Everything you never knew you wanted to know about the Mercury Project
Spacecraft 20
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Contents |
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Mission
Spacecraft 20 flew on MA-9 which was also known as Faith 7
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Disposition
Displayed at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
[http://aesp.nasa.okstate.edu/fieldguide/pages/mercury/ma-9.html Entry in Jim Gerard's AFGAS]
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Details
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Capsule Interior
 Fig 1 |
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Chronology
- 15 December 1959
- The December 1959 Edition of SEDR-104 is published containing this Spacecraft as a specification capsule
- 1 November 1961
- The November 1961 Edition of SEDR-104 is issued stating that this Spacecraft 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 20.
- 1 December 1962
- The December 1962 Edition of SEDR-104 is issued which covers this spacecraft.
- 11 January 1963
- The Project Engineering Field Office (located at Cape Canaveral) of the Mercury Project Office reported on the number of changes made to spacecraft 20 for MA-9 as of that date after its receipt at Cape Canaveral from McDonnell in St. Louis. There were 17 specific changes, which follow: one to the reaction control system, one to the environmental control system, seven to the electrical and sequential systems, and eight to the console panels.
- 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 Capsule 15B and Capsule 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.
- 23 February 1963
- Manned Spacecraft Center checkout and special hardware installation at Cape Canaveral on spacecraft 20 were scheduled for completion as of this date. However, work tasks were extended for a 2-week period because of the deletion of certain experimental hardware - zero g experiment and new astronaut couch. In addition, some difficulties were experienced while testing the space reaction control system and environmental control system.
- 19 March 1963
- The Manned Spacecraft Center received a slow-scan television camera system, fabricated by Lear Siegler, Incorporated, for integration with spacecraft 20 for the MA-9 mission.
- 20 April 1963
- The final water condensate tank was installed in spacecraft 20 for the MA-9 mission. In all, the system consisted of a 4-pound, built-in tank, a 3.6 pound auxiliary tank located under the couch head, and six 1-pound auxiliary plastic containers. The total capacity for condensate water storage was 13.6 pounds. In operation, the astronaut hand-pumped the fluid to the 3.6 pound tank to avoid spilling moisture inside the cabin from the built-in tank. Then the 1-pound containers were available.
- 22 April 1963
- Spacecraft 20 was moved from Hanger S at Cape Canaveral to Complex 14 and mated to Atlas launch vehicle 130-D in preparation for the Mercury-Atlas 9 MA-9 mission. The first simulated flight test was begun immediately.
- 15 May 1963
- MA-9 launched.
- 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 on MA-9.
