{"id":168263,"date":"2008-10-01T12:40:00","date_gmt":"2008-10-01T16:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?migration=converted-node-341659"},"modified":"2023-07-25T11:19:49","modified_gmt":"2023-07-25T15:19:49","slug":"in-the-beginning-project-mercury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/project-mercury\/in-the-beginning-project-mercury\/","title":{"rendered":"In the Beginning: Project Mercury"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-article-hero-header nasa-gb-align-full bg-carbon-90 width-full maxw-full color-mode-dark hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-article-hero-header\">\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper width-full maxw-full minh-tablet grid-container minh-tablet flex-column padding-0\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-foreground-wrapper display-flex flex-direction-column\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-container grid-container-block margin-top-auto width-full maxw-desktop-lg padding-y-9 padding-x-3 desktop:padding-x-3 z-400\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"z-400 grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-7 z-400\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"label color-spacesuit-white margin-bottom-2\">3 Min Read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"heading-41 line-height-md color-spacesuit-white-important\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIn the Beginning: Project Mercury\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-left mobile-skrim-top z-200\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1510\" src=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8773838\/8773838~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1510&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536\" alt=\"The original Mercury astronauts pose in fron of an Air Force Jet\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8773838\/8773838~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1510&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1920w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8773838\/8773838~large.jpg?w=300&h=236&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8773838\/8773838~large.jpg?w=768&h=604&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8773838\/8773838~large.jpg?w=1024&h=805&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8773838\/8773838~large.jpg?w=1536&h=1208&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1536w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8773838\/8773838~large.jpg?w=400&h=315&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8773838\/8773838~large.jpg?w=600&h=472&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8773838\/8773838~large.jpg?w=900&h=708&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8773838\/8773838~large.jpg?w=1200&h=944&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"padding-y-3 padding-x-3\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-container grid-container-block padding-x-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"hds-caption maxw-mobile desktop:padding-x-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0 color-carbon-30\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div><figcaption>The original seven astronauts for the Mercury Project pose in front of an Air Force Jet. From left to right: Scott Carpenter, L. Gordon Cooper, John H. Glenn, Virgil I. Gus Grissom, Walter M. Wally Schirra, Alan B. Shepard, and Donald K. Deke Slayton. <\/figcaption><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-credits color-spacesuit-white-important\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Credits: <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>NASA<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n<p>In October 1958, just six days after NASA formally organized, America\u2019s first human spaceflight program was born. Project Mercury\u2019s manned flights spanned just two years \u2013 from May 1961 to May 1963 \u2013 making history with its six missions launched from Cape Canaveral.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-wide\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><a href=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s63-18853\/s63-18853~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1486&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1486\" src=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s63-18853\/s63-18853~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1486&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Group shot of the original Mercury astronauts taken at the Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston, Texas in 1963.\" style=\"transform: scale(1.2); transform-origin: 48% 35%; object-position: 48% 35%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s63-18853\/s63-18853~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1486&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1920w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s63-18853\/s63-18853~large.jpg?w=300&h=232&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s63-18853\/s63-18853~large.jpg?w=768&h=594&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s63-18853\/s63-18853~large.jpg?w=1024&h=793&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s63-18853\/s63-18853~large.jpg?w=1536&h=1189&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1536w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s63-18853\/s63-18853~large.jpg?w=400&h=310&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s63-18853\/s63-18853~large.jpg?w=600&h=464&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s63-18853\/s63-18853~large.jpg?w=900&h=697&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s63-18853\/s63-18853~large.jpg?w=1200&h=929&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Group shot of the original Mercury astronauts taken at the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC), Houston, Texas. The astronauts are left-to-right: L. Gordon Cooper Jr., Walter M. Schirra, Alan B. Shepard Jr., Virgil I. Grissom, John H. Glenn Jr., Donald K. Slayton and M. Scott Carpenter. (1963)<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The American public first met the seven men chosen to be this country\u2019s first human space voyagers on April 9, 1959, at a press conference in Washington, D.C. The men were dubbed \u201castronauts.\u201d The term was a cross between \u201caeronauts,\u201d as ballooning pioneers were called, and \u201cArgonauts,\u201d the legendary Greeks in search of the Golden Fleece. These new explorers prepared to sail into the new, uncharted vastness of space.<br> The Mercury 7 were: Walter M. Schirra Jr., Donald K. \u201cDeke\u201d Slayton, John H. Glenn Jr., Scott Carpenter, Alan B. Shepard Jr., Virgil I. \u201cGus\u201d Grissom and L. Gordon Cooper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These seven adventurers \u2013 and a quiet cape that juts out from Florida\u2019s east coast \u2013 were destined to become the focus of the new Space Age in which the designation of \u201cfirst\u201d was to become the norm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first U.S. spaceship was a cone-shaped, one-man capsule. The blunt end was covered with a heat shield to protect it against the 3,000 degree heat of reentry into the atmosphere. Slowed by parachutes, the capsules were designed to splash down in the ocean allowing recovery of the astronaut and vehicle by ship. Each astronaut named his capsule and added the numeral \u201c7\u201d to symbolize the team of seven astronauts.