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

Project Mercury was the first American human spaceflight program, putting one astronaut into space on six occasions between 1961 and 1963. The circular ablative heatshield on the Mercury spacecraft protected it during reentry in the earth atmosphere two ways: 1) the very shallow curved surface created a shock wave that kept much of the ionized gases created by reentry at a distance; 2) the remaining heat flux was carried away by the ablation (erosive evaporation) of the glass fiber-phenolic resin composite.

This heatshield flew on the Mercury-Atlas 9 Faith 7 spacecraft of L. Gordon Cooper, Jr., May 15-16, 1963, and was later removed. It was transferred from the NASA Johnson Space Center to the Smithsonian in 1976 in two pieces.

 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
 Dimensions Approximate: 38 in. radius (height) x 75 in. width (diameter (96.52 x 190.5cm)
 Materials glass fibers in phenolic resin
 Inventory Number A19770487000 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.