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American Human SpaceflightAmerican Human Spaceflight

Early Missions - Mercury & Gemini

Lunar Missions

Space Stations Space Shuttle Future Missions

Reference Information

Apollo-Soyuz Test Project(ASTP)

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Mercury - Mercury - 1958 to 19631958 to 1963The idea of human spaceflight has been in the mind of humans throughout recorded history. By the late 1950s, technology had developed to the level ideas could be transformed into hardware to achieve human spaceflight.

In 1959, NASA asked the U.S.A. military services to list members who met specific qualifications. The search was underway for pilots for the new manned spaceflight program. The first seven NASA Astronauts for Project Mercury were announced on April 9, 1959. Front row - left to right - Walter Schirra, Donald Slayton, John Glenn, and Scott Carpenter.Back row - Alan Shepard, Virgil “Gus” Grissom, and Gordon Cooper.

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On January 31, 1961, a 44-month old chimpanzee, named Ham, was the first higher primate launched into outer space. Ham is shown trying out his combination couch and life support system on January 28, 1961 in preparation for his flight.

Ham was secured in a Mercury capsule atop the Mercury Redstone-2 (MR-2) rocket and launched from Cape Canaveral, FL. During the flight, Ham successfully pushed a lever within five seconds after seeing a flashing blue light. Failure resulted in negative reinforcement in the form of an electric shock to the soles of his feet. He landed 422 miles downrange after a 16.5 minute flight. Ham's capsule landed in the Atlantic Ocean and was recovered by a rescue ship. After the flight Ham lived for 17 years in the National Zoo in Washington D.C., then at the North Carolina Zoo before dying at the age of 27 on January 19, 1983.

The MR-2 flight was one in a series of flights leading to the manned orbital flights of the Mercury program.

Mercury Chimp “Ham” Prepares for Test FlightMercury Chimp “Ham” Prepares for Test Flight

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Mercury

Project Mercury put the first Americans into space.

Astronaut Alan Shepard was the first American in space during his sub-orbital flight on May 5, 1961 aboard Freedom 7. The Mercury – Redstone 3 rocket was launched from Pad LC-5 at Cape Canaveral, FL.

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Mercury

Astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth on February 20, 1962 aboard Friendship 7 launched by the Mercury - Atlas 6 rocket from Pad LC-14 at Cape Canaveral, FL.

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Project Gemini was an intermediate step between Mercury and Apollo developing technologies needed for lunar exploration.

Gemini-Titan 4 lift-off from Cape Canaveral, FL carried James McDivitt and Ed White for a four-day mission on June 3, 1965. This flight included the first space-walk by an American astronaut, accomplished by Ed White.

Gemini - 1962 to1966

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GeminiOn June 3, 1965, Edward White became the first American to step outside his Gemini 4 spacecraft.

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GeminiOn December 15, 1965, Walter Schirra and On December 15, 1965, Walter Schirra and Thomas Stafford on Gemini 6 and Frank Borman Thomas Stafford on Gemini 6 and Frank Borman and James Lovell on Gemini 7 accomplished the and James Lovell on Gemini 7 accomplished the first space rendezvous. Gemini 6 views Gemini 7. first space rendezvous. Gemini 6 views Gemini 7.

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GeminiGemini 11 command pilot Charles Conrad climbs from the spacecraft hatch minutes after splashdown on September 9, 1966. Pilot Richard Gordon still has his hatch closed. U.S. Navy frogman team attached a flotation collar to the spacecraft.

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Grissom got his first mission in 1961. On July 21, he piloted the second American manned suborbital flight on spacecraft known as Liberty Bell 7. The flight lasted only 15 minutes and 37 seconds. With its chutes open, the craft drifted down to the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. While the landing was smooth, Grissom's departure from Liberty Bell 7 was difficult. The craft had an explosive hatch, which blew open suddenly, filling the cabin with water. Grissom struggled to get out and swam in the waters nearby, watching as the spacecraft sank.

