Everything you never knew you wanted to know about the Mercury Project
Spacecraft 11
From RixWiki
 Fig SC11-1 Differences from earlier spacecraft |
Spacecraft 11 known as Liberty Bell 7, carried Gus Grissom on the MR-4 mission. This was the first spacecraft to carry the new entrance hatch featuring explosive bolts and the large window which replaced the porthole windows on Al Shepard's spacecraft 7 the differences are shown in the initial figure.
Contents |
Disposition
Sank during recovery operations. Discovered and recovered by a team led by Curt Newport and restored by "Buck" Buckingham at the Wikipedia:Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson, Kansas.
[http://aesp.nasa.okstate.edu/fieldguide/pages/mercury/mr-4.html Entry in Jim Gerard's AFGAS]
Details
Interior Details
Instrument Panel
 Fig SC11-IP1 |
Exterior Details
Photos
Pre-Launch
 Photo GG-a Grissom and Glenn before insertion |
 Photo GG-b Grissom in presure suit |
 Photo GG-z Insertion of Grissom into Spacecraft 11 |
Note that GG-a and GG-z were on a date when the launch was scrubbed due to weather.
Recovery
 Attempted Recovery |
 Attempted Recovery |
Chronology
- 1 February 1961
- The February 1961 edition of SEDR-104 is published presumably containing spacecraft 11.
- 7 March 1961
- Spacecraft 11 delivered to Cape Canaveral
- 24 June 1961
- Modifications were made to Capsule 11, the spacecraft designated for the second manned suborbital Mercury flight. An observation window replaced two view ports and an improved manual control system was installed.
- 21 July 1961
- MR-4 launched
Capsule 11 sank when the side hatch unexpectedly opened during helicopter recovery operations.
- 1 August 1961
- The August 1961 edition of SEDR-104 is published presumably containing Capsule 11.
