Little Joe 5B
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| Mission Insignia | |
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| Mission Statistics | |
| Mission Name: | Little Joe 5B |
| Call Sign: | LJ-5B |
| Number of Crew Members: | 0 |
| Launch: | April 28, 1961 Wallops Island |
| Landing: | April 28, 1961 |
| Duration: | 5 min 25 s |
| Number of Orbits: | suborbital |
| Apogee: | 2.8 mi 4.5 km |
| Distance Traveled: | 9 mi 14.5 km |
| Maximum velocity: | 1,780 mph 2,865 km/h |
| Peak acceleration: | 10 g |
| Mass: | 1,141 kg |
| LJ-5B | |
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Little Joe 5B 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 # 14A. The mission was launched April 28, 1961, from Wallops Island, Virginia. The Little Joe 5B flew to an apogee of 2.8 miles (4.5 km) and a range of 9 miles (14 km). The mission lasted 5 minutes 25 seconds. Maximum speed was 1,780 mph (2865 km/h) and acceleration was 10 g (98 m/s²). The mission was a success and Mercury spacecraft # 14A was recovered. Mass 1,141 kg.
Mercury spacecraft # 14A used in the Little Joe 5B mission, is currently displayed at the Virginia Air and Space Center, Hampton, VA . Mercury spacecraft #14A 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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