Four years later, he was assigned another mission. As the commander of Gemini III, Grissom got a chance to orbit Earth three times. was selected to command the first manned mission of what would become known as Apollo 1. Unfortunately, Grissom and the rest of his crew, Ed White and Roger Chaffee, never made it into space. They died on January 27, 1967, in fire during a pre-flight test at the NASA Space Center in Cape Kennedy (now Cape Canaveral), Florida. Grissom left behind a wife and two children.valuated the spacecraft.

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Apollo - 1963 to 1972

The purpose of the Apollo Program was to land men on the lunar surface and to return them safely to Earth. Six missions landed on the surface of the moon; three others orbited the moon without landing, including the ill-fated Apollo 13.

The Apollo 11 Saturn V space vehicle lifted off with astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin Aldrin on July 16, 1969, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, FL. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the moon.

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Apollo

Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) pilot Charles Duke photographed this Descartes Highlands landing site on April 21, 1972. Commander John Young is to the right of the LM and directly behind the Lunar Roving Vehicle. Thomas Mattingly remained with the Command and Service Module (CSM) in lunar orbit.

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The Apollo 16 CSM approached the LM on April 23, 1972 for their final rendezvous. Aboard the LM, John Young and Charles Duke returned to the CSM in lunar orbit after three successful days on the lunar surface. Thomas Mattingly piloted the CSM.

Apollo

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Apollo

The photograph of the Earth rising over the Moon's horizon was taken from the Apollo 11 CSM in July 1969.

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ASTP was the first human spaceflight mission conducted jointly by two nations. This led to future cooperative missions. Soyuz was launched prior to the American Apollo launch on the same day. The two spacecrafts docked on July 17, 1975 and joint operations were conducted for two full days. The docking module served as an airlock and transfer corridor between the two spacecrafts.

Astronaut Donald Slayton and cosmonaut Aleksey Leonov are shown in Soyuz.

Apollo Command and Service Module

Docking Module

Soyuz

Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) - 1975

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Skylab- 1973 to 1974

Skylab, the first American space station, was adapted from the third stage of an Apollo Saturn V rocket and launched into orbit on May 14, 1973. Three successive crews of three astronauts each occupied Skylab. The longest mission, ending on February 8, 1974, lasted almost three months.

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Skylab

Skylab 3 astronaut Jack Lousma takes a shower in the crew quarters of the Orbital Workshop (OWS) on July 1, 1973. Skylab 4 astronauts Gerald Carr (right) and William Pogue are shown in the OWS on February 1, 1974.

18Shuttle / MIR - 1994 to 1998

Seven American astronauts spent nearly 1000 days living in orbit with cosmonauts on the Russian space station Mir. American shuttles rendezvoused ten times with Mir. The Shuttle-Mir Program prepared the way for the International Space Station and began an era of cooperation and exploration. Soyuz cosmonauts took the photograph during a fly-around on July 4, 1995.

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International Space Station (ISS) - 1998 to present

In 1998, the first two ISS modules were launched In 1998, the first two ISS modules were launched and joined in orbit. Other components soon and joined in orbit. Other components soon followed and the first crew arrived in 2000.followed and the first crew arrived in 2000.

A crewmember onboard the STS-130A crewmember onboard the STS-130 Space Space Shuttle Endeavour photographed the ISS after the Shuttle Endeavour photographed the ISS after the two spacecrafts undocked February 19, 2010.two spacecrafts undocked February 19, 2010.

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Space Shuttle - Space Shuttle - 1981 to present1981 to present

The space shuttle orbiters were The space shuttle orbiters were the first spacecraft capable of the first spacecraft capable of routinely launching into orbit routinely launching into orbit like rockets and then returning like rockets and then returning to Earth as gliders. The orbiters to Earth as gliders. The orbiters are part of the Space are part of the Space Transportation System used for Transportation System used for scientific research and space scientific research and space applications. The space shuttle applications. The space shuttle will be retired in 2010.will be retired in 2010.