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-wide\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8892072\/8892072~large.jpg?w=1529&h=1920&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1529\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8892072\/8892072~large.jpg?w=1529&h=1920&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Wally Schirra stands with his hands on his hips wearing his Mercury space suit\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8892072\/8892072~large.jpg?w=1529&h=1920&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1529w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8892072\/8892072~large.jpg?w=239&h=300&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 239w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8892072\/8892072~large.jpg?w=768&h=964&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8892072\/8892072~large.jpg?w=815&h=1023&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 815w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8892072\/8892072~large.jpg?w=1223&h=1536&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1223w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8892072\/8892072~large.jpg?w=319&h=401&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 319w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8892072\/8892072~large.jpg?w=478&h=600&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 478w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8892072\/8892072~large.jpg?w=717&h=900&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 717w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8892072\/8892072~large.jpg?w=956&h=1200&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 956w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1529px) 100vw, 1529px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Astronaut Walter M. “Wally” Schirra, one of the original seven astronauts for Mercury Project selected by NASA on April 27, 1959. The MA-8 (Mercury-Atlas) mission with Sigma 7 spacecraft was the third marned orbital flight by the United States, and made the six orbits in 9-1\/4 hours.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The program used two launch vehicles: a Redstone for suborbital flights and an Atlas for orbital flights. Unmanned tests of the booster and capsule preceded the first human flight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alan Shepard was chosen for the first manned Mercury launch, becoming the first American to fly in space on May 5, 1961. His Freedom 7 capsule launched from Complex 5 at Cape Canaveral aboard a Redstone rocket. The capsule reached an altitude of 116 miles during his suborbital flight and splashed down 304 miles out into the Atlantic. The flight lasted just over 15 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-wide\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/9248359.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1823\" height=\"2048\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/9248359.jpg?w=1823\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Astronaut Alan Shepard, seated, while technician checks his silver pressure suit\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 42% 2%; object-position: 42% 2%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/9248359.jpg 2670w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/9248359.jpg?resize=267,300 267w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/9248359.jpg?resize=768,863 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/9248359.jpg?resize=911,1024 911w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/9248359.jpg?resize=1367,1536 1367w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/9248359.jpg?resize=1823,2048 1823w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/9248359.jpg?resize=356,400 356w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/9248359.jpg?resize=534,600 534w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/9248359.jpg?resize=801,900 801w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/9248359.jpg?resize=1068,1200 1068w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/9248359.jpg?resize=1780,2000 1780w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1823px) 100vw, 1823px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Astronaut Alan B. Shepard, Jr. During Suiting for First Manned Suborbital Flight on MR-3 (Mercury-Redstone)\nFreedom 7, on May 5, 1961 (MIX FILE)<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Another major first was achieved during the third Mercury mission on February 20, 1962, when John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth. His Friendship 7 capsule launched aboard a Mercury-Atlas rocket, and during his almost five-hour flight he circled Earth three times before splashing down in the Atlantic 800 miles southeast of Bermuda.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-wide\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><a href=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/62ma6-55\/62ma6-55~large.jpg?w=1509&h=1919&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1509\" height=\"1919\" src=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/62ma6-55\/62ma6-55~large.jpg?w=1509&h=1919&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"John Glenn poses in his space suit with the Friendship 7 spacecraft\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 38% 55%; object-position: 38% 55%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/62ma6-55\/62ma6-55~large.jpg?w=1509&h=1919&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1509w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/62ma6-55\/62ma6-55~large.jpg?w=236&h=300&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 236w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/62ma6-55\/62ma6-55~large.jpg?w=768&h=977&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/62ma6-55\/62ma6-55~large.jpg?w=805&h=1024&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 805w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/62ma6-55\/62ma6-55~large.jpg?w=1208&h=1536&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1208w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/62ma6-55\/62ma6-55~large.jpg?w=315&h=401&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 315w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/62ma6-55\/62ma6-55~large.jpg?w=472&h=600&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 472w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/62ma6-55\/62ma6-55~large.jpg?w=708&h=900&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 708w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/62ma6-55\/62ma6-55~large.jpg?w=944&h=1200&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 944w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1509px) 100vw, 1509px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Astronaut John H. Glenn Jr., pilot of the Mercury Atlas 6 (MA-6) spaceflight, poses for a photo with the Mercury “Friendship 7” spacecraft during preflight activities. (1962)<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Among the original Mercury 7 astronauts, only Deke Slayton didn\u2019t make a Mercury flight, but he did go on to fly in space as part of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project crew. Three members of the Mercury 7 also flew in the Gemini program, and three were part of Apollo missions, with Shepard setting foot on the moon. Glenn\u2019s return to space came 36 years after his first flight. He lifted off aboard space shuttle Discovery for mission STS-95 in 1998.