Little Joe 5A
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| Mission Insignia | |
|---|---|
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| Mission Statistics | |
| Mission Name: | Little Joe 5A |
| Call Sign: | LJ-5A |
| Number of Crew Members: | 0 |
| Launch: | March 18, 1961 Wallops Island |
| Landing: | March 18, 1961 |
| Duration: | 23 min 48 s |
| Number of Orbits: | suborbital |
| Apogee: | 7.7 mi 12.4 km |
| Distance Traveled: | 18 mi 29 km |
| Maximum velocity: | 1,783 mph 2,869 km/h |
| Peak acceleration: | 8 g (78 m/s²) |
| Mass: | 1,141 kg |
| LJ-5A | |
Missing image S61-01673.jpg Little Joe 5A being prepared for launch, Wallops Is., VA. (NASA) |
Little Joe 5A was an unmanned Launch Escape System test of the Mercury spacecraft, conducted as part of the U.S. Mercury program. The mission used production Mercury spacecraft # 14. The mission was launched March 18, 1961, from Wallops Island, Virginia. The Little Joe 5A flew to an apogee of 7.7 miles (12 km) and a range of 18 miles (29 km). The mission lasted 5 minutes 25 seconds. Maximum speed was 1,783 mph (2869 km/h) and acceleration was 8 g (78 m/s²). The mission was a success and Mercury spacecraft # 14 was recovered. Mass 1,141 kg.
Mercury spacecraft # 14 used in the Little Joe 5A mission, is currently displayed at the Virginia Air and Space Center, Hampton, VA .
External links:
Mercury spacecraft #14 display page on A Field Guide to American Spacecraft website. (http://aesp.nasa.okstate.edu/fieldguide/pages/mercury/mc-14.html)
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