Name: Mercury-Atlas 1 — Atlas LV-3B
Start: 1960-07-29T13:13:00Z
End: 1960-07-29T13:13:00Z
Location: Space Launch Complex 14

Question 1

What rocket is launching Mercury-Atlas 1?

Accepted Answer

Mercury-Atlas 1 is launching on the Atlas LV-3B.

Question 2

Who is launching Mercury-Atlas 1?

Accepted Answer

Mercury-Atlas 1 is being launched by National Aeronautics and Space Administration, a government launch provider founded in 1958.

Question 3

Where is Mercury-Atlas 1 launching from?

Accepted Answer

Mercury-Atlas 1 is launching from Space Launch Complex 14 at Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA.

Question 4

What orbit is Mercury-Atlas 1 heading to?

Accepted Answer

Mercury-Atlas 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 Mercury-Atlas 1 mission?

Accepted Answer

Mercury-Atlas 1 (MA-1) was the first attempt to launch a Mercury capsule and occurred on July 29, 1960 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The spacecraft was unmanned and carried no launch escape system. The Atlas rocket suffered a structural failure 58 seconds after launch at an altitude of approximately 30,000 feet (9.1 km) and 11,000 feet (3.4 km) down range.

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.

Mercury-Atlas 1

Overview

Mission details

Launch Window

Space Launch Complex 14

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Frequently asked questions