This hatch was part of the historic Friendship 7 capsule in which, on February 20, 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth. In the original Mercury design, the hatch was bolted on by launch pad technicians. Without outside assistance, the astronaut could exit only by crawling out the capsule's neck after landing. The astronauts pushed through a redesign to incorporate a window over the pilot's head and a hatch that could be ejected with explosive bolts, so that they might egress quickly in an emergency. This version of the spacecraft first flew on the second manned suborbital mission in July 1961, but the hatch blew off accidentally after splashdown and "Gus" Grissom's capsule sank. Glenn thus decided not to eject the hatch until after Friendship 7 was lifted onto the deck of the destroyer Noa.
NASA transferred Friendship 7 to the Smithsonian Institution in 1962.
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-Parts & Structural Components
Manufacturer
McDonnell Aircraft Corp.
Dimensions
Approximate: 29 in. tall x 26 in. wide (73.66 x 66.04cm)
Weight 26 lbs.
Materials
titanium structure, Rene 41 shingles
Inventory Number
A19670176002
Credit Line
Transferred from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
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