{"id":168618,"date":"2018-05-17T22:20:00","date_gmt":"2018-05-18T02:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?migration=converted-node-424609"},"modified":"2023-09-24T22:57:06","modified_gmt":"2023-09-25T02:57:06","slug":"fifty-five-years-ago-faith-7-closes-out-project-mercury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/fifty-five-years-ago-faith-7-closes-out-project-mercury\/","title":{"rendered":"Fifty-five Years Ago, Faith 7 Closes Out Project Mercury"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Project Mercury was America\u2019s first human space flight program. The Space Task Group at Langley Research Center in Virginia initiated the project in 1958 with three goals: orbiting a human spacecraft, investigating an astronaut\u2019s ability to function in space, and safely recovering both spacecraft and crew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After some early launch failures, the first successful test of the single-seat spacecraft without an astronaut on board took place in December 1960, launched into a suborbital flight atop a Redstone rocket. A similar flight a month later carried Ham, a chimpanzee. Two crewed 16-minute suborbital flights flew in May and August 1961, with Alan B. Shepard and Virgil I. Grissom aboard, respectively. The first successful uncrewed Mercury orbital flight using the more powerful Atlas rocket launched in September 1961, followed by the orbital flight of Enos, another chimpanzee, in November.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>John H. Glenn flew the first human orbital flight in February 1962, followed by M. Scott Carpenter in May and Walter M. Schirra in October. Glenn and Carpenter each orbited the Earth three times, Schirra six.<\/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-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8772556\/8772556~large.jpg?w=1445&h=1920&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" rel=\"noopener\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1445\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8772556\/8772556~large.jpg?w=1445&h=1920&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Portrait of Gordon Cooper with a model of the Gemini spacecraft and an American flag\" 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\/8772556\/8772556~large.jpg?w=1445&h=1920&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1445w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8772556\/8772556~large.jpg?w=226&h=300&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 226w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8772556\/8772556~large.jpg?w=768&h=1020&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8772556\/8772556~large.jpg?w=771&h=1024&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 771w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8772556\/8772556~large.jpg?w=1156&h=1536&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1156w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8772556\/8772556~large.jpg?w=301&h=400&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 301w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8772556\/8772556~large.jpg?w=452&h=601&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 452w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8772556\/8772556~large.jpg?w=677&h=900&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 677w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/8772556\/8772556~large.jpg?w=903&h=1200&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 903w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1445px) 100vw, 1445px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Astronaut L. Gordon Cooper, Jr., one of the original seven astronauts for Mercury Project selected by NASA on April 27, 1959. The MA-9 mission, boosted by the Mercury-Atlas launch vehicle, was the last flight of the Mercury Project. The Faith 7 spacecraft orbited the Earth 22 times in 1-1\/2 days.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The final flight of Project Mercury launched May 15, 1963, from Pad 14 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. L. Gordon Cooper, the pilot of Mercury 9, named his capsule Faith 7. The number 7 recognized his status as one of the Original 7 astronauts. During a flight that was longer than all previous Mercury missions combined, Cooper conducted 11 experiments that included monitoring radiation levels, deploying a strobe beacon to see how well Cooper could track it, observing zodiacal lights, and taking photographs of the Earth. During his 17th orbit, Cooper transmitted slow-scan black and white television images back to the Mercury Control Center (MCC) at Cape Canaveral, the first TV transmission from an American crewed spacecraft. Although plans called for Cooper to sleep as much as eight hours, he slept only intermittently during portions of the flight.<\/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-inline\"><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\/S63-07603\/S63-07603~large.jpg?w=1528&h=1920&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1528\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S63-07603\/S63-07603~large.jpg?w=1528&h=1920&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"The Mercury Atlas 9 rocket lifts off for Gordon Cooper's Faith 7 mission\" 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\/S63-07603\/S63-07603~large.jpg?w=1528&h=1920&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1528w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S63-07603\/S63-07603~large.jpg?w=239&h=300&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 239w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S63-07603\/S63-07603~large.jpg?w=768&h=965&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S63-07603\/S63-07603~large.jpg?w=815&h=1024&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 815w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S63-07603\/S63-07603~large.jpg?w=1222&h=1535&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1222w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S63-07603\/S63-07603~large.jpg?w=318&h=400&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 