The first shuttle, Columbia, The first shuttle, Columbia, STS-1, was launched April 12, STS-1, was launched April 12, 1981 from Pad 39A at Kennedy 1981 from Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center, FL carrying Space Center, FL carrying astronauts John Young and astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen. The Earth Robert Crippen. The Earth orbital mission lasted 54 hours orbital mission lasted 54 hours and ended with an un-powered and ended with an un-powered landing at Edwards Air Force landing at Edwards Air Force Base, CA.Base, CA.

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Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) - Future

Orion was part of the Constellation Program that provided humans the capabilities necessary to travel and explore the solar system. On February 1, 2010, President Barack Obama announced cancellation of the program. The new spacecraft was designed to deliver six crew members and supplies to the International Space Station (above) by 2014; carry four astronauts to and from the moon by 2020; and transport crews to Mars bound vehicles assembled in low Earth orbit. The Orion vehicle was shaped like an Apollo capsule, but it was larger and it had solar panels to provide power.

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Orion Crew Vehicle – Launch and ReturnOrion astronauts would be launched on the Ares I (left) comprised of a single space shuttle solid rocket booster derivative and a second stage powered by an engine using liquid hydrogen fuel and liquid oxygen oxidizer. Ares I lifted more than 27.5 tons to low Earth orbit.

To return to Earth, the Orion spacecraft engine would be fired, and the service module jettisoned from the crew module, exposing the heat shield. The capsule re-entered Earth’s atmosphere; the parachutes and airbags deployed; and the capsule set down on dry land (right) or water. Splashdown would have been the primary landing method with dry land an option.

NASA recovered the astronaut capsule, replaced the heat shield and launched it again. A new crew module would be reused up to 10 times.

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The Ares V (left), a heavy lift launch vehicle, would have used five liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen engines mounted below a larger version of the space shuttle's external tank and two solid propellant rocket boosters. It would have launched up to 143 tons of cargo and components into low Earth orbit needed for the space station or exploration of the moon and Mars.

In August 2010, the Senate directed NASA to build a heavy lift rocket (up to 110 tons to low Earth orbit) that looks like Ares V.

The Ares V solid rocket boosters separated and the payload fairings released following launch. The cargo launch vehicle is shown (right) carrying the lunar lander and the departure stage that would have provided the energy to allow the astronauts to leave Earth's orbit for the moon.

Aries V Cargo Launch Vehicle

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Orion – Lunar MissionsThe Orion crew would have launched after Ares V achieved orbit, docked with the lunar lander/departure stage and then left Earth orbit for the moon. Three days later, the crew would go into lunar orbit (left).

Orion would have sent four astronauts to the lunar surface, twice as many as Apollo, and they would have stayed longer. The initial missions would have lasted four to seven days and the new ship could have carried enough propellant to land anywhere on the moon's surface.

After landing and exploring the surface (right); the crew launched from the lower part of the lander; docked with Orion; and returned to Earth.

The Orion spacecraft operated without a crew in lunar orbit, eliminating the need for one astronaut to stay in the capsule while others explored the surface. Once a lunar outpost was established, crews could remain on the lunar surface for up to six months.

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American Human Spaceflight - Reference InformationSheet 1 of 2

Orion images courtesy of NASA, Lockheed Martin, and John Frassanito and Associates.

Images and Text:http://grin.hq.nasa.gov/index.htmlhttp://spaceflight.nasa.gov/http://history.nasa.gov/http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/alsj/astp/AST-5-298.jpghttp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Apollo-Soyuz-Test-Program-artist-rendering.jpg Text and Additional Information:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ham_the_Chimphttp://www.jsc.nasa.gov/history/complete.htmhttp://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/history/mercury/mercury-overview.htm http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/history/gemini/gemini-overview.htm http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/apollo/ http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/history/skylab/skylab.htm http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/history/complete.htm#shuttlehttp://www.jsc.nasa.gov/history/complete.htm#shuttlemirhttp://www.jsc.nasa.gov/history/complete.htm#isshttp://exploration.nasa.gov/constellation

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Text and Additional Information (Continued):http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/main/index.htmlhttp://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/ares/index.htmlhttp://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/orion/index.htmlhttp://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/spacecraft/index.html

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