Name: Big Joe 1 — Atlas LV-3B
Start: 1959-09-09T08:19:00Z
End: 1959-09-09T08:19:00Z
Location: Space Launch Complex 14

Question 1

What rocket is launching Big Joe 1?

Accepted Answer

Big Joe 1 is launching on the Atlas LV-3B.

Question 2

Who is launching Big Joe 1?

Accepted Answer

Big Joe 1 is being launched by National Aeronautics and Space Administration, a government launch provider founded in 1958.

Question 3

Where is Big Joe 1 launching from?

Accepted Answer

Big Joe 1 is launching from Space Launch Complex 14 at Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA.

Question 4

What orbit is Big Joe 1 heading to?

Accepted Answer

Big Joe 1 is heading to Suborbital (Sub).

Question 5

Is the Atlas LV-3B reusable?

Accepted Answer

No — the Atlas LV-3B is an expendable launch vehicle.

Question 6

How many times has the Atlas LV-3B flown?

Accepted Answer

The Atlas LV-3B has launched 10 times to date, with 7 successful flights.

Question 7

What is the Big Joe 1 mission?

Accepted Answer

Suborbital flight with the objective of testing the Mercury spacecraft ablative heat shield. The Atlas booster section failed to jettison, leading to a lower apogee. It was nonetheless sufficient to satisfy the Mercury spacecraft team.

Question 8

Where is Cape Canaveral Space Force Station?

Accepted Answer

Cape Canaveral Space Force Station sits on Florida's Atlantic coast, on the Eastern Range run by the U.S. Space Force's Space Launch Delta 45. It is the United States' busiest launch site and has been America's gateway to orbit since the 1950s.

Question 9

Which rockets launch from Cape Canaveral?

Accepted Answer

SpaceX flies Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, and United Launch Alliance flies the Vulcan Centaur (and the retiring Atlas V) from Space Launch Complex 41.

Question 10

Is Cape Canaveral the same as the Kennedy Space Center?

Accepted Answer

No. Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center are separate, neighbouring sites — Kennedy is on Merritt Island just to the north. Together they make up Florida's 'Space Coast'.

Question 11

Why do rockets launch from Cape Canaveral?

Accepted Answer

Its pads sit on the Eastern Range, letting rockets fly east out over the Atlantic toward the equatorial and geostationary orbits most commercial and national-security payloads need, away from populated land.

Question 12

Can you watch a launch from Cape Canaveral?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the Space Coast is one of the easiest places in the world to watch a launch from public land. Popular free spots include Playalinda Beach, Space View Park in Titusville, and Jetty Park at Port Canaveral.

Big Joe 1

Overview

Mission details

Launch Window

Space Launch Complex 14

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Frequently asked questions