318w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S63-07603\/S63-07603~large.jpg?w=478&h=601&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 478w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S63-07603\/S63-07603~large.jpg?w=716&h=900&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 716w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S63-07603\/S63-07603~large.jpg?w=955&h=1200&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 955w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1528px) 100vw, 1528px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">S63-07603 (15 May 1963) — This is the launch of Mercury-Atlas 9 (MA-9) on May 15, 1963, at 8:04 a.m. (EST) carrying astronaut L. Gordon Cooper Jr., pilot. Astronaut Cooper made 22 orbits in 34 hours and 19 minutes, in the spacecraft designated the ?Faith 7′′. Photo credit: NASA<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Faith 7 performed well until the 19th orbit, when a faulty sensor erroneously indicated that the spacecraft was starting reentry. Two orbits later, a short circuit knocked out the automatic stabilization and control system.  When the carbon dioxide level began to rise in the cabin and in his spacesuit, Cooper reported to MCC in his usual understated manner, \u201cThings are beginning to stack up a little.\u201d Despite these malfunctions, he managed to make a perfect manual reentry concluding a highly successful mission. Faith 7 splashed down about 80 miles southeast of Midway Island in the Pacific Ocean, just four miles from the recovery ship USS <em>Kearsarge<\/em>. Cooper orbited the Earth 22 times and logged 34 hours and 20 minutes in space, the longest US space flight at that time. Project Mercury gave NASA the confidence to move on to Project Gemini during which the critical techniques required to achieve a lunar landing before the end of the decade were mastered by two-person crews.<\/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-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s63-07881\/s63-07881~large.jpg?w=1517&h=1920&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1517\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s63-07881\/s63-07881~large.jpg?w=1517&h=1920&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Christ Kraft, seated in the center of this photo, works with others in the Mercury Control Center\" 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\/s63-07881\/s63-07881~large.jpg?w=1517&h=1920&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1517w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s63-07881\/s63-07881~large.jpg?w=237&h=300&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 237w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s63-07881\/s63-07881~large.jpg?w=768&h=972&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s63-07881\/s63-07881~large.jpg?w=809&h=1024&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 809w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s63-07881\/s63-07881~large.jpg?w=1214&h=1537&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1214w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s63-07881\/s63-07881~large.jpg?w=316&h=400&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 316w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s63-07881\/s63-07881~large.jpg?w=474&h=600&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 474w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s63-07881\/s63-07881~large.jpg?w=711&h=900&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 711w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s63-07881\/s63-07881~large.jpg?w=948&h=1200&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 948w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1517px) 100vw, 1517px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">S63-07881 (15-16 May 1963) — Walter C. Williams, Flight Operations Director; and Chris Kraft, Chief of the Flight Operations Division, MSC, are shown in the Mercury Control Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida, as the decision to go for the full 22 orbits is made for the Mercury Atlas 9 (MA-9) mission. Photo credit: NASA<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><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\/6413216\/6413216~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1475&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1475\" src=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/6413216\/6413216~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1475&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 51% 56%; object-position: 51% 56%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/6413216\/6413216~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1475&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1920w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/6413216\/6413216~large.jpg?w=300&h=230&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/6413216\/6413216~large.jpg?w=768&h=590&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/6413216\/6413216~large.jpg?w=1024&h=787&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/6413216\/6413216~large.jpg?w=1536&h=1180&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1536w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/6413216\/6413216~large.jpg?w=400&h=307&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/6413216\/6413216~large.jpg?w=600&h=461&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/6413216\/6413216~large.jpg?w=900&h=691&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/6413216\/6413216~large.jpg?w=1200&h=922&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\">The recovery operation of the Faith 7 spacecraft after the completion of the 1-1\/2 day orbital flight (MA-9 mission) with Astronaut Gordon Cooper. Navy frogmen attach the flotation collar to the spacecraft. The MA-9 mission was the last flight of the Mercury Project and launched on May 15, 1963 boosted by The Mercury-Atlas launch vehicle.