Country of Origin: United States of America
Dimensions:
3-D Test: 18.4 x 15.2cm (7 1/4 x 6 in.)
Materials:
Plastic material, probably plexiglas.
This plastic icon was placed on a large wall map of the Earth and used in the Mission Control room at Cape Canaveral, during the Mercury and early Gemini eras. The map, with this icon, was featured on many live television broadcasts from that era and is well-remembered by the public. Wires attached to the icon and linked to telemetry data allowed it to be moved across the map, to show where the spacecraft was at any time. It is in the shape of a Mercury capsule, although it was used for the first few Gemini flights as well.
Midway through the Gemini program, Mission Control moved to Houston, Texas, and the control room at Cape Canaveral was dismantled. This icon was one of the few historic pieces salvaged from that center.
Gift of Steven R. Cox.
