Everything you never knew you wanted to know about the Mercury Project
Spacecraft 15
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Contents |
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Mission
MA-10 which was also known as Freedom 7-II. Also known as spacecraft 15A and spacecraft 15B
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Flight Order
The previous and final production capsule to fly was spacecraft 20.
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Disposition
Displayed at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum
[http://aesp.nasa.okstate.edu/fieldguide/pages/mercury/mc-15.html Entry in Jim Gerard's AFGAS]
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Details
The National Air and Space Museum now has a QuicktimeVR "tour" of the interior of spacecraft 15 as it is now on display at the Udvar-Hazy center at Dulles Airport. http://www.nasm.si.edu/interact/qtvr/uhc/images/mercuryB.mov
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Instrument Panel
 Instrument Panel From Capsule 15 Specification |
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Chronology
- 6 March 1961
- The third in the series of development engineering inspections on Mercury spacecraft was held. At this time, Capsule 12 and Capsule 15 were inspected, and some 50 requests for alterations were made.
- 13 August 1961
- Capsule 15 delivered to Cape Canaveral.
It was returned to McDonnell to be reconfigured to the orbital-manned 1-day mission and tentatively assigned for Mercury-Atlas 10 (MA-10). Redesign was completed, and the spacecraft, then designated Capsule 15A (later redesignated Capsule 15B), was delivered to Cape Canaveral on November 16, 1962.
- 25 October 1961
- NASA Headquarters officially approved the Mercury extended range or 1-day mission program
- 1 November 1961
- The November 1961 Edition of SEDR-104 is published stating that spacecraft 15 had been assigned to be configured for an 18 orbit mission.
- 1 May 1962
- The May 1962 Edition of SEDR-104 is issued which covers spacecraft 15.
- 16 November 1962
- Spacecraft 15A delivered to Cape Canaveral
- 14 January 1963
- In the event MA-10 were flown, spacecraft 15 now once again re-designated as spacecraft 15B would be the prime spacecraft. Modifications were started immediately with respect to the hand controller rigging procedures, pitch and yaw control valves, and other technical changes.
- 5 February 1963
- Personnel of the Manned Spacecraft Center visited the McDonnell plant in St. Louis to conduct a spacecraft status review. Units being inspected were spacecraft 15B and spacecraft 20. In addition, the status of the Gemini Simulator Instructor Console was assessed. With regard to the spacecraft inspection portion, a number of modifications had been made that would affect the simulator trainers. On spacecraft 15B, 15 modifications were made to the control panel and interior, including the relocation of the water separator lights, the addition of water spray and radiation experiment switches and a retropack battery switch. The exterior of the spacecraft underwent changes as well, involving such modifications as electrical connections and redesign of the fuel system for the longer mission. The reviewers found that spacecraft 20 conformed closely to the existing simulator configuration, so that modifications to the simulator were unnecessary.
- 7 February 1963
- At a Development Engineering Inspection for the Capsule 15B mockup, designated for the MA-10 mission, some 42 requests for alterations were listed.
- 11 March 1963
- Based on a request from the Manned Spacecraft Center, McDonnell submitted a review of clearances between the Mercury Capsule 15B retropack and the launch vehicle adapter during separation maneuvers. This review was prompted by the fact that additional batteries and a water tank had been installed on the sides of the retropack. According to the McDonnell study the clearance safety margin was quite adequate.
- 8 June 1963
- In preparation for the Mercury-Atlas 10 MA-10 mission, should the flight be approved by NASA Headquarters, several environmental control system changes were made in Capsule 15B. Particularly involved were improvements in the hardware and flexibility of the urine and condensate systems. With regard to the condensate portion, Gordon Cooper, in his press conference, indicated that the system was not easy to operate during the flight of Faith 7 MA-9.