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Enjoy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jsc.nasa.gov\/history\/oral_histories\/CooperLG\/CooperLG_5-21-98.htm\" rel=\"noopener\">Gordon Cooper\u2019s<\/a> oral history with the JSC History Office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Mercury 9 capsule is currently on display at <a href=\"https:\/\/spacecenter.org\/attractions\/starship-gallery\/mercury-9-faith-7\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Space Center Houston<\/a>.  A recreation of the MCC is on display inside the Kurt Debus Center at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kennedyspacecenter.com\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex<\/a>.<\/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-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/screen_shot_2018-05-17_at_5.17.12_pm_0.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1396\" height=\"454\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/screen_shot_2018-05-17_at_5.17.12_pm_0.png?w=1396\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Two images, the Mercury 9 spacecraft on display at Space Center Houston and a reconstruction of the Mercury Control Center\" 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\/2018\/05\/screen_shot_2018-05-17_at_5.17.12_pm_0.png 1396w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/screen_shot_2018-05-17_at_5.17.12_pm_0.png?resize=300,98 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/screen_shot_2018-05-17_at_5.17.12_pm_0.png?resize=768,250 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/screen_shot_2018-05-17_at_5.17.12_pm_0.png?resize=1024,333 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/screen_shot_2018-05-17_at_5.17.12_pm_0.png?resize=400,130 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/screen_shot_2018-05-17_at_5.17.12_pm_0.png?resize=600,195 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/screen_shot_2018-05-17_at_5.17.12_pm_0.png?resize=900,293 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/screen_shot_2018-05-17_at_5.17.12_pm_0.png?resize=1200,390 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1396px) 100vw, 1396px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">The Mercury 9 spacecraft on display at Space Center Houston (left). Reconstruction of Mercury Control Center at the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Center (right).<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/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\t4 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\t6 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>Project Mercury was America\u2019s first human space flight program. The Space Task Group at Langley Research Center in Virginia initiated the project in 1958 with three goals: orbiting a human spacecraft, investigating an astronaut\u2019s ability to function in space, and safely recovering both spacecraft and crew. After some early launch failures, the first successful test [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":131636,"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":"274311","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":["128577"],"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":[2671,2959,3502,2718],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[12664],"coauthors":[11996],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Fifty-five Years Ago, Faith 7 Closes Out Project Mercury","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/fifty-five-years-ago-faith-7-closes-out-project-mercury\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/fifty-five-years-ago-faith-7-closes-out-project-mercury\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/34-s63-01922.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/34-s63-01922.jpg"},"articleSection":"NASA History","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"John Uri"}],"creator":["John Uri"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["Missions","Project Mercury","NASA History","Atlas 9 (Faith 7)","L. Gordon Cooper Jr."],"dateCreated":"2018-05-18T02:20:00Z","datePublished":"2018-05-18T02:20:00Z","dateModified":"2023-09-25T02:57:06Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"Fifty-five Years Ago, Faith 7 Closes Out Project Mercury\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/fifty-five-years-ago-faith-7-closes-out-project-mercury\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/34-s63-01922.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2018-05-18T02:20:00Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"NASA History\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"Missions,Project Mercury,NASA History,Atlas 9 (Faith 7),L. Gordon Cooper Jr.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"John Uri\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":3,"time_ago":"6 years","featured_image":{"id":131636,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/34-s63-01922.jpg","title":"34-s63-01922","alt":"Astronaut Gordon Cooper stands fully suited beside the Faith 7 spacecraft.","caption":"Astronaut L. Gordon Cooper Jr., pilot for the Mercury-Atlas 9 (MA-9) mission, stands fully suited beside his spacecraft during preflight testing. Cooper named his spacecraft the Faith 7"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168618"}],"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=168618"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168618\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":519450,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168618\/revisions\/519450"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/131636"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=168618"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=168618"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=168618"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=168618"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=168618"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}