Mercury/Little Joe Booster - Hampton, Virginia - Static Aircraft Displays on Waymarking.com

To test the launch escape system for the Mercury spacecraft, the Little Joe rocket was launched at NASA's Wallops Island Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore in 1959 and 1960. The Little Joe booster vehicle was built by North American Aviation, while the Mercury spacecraft sitting at the top of this booster rocket was a mockup built at nearby Langley Research Center.

Seven test flights of Little Joe, using either mockup or production Mercury spacecraft, demonstrated an escape system that could pull the Mercury capsule and astronaut safely away from atop a failing Atlas booster in case of an emergency. All Little Joe flights were unmanned. This test vehicle (the backup for mission LJ-2) is only one of two remaining. It is painted in typical test flight markings.

Type of Aircraft: (make/model): Mercury/ Little Joe Booster Construction:: original aircraft Location (park, airport, museum, etc.): Air Power Park inside / outside: outside Tail Number: (S/N): Not listed Other Information:: Not listed Access restrictions: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Photo of aircraft (required - will be interesting to see if the aircraft is ever repainted or progress if being restored)
Photo of serial number (required unless there is not one or it is a replica)
Photo(s) of any artwork on the aircraft (optional but interesting)

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