecraft 18 May 1962

Fig IP-33 May 1962 Main Inst Panel Capsule 18

Fig IP-34 May 1962 Right Console Capsule 18

This edition implies that spacecraft 18 had a left console as shown in Fig IP-31. Fig IP-33 shows the diagram of its main instrument panel, and Fig IP-34 its right console.

Spacecraft 19 May 1962

Fig IP-35 May 1962 Main Inst Panel Capsule 19

Fig IP-36 May 1962 Right Console Capsule 10

This edition implies that spacecraft 19 had a left console as shown in Fig IP-31. Fig IP-35 shows the diagram of its main instrument panel, and Fig IP-36 its right console.

June 1962 Edition of SEDR-104

I don't have a copy of this edition which covers the 18 Orbit configurations for spacecraft 12, spacecraft 15, spacecraft 17, and spacecraft 20

November 1962 Specification of Spacecraft 15A

The only relevant instrument panel diagram from this document is shown in Fig IP-4.

December 1962 Edition of SEDR-104

Spacecraft 20 December 1962

Fig IP-37 December 1962 Main Inst Panel Capsule 20

Fig IP-38 December 1962 Left Console Capsule 20

Fig IP-39 December 1962 Right Console Capsule 20

Fig IP-37 shows the main instrument panel of spacecraft 20. Fig IP-38 shows its left console and Fig IP-39 its right console.