The Mercury capsule #10 was one of 20 Mercury spacecraft built, but was never flown. It was used as an unmanned flight qualification vehicle by the manufacturer, McDonnell Aircraft Corporation of St. Louis, in an orbital test series in the vacuum chamber. It was later used for testing by the NASA Manned Spacecraft Center (now Johnson Space Center) in Houston.
In 1967, NASA transferred the spacecraft to the Smithsonian Institution. Around 1980, the Kansas Cosmosphere restored the spacecraft to its orbital configuration.
Display Status
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Country of Origin
United States of America
Type
SPACECRAFT-Crewed-Test Vehicles
Manufacturer
McDonnell Aircraft Corp.
Dimensions
Overall: 5 ft. 8 in. tall x 6 ft. 6 in. wide (172.7 x 198.1cm)
Materials
Skin & Structure: Titanium
Shingles: Nickel-steel alloy; Beryllium shingles removed
Ablation Shield: Glass fibers, resin
Inventory Number
A19680247000
Credit Line
Transferred from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.