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many of the physical reminders of the Project Mercury days have disappeared, and mission control was moved to Houston early in the Gemini program, but it was the pioneering legacy of Project Mercury and all those who worked on it that propelled America\u2019s space program forward to the astounding feat of reaching the moon by the summer of 1969.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-0 article_a hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-credits-and-details\">\n<section class=\"padding-x-0 padding-top-5 padding-bottom-2 desktop:padding-top-7 desktop:padding-bottom-9\">\n\t<div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0\">\n\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-2 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t<div 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aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M4.98 3.5c0 1.381-1.11 2.5-2.48 2.5s-2.48-1.119-2.48-2.5c0-1.38 1.11-2.5 2.48-2.5s2.48 1.12 2.48 2.5zm.02 4.5h-5v16h5v-16zm7.982 0h-4.968v16h4.969v-8.399c0-4.67 6.029-5.052 6.029 0v8.399h4.988v-10.131c0-7.88-8.922-7.593-11.018-3.714v-2.155z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"social-icon social-icon-rss\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"\/feed\/\" aria-label=\"Subscribe to RSS feed.\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 800 800\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M493 652H392c0-134-111-244-244-244V307c189 0 345 156 345 345zm71 0c0-228-188-416-416-416V132c285 0 520 235 520 520z\"\/><circle cx=\"219\" cy=\"581\" r=\"71\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"heading-14\">Details<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row margin-bottom-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading\">Last Updated<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-8\">Jul 25, 2023<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\"><div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black \"><div class=\"margin-bottom-2\"><h2 class=\"heading-14\">Related Terms<\/h2><\/div><ul class=\"article-tags\"><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/project-mercury\/\">Project Mercury<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/\">NASA History<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-0 hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-related-articles\">\t\t<section class=\"hds-related-articles padding-x-0 padding-y-3 desktop:padding-top-7 desktop:padding-bottom-9\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"w-100 grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0 text-align-left\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-4\"><h2 style=\"max-width: 100%;\" class=\"width-full w-full maxw-full\">Explore More<\/h2><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/flag-day-2024-one-small-flags-incredible-journey\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=300,225 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=768,576 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=400,300 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=600,450 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=900,675 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">7 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">Flag Day 2024 \u2013 One Small Flag\u2019s Incredible Journey<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t3 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/55-years-ago-manned-orbiting-laboratory-cancellation\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"212\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg 424w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg?resize=300,212 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg?resize=400,283 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">10 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">55 Years Ago: Manned Orbiting Laboratory Cancellation<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t5 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/55-years-ago-star-trek-final-episode-airs-relationship-with-nasa-endures\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"217\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?resize=300,217 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?resize=768,555 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?resize=400,289 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?resize=600,434 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">15 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">55 Years Ago: Star Trek Final Episode Airs, Relationship with NASA Endures<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2 weeks ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In October 1958, just six days after NASA formally organized, America\u2019s first human spaceflight program was born. Project Mercury\u2019s manned flights spanned just two years \u2013 from May 1961 to May 1963 \u2013 making history with its six missions launched from Cape Canaveral. The American public first met the seven men chosen to be this […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":175359,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2718,2671],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[],"coauthors":[],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"In the Beginning: Project Mercury","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/project-mercury\/in-the-beginning-project-mercury\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/project-mercury\/in-the-beginning-project-mercury\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/275808main_62-ma7-55__0.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/275808main_62-ma7-55__0.jpg"},"articleSection":"Missions","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"NASA"}],"creator":["NASA"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["NASA History","Project Mercury"],"dateCreated":"2008-10-01T16:40:00Z","datePublished":"2008-10-01T16:40:00Z","dateModified":"2023-07-25T15:19:49Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"In the Beginning: Project Mercury\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/project-mercury\/in-the-beginning-project-mercury\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/275808main_62-ma7-55__0.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2008-10-01T16:40:00Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"Missions\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"NASA History,Project Mercury\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"NASA\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":3,"time_ago":"16 years","featured_image":{"id":175359,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/275808main_62-ma7-55__0.jpg","title":"275808main_62-ma7-55__0","alt":"","caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168263"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=168263"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168263\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":442081,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168263\/revisions\/442081"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/175359"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=168263"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=168263"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=168263"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=168263"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=168263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}