This is a 1:48 scale model of the Mercury-Redstone, the launch vehicle for Project Mercury's suborbital missions. The Army's Redstone medium-range ballistic missile was selected in 1958 as the launch vehicle for these flights. It was modified in several respects and was designated the Mercury-Redstone. After several launches of unmanned Mercury spacecraft, the rocket launched America's first astronaut in space on May 5, 1961. Alan Shepard, Jr., and the Freedom 7 capsule were lifted to a height of nearly 140 miles and a range of almost 600 miles in a flight lasting a little less than 16 minutes. The rocket was used once more on July 21, 1961, when it launched Virgil Grissom on another suborbital flight. The model was built by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, which transferred it to NASM in 1971.
Display Status
This object is on display in Destination Moon at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.
Object Details
Country of Origin
United States of America
Type
MODELS-Missiles & Rockets
Manufacturer
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
Dimensions
3-D (Rocket, Overall): 8.3 × 8.3 × 53.3cm (3 1/4 in. × 3 1/4 in. × 1 ft. 9 in.)
3-D (Figure): 4.4 × 1.3 × 0.3cm (1 3/4 × 1/2 × 1/8 in.)
Materials
Plastic
Paint
Non-Magnetic Metal Alloy
Ferrous Alloy
Inventory Number
A19720995000
Credit Line
Gift of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
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