NASA Mercury-Redstone Rocket - US Space & Rocket Center, Huntsville, AL
N 34° 42.628 W 086° 39.260
16S E 531652 N 3840989
A NASA Mercury-Redstone Rocket on static display outside of the Main Exhibit Building at the US Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville AL
Waymark Code: WMWXMW
Location: Alabama, United States
Date Posted: 10/26/2017
Views: 4
There are dozens of rockets, missiles, missile launchers, and other aircraft on static display outside of the Main Exhibit Building at the US Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL.
The waymarked NASA Mercury-Redstone Rocket is located near two smaller rockets near the entrance to the rocket park.
An interpretive sign reads as follows:
"NASA MERCURY-REDSTONE
An upgraded version of the Redstone missile, the Mercury- Redstone (MR) launch the first 6 flights of America’s human spaceflight program. Mercury Redstone differed from the military missile in that it featured an adapter for a space capsule, stretched propellant tanks, and minor changes to the engine. The Mercury version of the rocket increased its burn time by 20 second; enough to put the first 2 Americans into space. These reliable boosters placed Alan Shepard (MR-3, May 5, 1961) and Virgil “Gus” Grissom (MR-4, July 21, 1961) into suborbital flight. They also carried out for test flights, including the launch of Ham the chimpanzee on MR-2.
The rocket on display was used for the first Mercury Redstone test flight, MR-1. An issue with power and control cables because the engine to shut down immediately after ignition. The booster rose 3.8 inches, and settled back into place. Flight controllers allow the timers to continue to run, and all other automated tasks were tested successfully. Rocket was then brought to Marshall space flight Center for study and eventual display.
Length: 83.38 ft
Diameter: 5.8 ft
Finspan: 12 ft
Weight: 66,000 lbs
Thrust: 78,000 lbs
Propellant: Liquid oxygen and ethyl alcohol
Contractors:
Chrysler Corporation (fuselage)
McDonnell aircraft Corp. (Mercury spacecraft)
Rocketdyne Div., North American Aviation Inc. (propulsion)"
Type of Aircraft: (make/model): NASA Mercury-Redstone Rocket
Construction:: original aircraft
Location (park, airport, museum, etc.): US Space & Rocket Center, Huntsville AL
inside / outside: outside
Access restrictions:
Open 7 days a week, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Tail Number: (S/N): Not listed
Other Information:: Not listed
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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)
Tell why you are visiting this waymark along with any other interesting facts or personal experiences about the aircraft not already mentioned.