Usage Conditions May Apply Usage Conditions Apply There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page. IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and image viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. More - https://iiif.si.edu View Manifest View in Mirador Viewer Usage Conditions May Apply Usage Conditions Apply There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page. IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and image viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. More - https://iiif.si.edu View Manifest View in Mirador Viewer Usage Conditions May Apply Usage Conditions Apply There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page. IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and image viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. More - https://iiif.si.edu View Manifest View in Mirador Viewer Usage Conditions May Apply Usage Conditions Apply There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page. IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and image viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. More - https://iiif.si.edu View Manifest View in Mirador Viewer Usage Conditions May Apply Usage Conditions Apply There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page. IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and image viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. More - https://iiif.si.edu View Manifest View in Mirador Viewer

On November 29, 1961, the chimpanzee "Enos" made two orbits in this capsule on the Mercury-Atlas 5 (MA-5) mission. The flight followed the two American manned sub-orbital flights and the one-orbit, automated flight of a Mercury capsule on MA-4. MA-5 was the first orbital mission by an American primate. Because of a malfunctioning control jet and an overheated inverter, Enos was brought down after two orbits, instead of the three planned, but both problems could have been solved if an astronaut had been aboard. MA-5 met its two primary objectives, testing the spacecraft's environmental control system and the procedures for recovering an astronaut, and thus was considered a complete success. It paved the way for the first manned orbital flight, MA-6, by John Glenn in February 1962.

In September 1967 the Smithsonian received this artifact from the NASA Manned Spacecraft Center (now Johnson Space Center) in Houston.

 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 Manufacturer McDonnell Aircraft Corp.
 Dimensions Overall: 112 in. tall x 73 in. wide at base, 2866lb. (284.5 x 185.4cm, 1300kg)
Other: 112in. (284.5cm)
Support (at base): 73in. (185.4cm)
 Materials Skin & Structure: Titanium
Shingles: Nickel-steel alloy; Beryllium shingles removed
Ablation Shield: Glass fibers, resin
 Inventory Number A19680242000 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.